Diversity and Inclusion for Law Enforcement: Enhancing Cultural Responsiveness

The training will increase the skills and abilities of law enforcement practitioners to use cultural humility as a foundation for interpersonal interactions and community out-reach program design. In addition to day one’s classroom experience devoted to increasing self-awareness, learning about and practicing how to integrate key strategies, the course employs a ½ day Pro-Action Café on the morning of the second day.

This morning Pro-Action Café provides opportunity for law enforcement participants practice in exercising cultural humility to address community-specific engagement challenges with a personally invited individual from a community group or individual community member they’d like to build a better or different relationship with as it relates to building trust and police legitimacy in working with minority, disenfranchised or hard-to-reach communities.

The training bridges the gap between the historically abstract subject matter of diversity and inclusion and the practical application of engaging diverse populations in meaningful partnerships and joint problem solving efforts. The course increases awareness of the importance and nuances of culturally-responsive policing in building trust with marginalized communities. This training initiative was developed by the Center for Public Safety and Justice (CPSJ) at the University of Illinois.

Law enforcement and law enforcement practitioners