Cops vs. Change Agents: Coalition WITH Our Community
- Natasha D. Greene (Iowa State University)
- Brody J. Norton (Iowa State University)
Abstract
Police departments and law enforcement agencies have, historically, been postured as the authority responsible for defending and upholding structural oppression. This positionality alters the responsibilities of these organizations, highlighting a point of criticism for those who are subject to that authority. Individual identities, experiences, and perspectives further complicate the relationships of these organizations with the communities that they serve.
Law enforcement professionals have come under strict scrutiny in recent years due to their profession’s negligence in these complex social circumstances. Decries to “defund the police” have called into question the methods of law enforcement officers, and whether they truly serve the communities they engage with. At ISUPD, we believe strongly that there remains an inherent responsibility within our organization to acknowledge and understand these perspectives and to integrate them into our own methods of community policing.
Through progressive engagement, inclusion, and outreach efforts, ISUPD works to enter coalition with our diverse community. Our goal in community policing is to work with our community and not just within it. The intention of this presentation is to present our collective path of action, centering our conversation with the audience on the wisdom and perspective of those subject to police authority.