Abstract
Police officers are expected to play contradictory roles in society. They are told that they are warriors—soldiers in the war on drugs, crime, and violence—but they are also expected to function as social workers, counselors, and peacekeepers. These inconsistent roles create intense stress and mental struggle for officers. Statistics can show the presence or absence of crime, but measuring the presence or absence of justice is far more difficult. A comprehensive approach to officer training and practicing internal procedural justice in our law enforcement agencies is a critical step to establishing trust and improving performance. The disease of addiction is the number one issue affecting crime, violence, and the criminal justice system, and police must receive training about the disease. The Illinois Police and Community Relations Improvement Act, passed by the General Assembly, provides for police to get the training they need to improve outcomes. There are still areas where improvement is possible, including introduction of sentinel event reviews, a national peer-to-peer hotline for police officers, and medical research evaluating the effect shift work has on police officers.
Recommended Citation
Sean M. Smoot,
Remarks at the Southern Illinois University School of Law and School of Medicine Symposium: The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing: Procedural Justice, Policing, and Public Health,
40
S. Ill. U. L.J.
427
(2016).
Available at:
https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/siulj/vol40/iss3/2