Implicit Bias

We observed 117 different police departments from all over the country that varied quite a bit in population. We collected data on the racial demographic of each city, more specifically the percent of the population that is Black, the percent of the population that is White, and the percent of the population that is Latino. We determined whether or not each department offered implicit bias training and de-escalation training to its offers and whether or not each type of training was mandatory. Similarly, we logged the number of hours, the frequency, and the start date of each training. 

 

We observed the total arrests made in each city along with the proportion of arrests overpopulation. We also looked heavily into how both implicit bias and de-escalation training might have affected each city, including the number of arrests before implicit bias and de-escalation training and the number of arrests after implicit bias and de-escalation training. Additionally, we observed the percent of Black, percent of White, and percent of Latino arrests were in proportion to the population in each city. Lastly, we measured the number of fatalities before and the number of fatalities after both implicit bias and de-escalation training, along with the racial demographics of those fatalities. 

 

Currently, we are working to determine which approaches that training may take, more specifically which companies are utilized by each department for training, such as (*), a virtual reality training tool, or the (*), which offers Webinars, in-person, and online training courses.

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(*) - Both companies listed were removed due to threats of legal action. Both companies did not want to be connected or associated with social justice research involving police departments.