Number
200430
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference
Sponsor
ALD. JOHNSON, RAINEY, KOVAC, AND PEREZ
Title
Substitute resolution urging the Fire and Police Commission to implement an emotional intelligence and cultural competency framework and assessment criteria to be included alongside all Police Department training.
Analysis
This resolution urges the Fire and Police Commission to implement an emotional intelligence and cultural competency framework and assessment criteria to be included alongside all Police Department training.
Body
Whereas, Policing makes great emotional demands on officers, who are required to deal with a myriad of crisis situations while maintaining order, delivering service, and controlling crime; and
Whereas, The national and local conversation urging reform of police departments highlights the need for emotional intelligence and cultural competency training and assessment criteria for police officers; and
Whereas, Growing evidence suggests emotional intelligence is a factor in predicting work performance that involves regular interpersonal contact with people, which is the cornerstone of the law enforcement profession; and
Whereas, Managed proactively and effectively, emotions can improve decision making, while unmanaged emotions can take over reasoning and logic and contribute to regrettable decisions; and
Whereas, To more effectively protect and serve the public, law enforcement officers have an obligation to learn to appropriately monitor their own and others’ emotions and use their knowledge to guide their thinking, action, and decision making; and
Whereas, Emotional intelligence and cultural competency training provides opportunities to improve officer and public safety, increase solution options for resolving high-conflict encounters, and mitigate judgement and behavior issues exacerbated by poor physical and psychological health; and
Whereas, A key to changing law enforcement is understanding that social and emotional intelligence skills and cultural competency can be operationalized, taught, improved upon, and put into everyday law enforcement practice and procedure; and
Whereas, Cultural competency and emotional intelligence plays an integral role in policing relations and human interaction, which requires this training to be integrated into all law enforcement education and not just one lesson or a handful of sessions; and
Whereas, The history of policing has perpetuated racial oppression and disparate racial outcomes which necessitates systemic institutional reconstruction; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Fire and Police Commission is urged to implement an emotional intelligence and cultural competency framework and assessment criteria to be included alongside all Police Department training.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB 176193-1
Tea B. Norfolk
6/30/2020