‘Tough guy’ training Kansas City-area police departments used is a recipe for abuse | Opinion

As a police psychologist for more than 35 years, I served 60-plus agencies in the Kansas City region, as well as teaching at several academies in Kansas. I am very committed to police reform in a number of areas, including training and professional orientation. The way law enforcement officials present themselves to the public, as well as the way they think of their purpose and mission, are crucial to the safety of everyone, including our officers.

KCUR and The Midwest Newsroom recently released a nine-month investigation showing that at least 290 police officers from the Kansas City metropolitan area took classes from a New Jersey business called Street Cop Training , as recently as Aug. 6.

The New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller has released a 47-page report that “found that a number of the tactics taught at the conference were both unjustifiably harassing and unconstitutional under both New Jersey and federal law.”

One instructor quoted in the KCUR/Midwest Newsroom report, Louisiana sheriff’s deputy Shawn Pardazi, told attendees of one conference that during interactions with the public, “You gotta be a f---ing gigolo.” Pardazi was indicted earlier this year after he livestreamed himself shooting at the back of a car during a traffic stop.

The Missouri and Kansas police departments that had participated in the companies’ training have since broken ties with Street Cop Training, KCUR reports.

I have not observed the inappropriate training recently investigated, but here are my reactions to the summary and critique:

There has long been a trend in police work away from “peace officer” and “law enforcement” identities and toward militarization and a “warrior” mentality that unfortunately appeals to some officers. This warrior mentality has been augmented by militarization in uniforms and equipment. Some officers and leaders feel this mentality and approach make officers safer, whereas it may very well make them more vulnerable, and might increase the potential for violence, particularly gun violence in encounters with the public.

Armed officers responding to the majority of policing situations that are nonviolent (crimes against property, mental illness, traffic accidents) can be provocative and can escalate or trigger citizen resistance and aggression.

Officer appearance and behavior that appears defensive, harassing and threatening can escalate and provoke violence. Guns and the warrior mentality can influence officers to be more suspicious, defensive, arrogant and stereotyping in perceptions, shaping their approaches to citizens and suspects.

The Midwest Newsroom/KCUR report quoted Street Cop founder Dennis Benigno on a podcast saying that traffic stops shouldn’t be about enforcing traffic laws. “Get your head out of the motor vehicle law game,” he told listeners. “Are you going to be a ticket dork or are you going to be a cop?”

The “dork” officer referred to is actually the safer cop — and the one who is more respectful of citizens and their constitutional rights. In my professional experience, the three groups most likely to push back against a warrior use of force agenda in particular are people with mental illness, teenagers and members of ethnic minorities. It is often a matter of pride and respect for the latter two groups.

It is so unfortunate that this “tough guy” training has been out there, and it is with already-problem law enforcement officers that it’s most likely to resonate. Also unfortunately, police unions often make it hard for departments to dismiss such problematic officers. We want both police and the public to be safer and more respectful of others’ rights. The training investigated here would take law enforcement in a direction marked by stereotyping, suspicion, disrespect and unnecessary violence.

Daniel C. Claiborn is a forensic and police psychologist who has served more than 60 regional law enforcement and fire departments and agencies since 1981. He currently specializes in consulting with school districts on violence risk and threat assessment, and he is a member of the Student Threat Assessment Team with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.