Reactions of Law Enforcement to LGBTQ Diversity Training

Abstract

Knowledge about the ways in which employees respond to workplace diversity training can help in the preparation and delivery of the training. Few studies have looked at responses toward with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) diversity training, in general, or with law enforcement, in particular. The present study examined reactions, specifically resistance and receptiveness, to an LGBTQ diversity training for approximately 120 law enforcement officers. Twenty subthemes about resistance were categorized into four overarching themes: perceptions of law enforcement, beliefs regarding LGBTQ community, defending law enforcement practices, and nonverbal forms of resistance. Seventeen subthemes about receptiveness were organized into five main themes: requesting elaboration from trainers, how law enforcement can support LGBTQ people, awareness and motivation to address LGBTQ community needs, appreciation for the training, and helping the trainers or training succeed. The results indicate that both resistance and receptiveness were present among participants. Further, some of the receptiveness and resistance is similar to what is found in the literature, while some of these reactions were unique to LGBTQ diversity training and working with law enforcement.

Police Perceptions of Crime Victim Behaviors: A Trend Analysis Exploring Mandatory Training and Knowledge of Sexual and Domestic Violence Survivors’ Trauma Responses

“…The small body of literature has incorporated a range of substantive issues that include evaluation of police training on diversity and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community (Israel et al, 2017; Israel et al, 2016; Israel, Harkness, Delucio, Ledbetter, & Avellar, 2014; Miles-Johnson, 2016), prejudice-motivated crime (Miles-Johnson, Mazerolle, Pickering, & Smith, 2018), human trafficking (Renzetti, Bush, Castellanos, & Hunt, 2015), child abuse (G. T. Patterson, 2004), domestic violence (Oehme, Prost, & Saunders, 2016), and sexual assault (Darwinkel, Powell, & Tidmarsh, 2015; Goodman-Delahunty & Graham, 2011; Lonsway, Welch, & Fitzgerald, 2001; Sleath & Bull, 2012; M.…”

Learning to Do Qualitative Data Analysis: A Starting Point

“…Thematic analysis is perhaps best defined as “an umbrella term, designating sometimes quite different approaches aimed at identifying patterns across qualitative datasets” (Braun et al, 2019, p. 844). Due to its broad and flexible nature, thematic analysis has been widely used in diverse fields including psychology (Frith & Gleeson, 2004), medicine (Cassol et al, 2018), health services (Norris et al, 2017), tourism (Costa et al, 2016), HRD (Israel et al, 2017; Perkins, 2018; Tsai, 2016), and education (Halverson et al, 2014).…”

Injustice in the Justice System: Reforming Inequities for True “Justice for All”

“…However, injustices in the justice system may be directed at marginalized groups or at individuals whose marginalized identities intersect with racially marginalized identities, such as sexual and gender minorities (SGMs). Similar to racial minorities, SGMs report experiencing biased treatment by law enforcement, such as officers' reluctance to intervene in anti-LGBTQ public harassment, or their unwillingness to determine if a crime was motivated by hate (Israel et al, 2017). These perceptions may contribute to LGBTQ people's mistrust of law enforcement personnel and reluctance to report crimes (Mallory, Hasenbush, & Sears, 2015).…”

“…Counseling psychology's attention to strengths-based approaches can help to advocate for law enforcement personnel's training in diversity issues, given potential resistance from officers. Law enforcement personnel may be resistant to diversity training if they perceive this training is a consequence of wrongdoing; however, acknowledging existing culturally informed policies and tactics, while acknowledging what they are already doing well, may help officers be more open to advancing their understanding of marginalized groups (Israel et al, 2017).…”