Through the collective bargaining process, police unions have made such areas as officer discipline, new training standards, and new policies harder to institute. A Contract for Public Safety could benefit the officer, the department, and the community.
Key points:
- Police officers must be allowed their due process rights as afforded by the U.S. Constitution to all individuals.
If liberty and self-government are to be retained, the role of police unions must be reconsidered and should be made explicit in state statutes. - Collective bargaining should be limited in scope and not include areas such as discipline, training, and policy implementation.
- An ombudsman appointed by the states’ attorneys general should be considered as a public representative in the areas of officer use of force.
- Successful police departments need to incorporate dialogue and goal setting that include officers, the community, and the business sector, such as by establishing a police board or commission instead of being under just one elected official, like a mayor.