Best Practices in Community Policing Presentation

On March 23, 2017, the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA) jointly with the Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association (HNLEA) and the United Black Police Officers Association (UBPOA) presented a Best Practices in Community Policing Program to several Mexican officials, as facilitators of the Police Professionalization Exchange Program for Mexico (PPEP).

PPEP is a program of the US State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), via the US Embassy in Mexico, designed to provide training and professional development to 3,800 police officials from Mexico over the next three years. The program’s curriculum offers participants direct exposure and access to US police professionals and experts. Its participants receive training and professional development through online lectures, training academies, professional study tours in the US, and a Mexico-based training institute administered by US law enforcement experts and professionals.

Professional study tours allow for focused dialogue and the sharing of knowledge between Mexican and US law enforcement practitioners about the evolution of modern policing and police systems. As well, Mexican and US participants have the unique opportunity to interact while analyzing their roles as law enforcement professionals within their respective communities, and to reflect on how to incorporate best practices and lessons learned.

The first professional study tour took place March 19 through March 25, bringing twenty executive level Mexican law enforcement officials to the United States. Concurrent programs in Jacksonville, FL and Little Rock, AR explored best practices for community policing, and then met in Washington, DC for a three-day Law Enforcement Summit to focus on Federal government efforts and partnerships to promote community involvement in law enforcement. HAPCOA, HNLEA and UBPOA look forward to continued work with the US State Department and our brothers in law enforcement across the globe in order to foster bridges of understandings.

DOJ Complaint Information Catalogue

DOJ Complaint Catalogue

As many of you are aware, the Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association (HNLEA) and the United Black Police Officers Association (UBPOA) filed a complaint with the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (DOJ).  In light of this complaint and the volume of recent phone calls and emails from involved/interested parties, we have initiated a HNLEA and UBPOA complaint email address in order to catalogue information related to our complaint. 

Please contact us at one of the two email addresses listed below if you are already part of this complaint and believe you are being targeted or retaliated against because you participated in the complaint.  All information will be forwarded to the DOJ.

Please contact us at one of the two email addresses listed below, if you are not a part of the original complaint and would like to be included in the complaint because:

• you have been discriminated against because of your race; and/or you have been targeted because you reported misconduct.
• any other information that may be important to the investigation 

All information received will be forwarded to the DOJ.  Personal information will not be released other than to the Department of Justice and/or the American Civil Liberties Union.

Email:dojcomplaint@hnlea.comEmail:dojcomplaint@ubpoa.com

UBPOA/HNLEA-NCR/HAPCOA-NCR JOINT CHAPTER MEETING

  

UBPOA/HNLEA-NCR/HAPCOA-NCR

JOINT CHAPTER MEETING

N.A.A.C.P. Office

 Prince George’s County Chapter

9201 Basil Court Largo MD

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

     I.         CALL TO ORDER (Joe Perez, Chapter President HAPCOA/HNLEA)

    II.         ROLL CALL (Thomas Boone, President

United Black Police Officers Association)

   III.         BUSINESS / COMMITEE REPORTS

a. 2017 Symposium (Anthony Chapa, Executive Director HAPCOA)

b. DOJ Complaint (Boone/Perez)

·      President Bob Ross, NAACP

·      Updates - Ninety-Nine (99)

·      NAACP, ACLU, DOJ and Attorney General’s Office

·      DOJ Consent forms

·      Social Media

·      Questions

     IV.        New Business

·      Awards Banquet 2017

Next MEETING

Date, Time, & Location to be determine

HNLEA supports House Bill 908 as Amended

Judiciary Committee of the House of Delegates

The Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association (HNLEA) wholeheartedly supports House Bill 908 as amended, Police Training and Standards Commission – Police Officer Certification, allowing lawfully admitted permanent residents of the United States to be eligible for law enforcement certification.

The Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association is a nonprofit association of Latino and minority law enforcement professionals involved in the administration of justice and dedicated to the advancement of Hispanic and minority interests in the law enforcement profession.

HNLEA supports this amendment because of the great need for law enforcement across the country to be reflective of the communities we serve.  Many times, agencies across the country struggle to find qualified minorities that are reflective of the communities they serve.  Allowing permanent residents the opportunity to serve in the law enforcement field could increase the pool of qualified police applicants.  In addition, events such as Ferguson Mo., Chicago Ill., Baltimore Md., and recently reported unfair police practices in Prince George’s County Md. have eroded the trust in law enforcement by minority communities to unprecedented levels. This has fueled a greater need for diversity within the law enforcement community in order to rebuild trust.  

From a community policing perspective, being more reflective of the community we serve builds trust and creates new partnerships. A small gesture such as speaking one's native language can go a long way in building this trust.  Trust that is needed in order to efficiently solve crimes and effectively serve the people.  

Amendment of House Bill 908 would help law enforcement regain its edge and repair the damage done from negative police community relations. 

HNLEA urges a positive report on House Bill 908.

TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF HOUSE BILL 698/SENATE BILL 362

The Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association and the United Black Police Officers Association write to provide wholehearted support for House Bill 698/Senate Bill 362, Public Information Act – Records Relating to Alleged Job–Related Misconduct by Law Enforcement Officers.

The Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association is a nonprofit association of Latino and minority law enforcement professionals involved in the administration of justice and dedicated to the advancement of Hispanic and minority interests in the law enforcement profession.

The United Black Police Officers Association’s mission is to provide an organization for minority law enforcement officers with professional development and training, to create meaningful partnerships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve and to promote equal appointments, assignments, and promotions within the law enforcement profession.

HNLEA and UBPOA support the Public Information Act because of the need for transparency between law enforcement and the communities we are sworn to protect. Events such as Ferguson Mo., Chicago, Ill., Baltimore Md., and recently unfair disciplinary practices in Prince George’s County Md. have eroded the trust in law enforcement to unprecedented levels across the country. From a community policing perspective, transparency builds trust in the communities we serve. This trust is needed in order to efficiently solve crimes and effectively serve the people.

Within the law enforcement community, transparency holds us accountable to one another. It is often difficult to police ourselves when no one is watching. This legislation would help to ensure a system of checks and balances is in place.

Passage of the Public Information Act would help to put sufficient protections into place to ensure we are accountable to the people we serve while helping to repair the damage done in the last couple of years.



HNLEA and UBPOA urges a positive report on House Bill 698/Senate Bill 362.

HNLEA, UBPOA & NAACP Met with DOJ, Community Relations Service in order to mediate parts of the DOJ, Civil Rights Complaint

Under the guidance and leadership of NAACP President, Bob Ross a meeting with DOJ, Community Relations Services was scheduled.  On February 8, 2017 members of HNLEA, UBPOA and the NAACP met with Justice Department Officials. The goal was to mediate issues outlined in the original DOJ complaint.  To this day, the police department has not agreed to any type of mediation.

We had requested DOJ investigate the department because of their continued commitment to holding law enforcement agencies throughout the United States accountable to the highest ethical and professional standards deserved by the communities they serve. We asked the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, conduct a thorough, impartial, and independent “Compliance Review” of the Prince George’s County’s Police Department’s handling of allegations of misconduct as it relates to minority complainants’ as well as the disparities in discipline of minority officers as compared to that of white officers. In addition, when employees expose wrongdoing then they are targeted and retaliated against.

We requested that rampant discrimination, denial of promotions, and denial of transfers of Black and Hispanic officers within the department be addressed in the investigation.  Also under the current administration, Internal Investigative cover-ups, unequal treatment in the discipline of minorities in the internal investigative process, as well as police corruption at the highest level be examined.

HNLEA & UBPOA Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Complaint

Around April 2016 the Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association (HNLEA) & the United Black Police Officers Association (UBPOA) requested that the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, conduct a thorough, impartial, and independent “Compliance Review” of the Prince George’s County’s Police Department’s handling of allegations of misconduct as it relates to minority complainants’, the disparities in discipline of minority officers as well as other serious issues.

The current administration has chosen to ignore complaints and retaliate against those who raise concerns by vilifying complainants, arranging unwanted transfers, denying promotions, and sending a clear message throughout the agency that this is what happens when concerns of racial biases and inequities are raised.  These concerns have spilled over into our community. The patterns and practices that are evident and the recent unwillingness to engage in dialog is very concerning so we have turned to the Department of Justice in order to help us regain our footing. Over the past year the police department has lost the ability to police the police and fully protect the community.

Our goal is to have an outside entity look at our agency’s policies and practices and make recommendations in order to prevent the further disharmony within the department and within the community it serves.  In addition, we welcome the opportunity to have a seat on the table of any proposed panel.

News Reports:

NBC Washington: Maryland Officers File Complaint With Justice Department Alleging Racial Discrimination in Police Department

NBC Washington: ACLU: Complaints About White, Minority Officers Handled Differently by the Prince George's County Police department

WTOP: Pr. George’s police chief seeks answers to discrimination allegations

Washington Times: 70 PG County police officers allege discrimination at work

Democratic Underground: Maryland Officers File Complaint With Justice Department Alleging Racial Discrimination in PG Police

Discrimination Complaint Against Prince George’s Co. Police Dept. Includes Anti-Obama License Plate

Afro.com: Race-based Complaints Lead to Formation of Police Panel

WAMU: Allegations Of Racial Discrimination Among Prince George’s County’s Police

ABC 7: Prince George's County Police Officers allege racial discrimination in complaint filed with DOJ

WHUR: Prince George’s County Police Address Race Issues In Department

Washington Post: Prince George’s fact-finding panel to look at police promotions, discipline

WTOP: Pr. George’s Co. police chief responds to photos of possible discrimination

Washington Post: Pr. George’s police chief addresses complaints about allegedly discriminatory workplace practices

The Sentinel: Stawinski responds to evidence in DOJ discrimination complaint

Prince George's Co. PoliceFOX 5: Chief Addresses Complaint Of Racial Discrimination Within Department

Prince George’s County Executive Supports Panel Review Of Police Department