Changing Our Thought Process: The Road to Meaningful Police Community Trust Building was written to address the systemic trust issues between the police and some of the communities that they serve. As a result of the reoccurring episodes or patterns of behaviors, there appears to be little evidence that existing programs, strategies, or policies are working effectively. In order to address these concerns, system thinking along with intrapersonal and interpersonal skills are provided as learning resources to help police and communities improve and better manage their relationships. Trust is considered by Gharajedaghi (2006) as an emerging property whose life expectancy is dependent on the conditions that reinforce it or diminish it. System thinking encompasses the relevant conditions that influence trust building relationships. This is a departure from the deterrent model which focuses on the faults of the individual rather than the system as a whole that produces the context that the behavior may have been influenced by. System thinking starts by inquiring how we think about certain issues and how we define problems based on our thinking. In essence, if our thinking is flawed; then, our solution(s) will more often be less than effective. While system thinking can be used to manage differences in any types of relationships, in this context, it is aimed at overcoming the polarities between police and communities with respect to building trust.
About the Author: Dr. John "Jay" Hall is one of nine children who was encourage to go to college by police officers in the community who saw his potential. Dr. Jay grew up in Gary, Ind. and Chicago, Ill. area. He was one of the "corner" boys. He worked as a probation, parole, and police officer. His academic achievements include: B.A. Sociology and Criminal Justice from Calumet College, M.A. Public Administration from Indiana University NW, M.S.M. Management from Houston Baptist University, and Phd. in Organizational Behavior, Management, and Leadership from Capella University, are accomplishments for his father, who only completed the 4th grade but served in the Navy and worked two jobs to take of his family. As a baby bloomer, Dr. Jay's mental model is still influenced by the civil rights struggle. To this extent, he is a strong proponent of social justice. However, he believes in teaching an individual how to fish rather than just giving them a fish. It's part of the "tough love" campaign to prepare individuals for the future.