Change Through Participation (And Vice Versa)

Abstract

Police officers who are experienced in violent involvements can contribute to police professionalization while undergoing personal change and development. These officers can be enlisted in work aimed at the promotion of more effective and constructive police- civilian contacts. Participation in such efforts produces both indivi dual and organizational change.

The Oakland Police Department contains a Violence Prevention Unit, composed of patrolmen and a sergeant. This unit is concerned with research and action programs in training and communication, related to violence.

The project started with seven patrolmen, who met (part time) in the summer of 1969. Among the achievements of this group was the creation of a violence tape library, the completion of a critical inci dent survey, and the design of a new training officer program for the department.

In the summer of 1970, the 1969 group trained seventeen other officers, who engaged in projects such as family crisis intervention research, and self-analysis interviews.