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screening devices are good and testing and training procedures are fair and legal then the city should not be involved in the tutoring.96

The final phase of the training for Omaha recruits is a period of policing with an experienced officer for on-the-job training that the police manual calls "coach-trainer field training."97 According to the manual this

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The National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals recommends a minimum of four months field training in rotating shifts, districts and assignments.99 The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights reported that in Houston recruits receive 14 weeks of such training and in Philadelphia 18 days.100

Members of the Midwest Guardians criticized the selection of officers to serve as coaches for the September 1981 class. They asserted that for the first time the day shift was not involved in the field training and because almost all of the black officers are assigned to the day shift (assignment is based on seniority) this meant there were no black coaches. The Midwest Guardians were told the day shift field training had been eliminated because the new officers would not be assigned to days for at least ten years and therefore needed experience only on the other two shifts. As a result of the Guardians' protest, two young black officers with just one year of experience each were assigned as coaches. The officers feel this one year's experience is insufficient for coaching. They emphasized that they believe it is important for both the black and white recruits to have experienced black officers as coaches. They contend that this would promote understanding, acceptance, and enable black and white officers to work together and know each other as individuals. 101 Seeing only white officers in these positions can reinforce existing prejudice, if any. If white recruits and officers can get to know black officers and recruits as individuals no different from

themselves then that feeling can carry over to their work in the community.102

Because of the concerns noted above, the city is looking into various aspects of training and selecting police recruits.103 Mr. Troutman stated that various aspects of the selection procedure and training are being reviewed by the personnel department. The curriculum, the possibility of civilian instruction, evaluation of instructors and the oral interview are all being "looked into." Mr. Troutman hopes that his department will be given clear authority to take control of the recruitment, testing and training for the police division. He believes he now has the legal authority under the city charter to do so but feels the procedures need to be studied before he can recommend changes.104

Current Inservice Training

The Omaha police division provided 50 days of inservice training in 1979, 19 days in 1980 and 19 days in 1981. Two sessions, each 15 days, of "police instructor school" account for the large number of days in 1979. The school was not offered in 1980 or 1981.105 The entire department received firearm training all three years but generally only a limited number of officers attend the different training programs.106 Other training covered auto theft, advanced accident investigation, homicide investigation and highway safety.107

Training that could impact on police-community relations included a stress management school attended by one officer, a public speaking school for the community services bureau which was attended by 12 officers and a human behavior program attended by 40 officers. The latter two training programs were in 1981, the stress management class had been in 1979. Aside from the

human behavior program, no sensitivity training has been given in the last three years.108

Several citizens interviewed for this study commented on the need for inservice sensitivity training. Bernice Dodd, director of Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC), advocates sensitivity training for officers to make them familiar with black culture.109 One group of citizens believe officers need training in appropriate behavior and language while performing their duties.110 Two citizens, while making the point that inservice

sensitivity training is needed, added that local black leaders could be used

as instructors.111

Some officers may need training in handling spouse abuse and sexual assault cases, according to Mary Larsen, coordinator of the Women Against Violence Program in Omaha.112 However, Ms. Larsen does not see any major problems in the way most officers handle victims of spouse abuse and sexual assault cases. Her organization is willing to assist in providing inservice and several years ago offered to do so. The offer was refused and it has made no recent attempts to contact the police division on the subject.113

Notes

1. Gerald E. Caiden, Police Revitalization (Lexington, Mass.: Lexington

Books, 1977), p. 129.

2. National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals, Police (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973), p. 330.

3. Ibid.

4. 42 U.S.C. 2000e (1976).

5. 31 C.F.R. Part 51, Subpart E (1981).

6. Neb. Rev. Stat. sec. 48-1119 (1979).

7. Omaha World-Herald, July 14, 1981. 8. Ibid.

9. Ibid.

10. Omaha World-Herald, Jan. 2, 1979. 11. Omaha World-Herald, Jan. 16, 1964. 12. Omaha World-Herald, Sept. 29, 1965. 13. Omaha World-Herald, Sept. 7, 1967.

14. Omaha World-Herald, Sept. 8, 1967.

15. Gary Troutman, comments on draft, Apr. 28, 1982 and City of Omaha, Affirmative Action Policy, Aug. 1, 1979.

16. City of Omaha, Affirmative Action Policy, Aug. 1, 1979, p. 19.

17. Gary Troutman, interview in Omaha, Dec. 9, 1981 and Gary Troutman, comments on draft, Apr. 28, 1982.

18. Brotherhood of Midwest Guardians v. City of Omaha, No. 79-0-528, consent decree at p. 4 (D. Neb. Oct. 23, 1980).

19. Joe Ramirez, interview in Omaha, Sept. 24, 1981 and I.C. Plaza, interview in Omaha, Sept. 24, 1981.

20. Sam Walker, interview in Omaha, May 27, 1981.

21. Sam Walker, letter to Gary Hill, Chairperson, Police-Community Relations Subcommittee, Nebraska Advisory Committee, Apr. 12, 1982.

22. Gary Troutman, interview in Omaha, Dec. 9, 1981.

23. Brotherhood of Midwest Guardians v. City of Omaha, No. 79-0-528, consent

decree at p. 5, (D. Neb., Oct. 23, 1980).

24. Omaha Police Manual, Vol. I, Pers. 1-4, p. 1 and 1-5, p. 1 (Rev.) Sept.

1975.

25. Omaha Police Manual, Vol. I, Pers. 1-6, p. 1, (Rev.) Sept. 1975.

26. M. Lillian Bedell, memorandum to George E. Miller, Oct. 6, 1981. 27. Ibid.

28. George Miller, letter and attachments to staff, Apr. 2, 1982. 29. Ibid.

30. National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals, Police, Standard 13.3, p. 329.

31. Brotherhood of Midwest Guardians v. City of Omaha, No. 79-0-528, consent decree, p. 4 (D. Neb. Oct. 23, 1980).

32. Gary Troutman, interview in Omaha, Dec. 9, 1981.

33. George E. Miller, letter and attachments to staff, Apr. 2, 1982.

34. Gary Troutman, interview in Omaha, Dec. 9, 1981 and Marvin McClarty, James Patterson and Robert Dacus, interview in Omaha, Dec. 8, 1981.

35. Gary Troutman, comments on draft, Apr. 28, 1982.

36. Gary Troutman, comments on draft, Apr. 28, 1982 and interview in Omaha, Dec. 9, 1981.

37. Gary Troutman, interview in Omaha, Dec. 9, 1981.

38. Wilda Stephenson, telephone interview, Nov. 17, 1981; Fred Conley, interview in Omaha, Dec. 10, 1981.

39. Marvin McClarty, James Patterson and Robert Dacus, interview in Omaha, Dec. 8, 1981.

40. I.C. Plaza, interview in Omaha, Sept. 24, 1981 and Joe Ramirez, intervie in Omaha, Sept. 24, 1981.

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