I read with great interest the article about women in policing ("Female police officers' de-escalation skills changing tone in Minneapolis," April 18). Having retired after 28 years with the Minneapolis Police Department, and another 12 as chief of the University of Minnesota Police, I would like to offer some further context and a bit of pushback.
My rookie class of 1975 included the first three female MPD police officers. There was a prior rank of "policewoman" that worked juvenile, sex crimes and vice, but did not wear a uniform or respond to calls from citizens. The UMPD and LAPD swore in their first female officers in 1974. For that matter, our rookie class in 1975 included five African-American officers, thereby doubling the number of black officers in a department of 824.
Those first female officers with MPD indeed had to work doubly hard to overcome stereotypes. But over time, they integrated well and added greatly to the quality of policing in our city.
I would tend to agree with my friend David Couper, a very early progressive police chief, that women are less likely to garner excessive force complaints. I would challenge the assumption that they necessarily have superior de-escalation skills. Like their male counterparts, they are individuals. I have known many female and male officers who are brilliant interpersonally. Unfortunately, there are always some officers, of either gender, who cannot or will not maintain a professional demeanor, becoming sarcastic, demeaning, and generally offering poor service. Fortunately, that is the distinct minority.
As deputy chief of services at MPD for the four years that covered the era of "Murderapolis" and "Clinton Cops," I oversaw the largest hiring push in MPD history. There and at the U I always saw selection as a challenge of balancing numbers, quality and diversity. In both departments, providing not only selection of women, but advancement of talented women, was a priority. That priority has resulted in talented and now experienced women reaching positions of leadership. It is necessarily generational.
I offer a few recommendations about further bridging the gaps between police and community in Minneapolis. I am a multi-generational Minneapolitan. I was proud to serve my home community in the city and on campus. Hometown recruits are rare today. Few new officers come from the city. Residency rules may or may not be unwise, but the fact is they are unlawful.
We have to find more-effective ways for officers to understand the community and dispel stereotypes. Many are in progress at MPD, but innovation must continue. Even in 1975, under a very progressive police chief, Jack Jensen, connecting officers to the community was addressed in the rookie academy. Each recruit was assigned for two weeks during his or her time at the academy to a community agency. Upon return, we all explained to our fellow recruits the purpose of the agency and who worked there. In many instances that created a personal contact in service to the community that lasted for years.
Last, I would offer a somewhat controversial proposal. Prior to hiring, candidates are scrutinized intensely, including their psychological makeup. What are their biases (we all have them)? What is their attitude toward use of authority, of force?
Those hired soon go through some intense experiences. They join a police culture. In a large department like Minneapolis, there are actually many cultures.
There are many personal rewards of the job, but also costs. Yes, there is physical danger on occasion, but the psychological traumas affect more officers. So, perhaps after three or five years, psychological evaluations should be repeated, to see how officers are coping. This should be routine rather than singling out someone when problems have already occurred. There are now many skilled professionals, including veteran officers, who have pursued professional training to serve fellow officers. There are many good ideas out there.
Greg Hestness is former University of Minnesota police chief and a former deputy chief in the Minneapolis Police Department.
