Internal Affairs in 21st Century Police Agencies
Policing in today ’ s climate is more challenging than ever . Over the last several years , and especially within the last six months , communities have changed expectations of their police departments regarding everything from methods of engagement , defunding , increased transparency , to use of force policy . Police departments must be ready to engage the community in open conversations to understand and meet these new expectations in order to improve trust and legitimacy as well as to decrease , or at least mitigate , liability . And to maintain community trust , departments must also be very adept at policing their own . But does this mean that police discipline needs to become more punitive to fall in line with the renewed expectations of community members ? Perhaps , surprisingly to some , best practices would indicate it should not . Actually , implementing a disciplinary framework that is less punitive in many ways , while perhaps counterintuitive , is of paramount importance in ensuring that officers are treated
fairly and equitably while simultaneously maintaining community trust .
Almost three decades ago , Chief Darrel Stephens , while serving in St . Petersburg , devised an internal affairs model that was well ahead of its time that he later also implemented within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department . The model is adaptive for agencies of most any size and for incidents ranging from courtesy complaints to excessive uses of force ( Stephens , 2011 ).
The model moves away from providing a prescribed action regarding sustained violations but rather views each incident on its unique set of facts . And while some employees may find a level of comfort in the “ mandatory sentencing ” provided by a disciplinary matrix , if implemented effectively , an internal affairs policy that handles each matter as a unique event may be seen for what it truly is ; a fairer , more equitable approach to police discipline that takes into full account both aggravating and mitigating circumstances . Stephens ’ ( 2011 ) model places emphasis on changing officer behavior with a training focus ( when appropriate ) rather than making police discipline a strictly punitive paradigm . Under this education-focused model , “ mistakes of the head ” are treated differently from “ mistakes of the heart .”
Disciplinary Decision Model Each department must decide how internal affairs will work to produce detailed and thorough investigations that will withstand increasingly external scrutiny . When an allegation is sustained through such investigation , deciding the best course of action is often the most difficult component of the case flow . Chief executives ’ balance between departmental and public interests are never more important than in disciplinary decisions . But what should the department consider when making these decisions without a firm traditional disciplinary matrix ? The Stephens model considers the following .
40 WINTER . 2021