The police want the respectful cooperation of the community, and people of color want police protection without feeling targeted by the police. Stereotyping is not just the problem of law enforcement officers. Many community members are misinformed on police and the nature of police work. Community leaders who have encountered racism in interactions with police agencies may need to acknowledge a similar injustice in characterizing police officers as racists in uniform. Often, police-community relations falter because there is no constructive way for police and community leaders to put into perspective their attitudes toward each other.
Racism is everyone's problem.
High-profile racial incidents involving police misconduct often can lead to blaming police officers for the racism we all carry. To be effective in dealing with these sensitive and complex issues, police and community leaders must develop practical communication and conflict-resolution skills. The workshops also help The REAL to identify key police and community leaders. In the second phase, community leaders join a resource team for serving the three selected Seattle neighborhoods. Team members receive intensive training over several months on such topics as effective intervention strategies, the role of internalized racism in community work, ways to build strong allies, the dynamics of leadership oppression, and methods for community conflict resolution.