Brian Klaas argues that the key to police reform is changing who wants to be a cop.
Could revamping police recruitment strategies pave the way to a more accountable and community-oriented police force? Political scientist Brian Klaas thinks so.
He contends that it's just as crucial to comprehend who is drawn to policing and the nature of recruitment processes as it is to oversee police conduct. He brings this idea to life by contrasting the militaristic recruitment approach of Doraville, Georgia, with New Zealand's community-focused strategy that led to a diverse influx of applicants.
Klaas also highlights worrying statistics of high domestic abuse rates among US police officers, advocating for stricter screening during recruitment. Although such changes won't completely eliminate issues like police violence, Klaas believes they're significant steps toward meaningful reform.
0:00 Attitudes toward police reform
1:14 Police ad #1: America
2:06 Police ad #2: New Zealand
3:12 Who is attracted to policing?
4:09 “I’m not naive enough to think…”
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About Brian Klaas:
Associate Professor of Global Politics at University College London, Contributing Writer for The Atlantic, author of Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us, and Creator/Host of the award-winning Power Corrupts podcast.
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