Preventing Racial Profiling through Cultural Proficiency uses the essential elements of cultural proficiency to engage participants in preventing racial profiling. In addition, through the Cultural Proficiency Continuum, participants assess areas of emphasis in preventing racial profiling. Strategies are developed to increase the cultural proficiency of the organization, working within the legal definition of racial profiling. We discuss what behavior falls within racial profiling and what doesn’t. We provide scenarios for participants to assess that involve specific circumstances of racial profiling.
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Racial Profiling
In practice, racial profiling is broader than its legal definition. It is the use of race, gender, national origin, or religious dress as a primary factor — often in conjunction with other factors — in deciding to initiate a policing activity. The act of racial profiling is often the tip of the iceberg in cross cultural interaction.
Racial profiling is often understood as something that other departments or agencies do, but rarely or never done by this department. Understanding what does and does not constitute racial profiling is crucial in eliminating its practice in the law-enforcement community.
There are probably as many reasons for individuals to justify racial profiling as there are people who do it. Eliminating its practice begins by understanding the root of profiling and discrimination. That root is our own core values, often our upbringing or personal culture and, of course, the culture of our department.
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