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Racial Profiling

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According to Leach (n.d.)., "The practice of racial profiling has no place in law enforcement. It is an activity that undermines the public trust vital for an effective community policing organization." A comprehensive change to organizational culture and policy can help to prevent the problems associated with racial profiling. The problems associated with racial profiling include the undermining of trust on the part of the community. Mistrust undermines the effort of police officers to serve and protect. To restore trust, "law enforcement agencies must address both the concerns of the community at large that are relevant to discriminatory policing, and the allegations of racial profiling made by ordinary citizens," (Leach, n.d.). Therefore, the following suggested policy and training initiatives are designed with the goal of increasing public trust as well as law enforcement effectiveness.

1. Community outreach programs, including a meaningful citizen complaint system. Community outreach entails regular meetings, as well as individual interviews with citizens. Law enforcement needs to explain the methods and motives behind citizen stops, to re-establish trust with community members. If possible, the community should be encouraged to develop a community leadership post that entails working regularly with law enforcement, such as by the provision of an anonymous tip hotline. Tip hotlines will only work when there is trust in law enforcement. The tips then become far more

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