Police Unions

Police labor unions can both enhance and compromise community safety. On one hand, they can play an essential role by advocating for improved working conditions and training programs that may result in a more skilled police force. Some unions also engage in community outreach efforts designed to create mutual trust between police officials and members of the public - efforts which make crime control strategies more effective while making interactions between people more positive and safer.

Police unions can also impede police reform efforts and community safety initiatives by resisting reforms, shielding officers from accountability and refusing to cooperate in the crime control strategies selected by organizational leadership. Resistance to changes like body cameras, civilian oversight or modified use-of-force guidelines may perpetuate systemic issues in policing that put communities at risk; additionally, unions may exert political influence that tilts justice systems in favor of police officers at the expense of communities - thus making the impact of police labor unions on community safety an intricate matter that depends on local circumstances and priorities of individual unions. And union opposition to cultural transformation efforts intended to increase the public’s trust and confidence in the police make communities less safe for everyone.

In this part of the website, the role police unions play – bot good and bad – are discussed and explored. We hope that this examination proves valuable to police leaders, elected officials, interested community members and union leaders. These represent the most significant stakeholders in local efforts to make communities safer for both their citizens and the officers that are paid to protect them.