When a police officer approaches a civilian, the first few words determine the number of ways the interaction can proceed, said Kyle S.H. Dobson, assistant professor of public policy and psychology at the University of Virginia.
However, police who clearly state their reasoning and a positive goal for engagement can help increase trust with the community, Dobson said.
Dobson and professors from UT and the University of Southern California call this a “transparency statement,” according to research they published on March 7. Over three years, the researchers conducted a series of police ride-alongs, interviews, field observations and online surveys to assess how police officers could quickly establish rapport with civilians through clear communication. Dobson said the research findings were directly applicable to the UT Police Department.
“To the extent (police departments) want to build trust and build rapport and make sure that people know that they have some sort of compassion to their care that they’re giving and their service — that is where transparency statements, I believe, are the most important and impactful,” Dobson said.
According to the researchers, the transparency statement can improve the traditional “community policing” model, which is an approach to law enforcement that prioritizes regular engagement with community members to identify concerns and areas for improvement.
In 2020, around 32% of local police departments in the U.S. had a written policy for community policing, according to Department of Justice data. UTPD first adopted a community policing model in 1968, assistant police chief Ashley Griffin said in an email. In addition to mandatory certification, all Texas peace officers must complete training on civilian interaction and strategies for de-escalation. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement also requires regular training every two years for licensed officers.
Griffin said district representatives also uphold the model and serve as community liaisons for the department, and all officers are encouraged to tell community members why they are being stopped or talked to. The UTPD crime prevention unit provides presentations on public safety topics, she said.
“This has been a standard practice for many years, prior to Dr. Dobson’s research,” Griffin said. “Officers are aware that talking to law enforcement may cause some anxiety or nervousness.”
Despite the prevalence of community policing, past research on the effects of community policing on improving public safety and public trust in police shows the effects are not definitive. Dobson said the implementation of community policing methods and a lack of standardization often prevent police departments from enacting meaningful change.
“Instead of saying, ‘Treat everyone with respect,’ which is too vague, (or) ‘Treat everyone as a human,’ write that into a policy,” Dobson said. “You can say, ‘Did you specifically say what your benevolent intent was at the start of the conversation?’”
Ryan Wang, a sociology and psychology senior, said her first interaction with UTPD was through email reports indicating public safety threats on campus. While she acknowledged increased UTPD presence on campus could be especially important at night, she recognized that building trust with community members would take time.
“They’re trying to (build) relationships with students to make people feel like they’re more reliable, (and) building relationships to make students be aware of them when they need that kind of service,” Wang said.
