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Conflict resolution seminar offered at CSUN

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Contributed by: caroline miranda on 2/8/2008

Representatives from area law enforcement agencies exchanged ideas for solving conflicts facing officers in the field at a Feb. 6 seminar at California State University, Northridge, held one day before officers fell victim to violence in Winnetka.

The Tseng College at CSUN and the University's Center for Human Relations sponsored the forum on communication and conflict management to introduce government agencies to University resources and to give them a forum for disucssing issues.

Peter Nwosu, director of CSUN's Center for Human Relations, displayed to the group a recent Daily News article that reported a reduction in crime, but an increase in assaults on officers.

The growing lack of respect for police and other authority figures, and the violent propensities of many individuals, have erupted into threats for police.

Police also must deal with economic, physical and space/density issues in urban areas, changes in social values and inter-group tensions, resulting in a growing need for dispute and conflict resolution strategies.

The roundtable event encouraged interaction among administrators and officers who represented law enforcement agencies that included Glendale, Los Angeles and Pasadena.

The trend is moving toward increasing interactions with the community, holding community forums, supporting community programs and understanding the dynamics of the political process, allowing police and the communities they serve to have a better understanding and appreciation of each other.

Working in a diverse community, in which inter-ethnic disagreements often flare and suspicion of police is common, makes law enforcement officials face special challenges.

For example, many African-Americans react negatively to police because of bad treatment historically, even though current treatment and procedures have improved.

In a wealthy community, the focus may be completely different - residents may be more focused on property protection rather than police interaction, while in a poorer, urban community, concern about police treatment may take priority. The

The Latino community faces language barriers. Asian cultures tend to not express problems and conflicts publicly to the police.

Because of the variety of issues dominant in different ethnic groups, police training includes education about how various cultures view law enforcement and deal with conflict.

Participants also emphasized the importance of access and transparency, so the community believes it is a stakeholder in law enforcement, understands the "why" of police procedures and avoids the perception of unfair treatment.

Police departments have expanded their presence beyond just an authority presence to include active involvement in positive community activities and teaching the public, especially youth, about police procedures, whether by inviting residents to learn more about police work, sponsoring community forums or working with at-risk youth.

One officer reported that after working with several at-risk youth in a police program, two volunteered as police Explorers. They say that while individuals in some communities may not trust a police officer, or be irritated by a police stop, they also need to understand the police officer's perspective, and the uncertainty or tension from the officer's viewpoint when someone must be stopped or confronted.

The university's Center for Human Relations addresses the effects of culture on communication and problem-solving. The seminar introduced law enforcement personnel to the University's availability to provide education about practical problem-solving of issues facing the community.

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