Police Paper
AJS/504
Police Paper
Question 1 - Name of department, title and how long a sworn peace officer.
Officer One: Officer one is a Retired Major in the Warwick Police Department. Officer in Charge of Operations. I was been a sworn officer since 1986.
Officer Two - Officer two is a Patrolman, and Field Training Officer at Woonsocket Department. I have been a sworn peace officer for eight years.
Question Two - What are the reasons that police patrol communities?
Officer One - Officer one: To create a partnership with the community to provide quality policing for the protection of life, and property, the investigation and prevention of crime and the maintenance of public safety.
Officer Two - Officer two: As a patrolman, Police patrol communities to deter crimes and to catch crimes as they occur. We also enforce traffic laws and prevent accidents that result from negligent driving and drunk drivers.
Do you practice community policing? If so, how?
Officer One: We are extremely focused on community oriented policing (COP). We work together with and within the community, involving the public as much as possible. We have officers on bikes, walking, and we also have quads which we use to patrol the beaches. The bicycle and walking officers are usually at the schools, parks and malls. This is a great way to have more contact with the public, it ensures them that we are around if or when they need us. Our presence makes outside our cruisers tend to make us more approachable to the public.
Officer Two: During the daylight hours patrolman take to the streets. This police presence gives the citizens a sense of safety and protection knowing the police are looking out them.
How does your department practice cultural diversity?
Officer One: We are proud that our city is home to people from different races, cultures and ethnicities, so each of them have different life experiences. Warwick Police Department is proud to be multi-cultural. Our department goes through cultural training and holds seminars quarterly. We have a diversity training officer within the department. We also have on staff a community cultural diversity committee that assists the public with any assistance they may be in need of.
Officer Two: Our department actively attempts to recruit minorities from the surround community.
How does your department serve those from all cultures when there are language and/or other cultural barriers?
Officer One: The interpretation of events can be quite different if there is a barrier due to the diversity. In our department, we hire a diverse number of police officers, this brings diversity to the our department also, which assists in breaking many of these barriers due to diversity, which helps to integrate those differences into everyday policing to build strength in the community. Our LEO’s and detectives as well, make a great effort to ensure every member of our community is valued and integrated into the group dynamics. However, it can take time, intent and the willingness to be open-minded and non-judgmental about the value the differences bring. It definitely takes effort to make cultural diversity a strength not only in the police department, but the community as well. At the same time, cultural diversity can also weaken a group. Differences in interpretation of events can lead to miscommunication, awkwardness and hostilities if not addressed, putting the life of the officer(s) at risk. Prejudices about people of different backgrounds can also lead people to jump to conclusions and misinterpret actions and behaviors. We make a strong effort to ensure this does not happen.
Officer Two: Due to a large minority group living in the city limits we often encounter different cultures and their specific type of interactions. Officers have undergone training to deal with the different types of cultural differences and how to handle them accordingly. Although some officers are bilingual we often use family members and