Program Learning Objective: Knowledge and Skills

By Kyle Bean

As our society evolves and changes, law enforcement must rise to meet our community’s

needs. It is imperative as law enforcement professionals that we adapt our knowledge and skillset

to embrace change. Currently, we are being called upon to engage our community members in

new ways, fill the void created by a lack of mental health resources, and improve our own

response to stress in order to preserve our health and the safety of the community.

In my own professional experience, I have seen the importance of community

engagement to the effectiveness of a law enforcement agency. Law enforcement agencies must

learn to engage their communities in cyberspace and, In Balance and Innovation, I discuss the

Newport Beach Police Department’s use of social media to connect with residents. Also, law

enforcement is currently at the forefront of response to mental illness in the community, and I

discuss ways that a police agency can proactively address that response in The Next Big Issue.

Finally, the mental health of our police officers is equally important to effective law enforcement

services and in Implementation of a Mindfulness Bases Resilience Training Program, I propose

integrating mindfulness exercises into existing training to improve coping with stress and

decision making.

With the rise of social media, people are increasingly turning to the Internet for news,

entertainment, and connection. Law enforcement leaders must acknowledge that the Internet is as

much a part of our communities as any neighborhood. In Balance and Innovation: The Newport
Beach Police Department and Social Media, I discuss the innovative methods that the Newport

Beach Police Department has engaged it’s citizens through the use of social media sites. Most

notably, NBPD recently arrested a suspected murderer based on tips received through a popular

podcast that was produced entirely by the department.

Another issue that is common to many law enforcement agencies is the response to

mental illness. With a rise in the homeless population and lack of access to care, police officers

are more frequently coming into contact with people experiencing mental crisis. In The Next Big

Issue: Law Enforcement’s Response to Mental Illness, I discuss tested methods for updating a

patrol officer’s skillset in dealing with mental crisis. Additionally, I discuss ways that a police

agency can partner with the community for a unified response while encouraging an expansion

of mental health resources.

Police officers are not immune to the mental health issues we respond to. With increasing

responsibility and greater scrutiny, the stress of a law enforcement career can take its toll on

police officers. In Implementation of a Mindfulness Based Stress Resilience Program, I have

crafted a proposal for integrating mindfulness exercises into existing department training.

Mindfulness has shown the ability to improve overall health, decrease use of sick time, and

improve decision-making involving uses of force. As a skill, mindfulness has earned a place in

the toolbox of the 21st Century police officer.

Law enforcement must embrace the knowledge and skills that will make an agency more

effective at dealing with the challenges of the future. Police executives must anticipate the needs

of their jurisdictions and provide their employees with training and education that make them
more effective at engaging the community, dealing with persons in crisis, and protecting

themselves from the hazards of the job.