National Institute of Justice – From Warriors to Guardians: Recommitting American Police Culture to Democratic Ideals, by Sue Rahr, Stephen K. Rice. NCJ Number: 248654, April 2015

“In this paper, the authors advocate for a recommitment to democratic ideals within law enforcement to combat the culture and mindset that officers are warriors at war with the people they are sworn to protect. While most law enforcement leaders recognize that creating stronger human connections and community engagement will lead to improved public safety and more effective crime fighting, law enforcement agencies lack a commitment to increasing community trust. Research tells us that while crime rates have fallen over the past three decades, public trust and confidence in the police have remained unchanged in recent years. In fact, research shows that the public doesn’t care as much about crime rates as they do about how they are treated by police. This phenomenon, known as “procedural justice,” focuses on perceived impartiality during interactions between police and the communities they serve, participation from the public during these interactions, fairness, and consistency of treatment.  To build a foundation of trust necessary to form a true partnership between the police and the communities they serve, the authors suggest shifting training programs away from the paramilitary boot camp model towards programs that recommit police culture to democratic ideals, where officers exercising procedural justice are viewed as a vital part of a community, instead of an occupying force.”