A news release I'd like to read:
Police Commissioner's new policy - no more lying —new philosophy for hiring a Police Chief
Hawaii County Police Commissioners may be the first in the nation to ask a police chief applicant, "Are you willing to implement a no lying, no stings, 100% relationship fidelity policy?"
Hawaii County Police Commissioners have voted unanimously to have this new context-creating question be known to all Police Chief Applicants. A spokesperson is quoted as saying, "This additional job interview question in no way diminishes the respect we have for our present Chief of Police. In fact we have been consulting with several chiefs throughout the revision process. We all agree that it's simply time to expand upon the admirable foundation created by our law enforcement professionals. We posit that citizens are ready to adopt a code of mutual honesty. We are excited about eliminating the double standard, that it's been OK for police to deceive and lie but not OK for citizens. Everyone knows that the present policy has been sending mixed messages to young people but the alternative is so overwhelmingly mind boggling that the thought, to not do it, has always been justified with reasons and excuses."
The present policy is that law enforcement officials are allowed to lie to suspects during interrogations. "We know you did it." "We have proof you did it." "Your friend told us you did it." etc.. Most every officer (especially the "good" ones) knows of one or more fellow officers who are cheating on their spouse or committing some departmental perpetrations daily. For decades, police have been allowed to pose as a criminal so as to entice a potential suspect to commit a crime. This philosophy has been condoned nationwide throughout the law enforcement community because of several reasons and beliefs. The main reasons being, "Every other police department does it." "It's common practice." "It's taught at the FBI Academy." And the rock solid belief, "The job simply can't be done if we can't lie at times."
In Cops, the popular TV show, time after time viewers watch a suspect tell boldface lies to the officer. Officers are unaware that citizens have no choice other than to lie and blame, to mirror an officer's integrity, his/her leadership-communication skills. Conversely, officers who tell the truth on the job and at home, those committed to zero deceits, have remarkable success eliciting truth.1 One is less likely to lie to a respectful, "nice," wholesome compassionate person. An officer with an unacknowledged (non-verbalized) lie or deceit in his/her professional/personal life emanates an aura, it creates a context of adversary. The suspect doesn't know why but they have no choice but to thwart and resist.
The premise of the new leadership-communication model to be implemented by the next Chief of Police is that officers must intend that at any moment in time a citizen is about to make the choice to go straight—perhaps coinciding with an officer's very presence. Whereas before, an officer would predict with considerable certainty that a sting victim would in fact commit the proffered crime, the officer was disallowing the power of his/her intentions. To succeed in the sting the officer had to maintain his/her intention for the citizen to commit a crime every single second right up through to the arrest. With the new policy officers will carry with them into each conversation a new ground of being, a reputation of impeccable integrity and a commitment to service so powerful that it can and will effect the desired intention, for citizens to emulate and exemplify an officer's honesty at any given moment.
1 "eliciting" More accurately, "Is the space, or creates space, for the truth to be told.
Last edited 7/28/21
