Stereotyping
Perceptions of Cultural Groups
Events can shape the perceptions of cultural groups.
● Civil Unrest (riots).
● Rodney King Verdict.
● Pre-existing tensions among cultural groups.
● Media coverage of event from sensational viewpoint.
● Hostage Killing in Iraq.
● Gulf Wars.
● Immigrant groups effect on the economy.
● Racial gang activity.
● Religious groups committing violent acts.
● 9/11 World Trade Center Terrorism.
● Beheadings in the Middle East.
Stereotyping Defined
● A stereotype is a preconceived and oversimplified generalization involving negative or positive beliefs about a group.
● Stereotypes are often at the base of prejudice.
● The danger of stereotyping is that people are not recognized as individuals.
● They are categorized as members of a group who all think and behave in the same way.
Stereotyping is Learned Behavior
● We pick up stereotypes from what we hear other people say, what we read and what people around us believe.
● Stereotyping can lead to discriminatory behaviors.
Reliable Strategies for Successful Public Contacts:
Safety
● Nothing about avoiding discrimination compromises officer safety.
● Insensitive or discriminatory acts or words can create threats to your safety by creating misunderstandings and escalation of problems.
Integrity
● The officer must operate with integrity at all times.
● Inventing probable cause, falsifying reports, bending the truth, administering “street justice” or overlooking illegal acts of other officers will corrode your integrity.
● The path to corruption often begins with small transgressions that become easier and larger as time goes on.
Respect
● You must treat all people with dignity and respect.
● You must be guided by a genuine care for human life.
● When you show contempt or act in a discriminatory manner you are showing disrespect for all people and your profession.
● This will eventually erode your own self-respect and your capacity to respect other people, including your family and love ones.