The scenario is unfortunately all too familiar – one law enforcement officer steps over the line, using excessive or even deadly force against a suspect, while other officers stand by and watch it happen.
This week, the Wichita Police Dept. announced it is implementing a new national research-based program called ABLE (Active Bystandership Law Enforcement). The program is designed to:
- Prepare officers to intervene to prevent harm – even if the out-of-line officer holds superior rank or is a supervisor. And
- Create a law enforcement culture that supports peer intervention.
“Policing is very much a paramilitary organization,” said WPD Chief Training Officer Ken Kimble, a 34-year veteran with the force.. “You learn to respect rank and obey superior officers. ABLE provides the training that teaches officers effective ways to intervene when they observe misconduct taking place and encourages them to step in when they witness inappropriate behavior.”
The need for training, Kimble said, is to help officers not only recognize inappropriate behavior but to teach them how to successfully intervene to stop it. Over time, it creates an internal culture shift and contributes to positive change within law enforcement agencies.
ABLE is a free program, but department’s must apply to participate in it. To help make sure a department is committed to doing the work needed to bring about a change in culture, Applications are required to include letters of support from two community-based organizations vouching for the sincerity of the agency’s interest in self-improvement in general and in ABLE in particular.
The Wichita Branch NAACP and the Wichita Ministerial League provided the support letters the department needed. For their support, WPD agrees to provide both organizations at minimum an annual report on the department’s project related progress with the project and and allow the organizations the opportunity to provide ongoing feedback.
The department must also agree to launch a public awareness campaign informing the community of their efforts to build a culture of active bystandership
Training
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan, who took charge in Wichita a year ago, said one of his earliest goals was to bring the program here. He said the program does not replace any existing training program but instead builds on training already in place to encourage and support peer intervention.
The initial ABLE training is eight hours, conducted in one day. Two hour refresher courses are required once a year, but departments are encouraged to find ways to regularly promote and model the principles of active bystandership throughout the department’s programming and activities. .
“I think one of the powerful things about this training is that officers can embrace it as a way to not only prevent harm from being done to the public but to help officers build their career,” Kimble said. “I know that if I were out of line, I’d want somebody to stop me from making a mistake that could cost me my job or my reputation.”
Police Information Officer Andrew Ford said the department is striving to make continuous improvements to other training programs such as de-escalation, negotiations and ICAT (Integrating Communication Assessment and Tactics) training, which involves persons in crisis who are unarmed or armed with weapons other than firearms.
Sullivan said he is committed to seeing the department strive to always do better and also continue to grow.
