An increasing number of people appear to be interested in returning government’s focus to core services – like public safety. Unfortunately, funding for public safety initiatives is trending toward state and federal subsidies. Worse, public safety departments have strange ideas about their responsibilities. For example, the “Key Performance Objectives & Measures” of the Asheville Police Department, as listed in the FY 2009-10 budget, are:
· Clear, as defined by UCR standards, 25% of assigned part I cases.
· Enhance APD operations by securing $100,000 of grant funds, thus reducing dependence on the City’s general fund.
· Improve public acceptance within the community by increasing minority representation within the department’s workforce through the hiring of eight protected class employees.
· Improve the police department’s image within the City by implementing a “Marketing the Police” project to include conducting a Community and Police Day and conducting bi-annual Citizen Police Academies or Junior Academies.
· Increase the applicant pool by actively pursuing and participating in 15 job fairs, targeting protected class candidates.
· Implement a traffic safety program focused on safer streets and sidewalks by increasing public awareness campaigns and conducting monthly traffic Checking Stations in targeted traffic accident reduction locations.
· Improve quality of life for residents in targeted neighborhoods by conducting monthly drug enforcement activities, to include undercover operations and community awareness events.
· Increase youth participation awareness and interaction with the Police by recruiting and maintaining involvement in the Explorer Post. Conduct quarterly community awareness events to raise awareness levels.
This leaves me with two questions. (1) Can I resist arrest with impunity if the officer taking action doesn’t have my minority characteristics? (2) If the purpose of raising awareness is to raise awareness, why are we raising awareness?
