Abstracts Sociology

Teaching police cultural diversity: using action research to improve the Midwest Police Academy's preparation of recruits to police in a diverse society

by Kenneth Zimny

This research project is a follow-up to a study conducted by Michael Schlosser. Schlosser (2011) studied how the Midwest Police Academy (a pseudonym) prepared recruits to work in racially and ethnically diverse communities. This study took Schlosser???s recommendations and developed an Action Research project to attempt to improve the cultural diversity training at the Midwest Police Academy (MPA). One of the recommendations from Schlosser???s project was to, ???find ways to create more class participation for racial and ethnic diversity related topics??? (p.105). This was coupled with information from the existing literature that advocated not attempting to change officer???s beliefs in short cultural diversity courses. Instead, they advocated teaching cultural awareness. Attempts were made to make the MPA recruits aware of racial issues like colorblindness and tolerance. The recruits were given the Colorblind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS) during their first and last week at the academy. A focus group made up of the full-time instructors at the MPA was convened to discuss teaching cultural diversity. There was no significant change in CoBRAS scores. There needs to be a definite overhaul of the State curriculum and more time should be devoted to cultural diversity. Academy instructors should be taught the history of racism and the covert forms it takes in modern society.