University of Iowa police focus on fairness, crisis intervention in training

The University of Iowa Department of Public Safety is embracing and acting on a presidential report suggesting ways to improve community policing in the 21st century, in part, by ramping up officer training — specifically in the areas of fairness, impartiality, and crisis intervention.

Two UI officers will head to Davenport in May for a 'fair and impartial policing' course aimed at preparing them to train colleagues on fair and impartial police strategies and techniques. With officer-citizen interactions frequently making news of late, the fair and impartial perspective reflects a new way of thinking about biased policing.

The methodology counters the notion that officers are explicitly racist and suggests, rather, that they mean well but harbor subconscious biases that impact their perceptions and behavior.

UI Public Safety Interim Director Lucy Wiederholt said the hope is that the officers who receive the training 'will come back with a better understanding of effectively communicating and understanding their own implicit biases and how those implicit biases impact their dealings with the public and train all of our officers in that.'

During a Board of Regents campus safety and security subcommittee meeting Wednesday, Wiederholt said, her department long has held the 'guardian' mindset of community policing. But, she said, last year's presidential report serves 'as a good reminder and a good push to return to that.'

'I think we have done a really good job of educating our officers about using procedural justice and treating people with respect and dignity in our interactions,' Wiederholt said.

The focus on positive relations between officers and community members aligns with a related challenge facing officers at all three regent universities — an increase in responding to incidents involving mental health issues. Wiederholt said her department and other Johnson County law enforcement and health agencies are looking to improve how they respond to all sorts of crises — including mental health emergencies — through ramped-up training and education.

Eventually, she said, the agencies aim to model a program in San Antonio, Texas, that — among other things — has created a hub of mental health resources to serve as a sort of jail- and hospital-diversion program.

'Right now, as an officer, if I'm interacting with someone on the street and I determine that they have a mental health issue or they're in an emotional crisis, our options are very limited about what we can do to help the individual if it's 3 a.m.,' Wiederholt said. 'Oftentimes, the only option is the emergency room … It's not always the most appropriate option.'

Through the San Antonio program, officers there have the option of taking individuals needing help to a temporary counseling session or group, 24-hours a day, or to a space with substance-abuse aid or even homelessness resources.

'All those resources are gathered together in one location and makes it very efficient and effective for us front-line officers to get the most appropriate attention for an individual immediately,' she said.

The hub also provides space for those who might have had too much to drink but didn't commit any other crimes and don't have a criminal record.

'Jail maybe isn't the best place for that individual, so they also have a detox center,' Wiederholt said.

Six UI officers will receive crisis intervention training related to the San Antonio program in the coming months. The goal is to have countywide training available by May 2017.

'The San Antonio folks will come here to assist us in getting that up and running,' Wiederholt said.

Eventually, she said, 'the dream and the goal' is to establish a center like the one in San Antonio.

'There have been many times in my 30-year career here that this has been discussed,' she said. 'What kind of diversion programs can we come up with — primarily for students?'

But, despite initial excitement, Wiederholt said the concepts and plans always have fizzled.

'This conversation that I have been a part of in the last two months is the most enthusiastic and positive conversation I have ever heard,' she said. 'Everyone in the county is excited about this program, and we are having frequent meetings.'

That has Wiederholt believing this time is different.

'There is much more planning this time,' she said. 'I think if we are going to succeed, this is the time we're going to succeed. I'm very enthusiastic about it.'

Jail diversion has been a hot topic in Johnson County over the years, with opponents of a proposed new jail project using over-incarceration among their main arguments against expansion.

But Georgina Dodge, UI chief diversity officer and associate vice president, agreed that now is the time for success on long-talked about issues — including diversion, improved mental health response, and fair and impartial policing.

'As we look at efforts for things like fair and impartial policing and the ways in which there is this enthusiasm that then seems to wane, I think it's the enthusiasm, but I also want to make it clear that it also has to do with priorities and resources and the ability to follow through,' she said.

Being proactive takes planning, commitment, and collaboration — both locally and nationally.

'The national atmosphere right now, and the awareness of issues that are happening with police forces across the country, has really made this the moment that this work is possible,' Dodge said.