NEWS RELEASE
Date: May 3, 2021
Contact: Captain Ronald Smith
Phone: (203) 230-4029
PIO#: 21-57
Recently, all members of the Hamden Police Department participated in training consisting of “Fair and Impartial Policing.” The class was taught by Officer Beatriz Montijo and Officer Jeremy Brewer, who are Hamden Police Officers, certified to teach the subject matter.
Fair and Impartial Policing is:
- A science based approach to understanding how the human brain processes bias.
- It is based on decades of research by social psychologists.
- It is a mindset. An intelligent, non-emotional way to discuss human biases.
- Reduces defensiveness amongst law enforcement.
- It is gaining wide acceptance, as a way to address bias and policing.
The training focused on four elements:
- Respect: Treat people with dignity.
- Trustworthiness: Convey worthy intentions, professional competence and good character.
- Voice: Allow a person to share his or her point of view.
- Neutrality: Make bias free decisions.
Other elements of the training concentrated on:
- Recognizing your own human biases.
- Articulate how implicit bias can affect your perceptions and behaviors.
- How biased policing impacts community members and law enforcement organizations.
- Demonstrate skills and tactics to reduce the influence of bias on police practice and to allow officers to be safe, effective police professionals.
