{"id":112386,"date":"2021-02-15T15:04:02","date_gmt":"2021-02-15T21:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/?p=112386"},"modified":"2024-12-19T16:52:56","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T22:52:56","slug":"in-their-own-words-gary-goines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/from-the-magazine\/in-their-own-words-gary-goines\/","title":{"rendered":"In their own words: Gary Goines"},"content":{"rendered":"

More than 30 years ago, I took an oath to protect and serve. That\u2019s not what happened with George Floyd\u2014that was the exact opposite.<\/p>\n

I wear two hats. One is from my 30 years in law enforcement. The other is from my career as a forensic psychologist, which is why I am able to understand and empathize both with the public and with law enforcement when tragic events like the murder of George Floyd occur.<\/p>\n

And on a personal level, as a Black man living in America, it hurts me deeply.<\/p>\n

Because in instances like that, members of law enforcement are not living their mission. They\u2019re not protecting and serving. They are severing the already delicate trust that law enforcement seeks to build with communities; they are working against everything we stand for. It makes me sick. So much must change.<\/p>\n

So what have I been preaching the past five years at The Chicago School? Psychology of law enforcement. Psychology of hostile enforcement. Some key things are missing with training. Until we stop putting a bandage on problems we see and start addressing the underlying issues that can be provided by institutions like The Chicago School\u2014where we can discover the real remedy with psychology\u2014we won\u2019t be able to change law enforcement for good.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Career beginnings<\/h3>\n

I began my career in law enforcement in 1983. I was working on Capitol Hill and spoke to an officer assigned to my location. He told me I\u2019d be a good fit for the Capitol Police. The majority of what the United States Capitol Police does is security, securing the capital and serving the congressional community. I was studying to be a lab technician at the time, but I was drawn to the mission to \u201cprotect and serve.\u201d I was drawn to the chance to help people, to make a change in people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

I joined in August and graduated in December. In November, a bomb went off on Capitol Hill. I kept thinking, \u201cWhy are these individuals committing these crimes?\u201d That was my foundation in criminology and psychology\u2014trying to figure out why people do what they do. I\u2019d be processing individuals and would switch my role and ask, \u201cWhy are you here? Why did you do that?\u201d I began to realize it wasn\u2019t always a choice of theirs\u2014it was other things.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cultural diversity in law enforcement<\/h3>\n

In law enforcement, you likely interact with more people\u2014and a more diverse set of people\u2014than any other career.<\/p>\n

Think about how cultural diversity plays out in the field. As a cop, you can be taught that a civilian avoiding eye contact is hiding something. If you are well-versed in cultural competence, you can recognize that that is a sign of respect in their culture.<\/p>\n

By putting law enforcement out in the field and not teaching them about cultural interactions, de-escalations, basic negotiations, and cultural diversity, the system is already setting cadets up to fail. This type of training shouldn\u2019t be just for hostage negotiators or crisis intervention teams. What about the officer who shows up to the scene of someone who is experiencing a schizophrenic episode? In that case, you can\u2019t wait for someone else to show up. You don\u2019t have minutes\u2014you have seconds to talk someone down.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Knowing the community<\/h3>\n

We can\u2019t speak about law enforcement without bringing up the disproportionate impact on communities of color. But where is the breakdown?<\/p>\n

Is it in screening? Is it in de-escalation training? Is it in use of force? Is it in preparation for split-second, life-altering decisions? Sensitivity and diversity training?<\/p>\n

My conclusion is that we don\u2019t train law enforcement enough. We only see cadets for a couple of months. <\/em>While there, we need to determine if they have good work habits, are responsible, and can make good decisions.<\/p>\n

Bringing in more social workers and psychologists is crucial. But when an officer is the first to arrive on a scene, and often has to make a decision in seconds, they need that kind of training. They also have to be willing to know and grow with their community.<\/p>\n

A couple of years back, I saw a colleague with his weapon drawn at a community member whom I had come to know. This community member was a Vietnam veteran and suffered from schizophrenia, though I\u2019d never seen him act like he did that day. He had a knife pointed at the officer and was a different person. I went into action. I set up a perimeter and barricade and talked him into dropping the knife. Actually knowing the community you\u2019re working in helps you in those split seconds when you need to respond\u2014and helps you in cases where you\u2019d be quick to use force.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A different way to protect and serve<\/h3>\n

There is a tremendous need to understand internal cultural diversity before you can hope to make a difference in the community you serve. I see a great opportunity to create a community within that isn\u2019t afraid to speak up. We need to build trust, have confidential spaces, and create a culture in which police officers are comfortable speaking up instead of hiding behind the badge.<\/p>\n

We need to get people to talk through some of the aspects of this job that are frightening\u2014and impulsive. We need to get them to really be open about their biases and how some of the ways they think they\u2019re protecting the community are actually destroying it.<\/p>\n

We need strong leaders\u2014ones who have already been trained to see warning signs, see incidents that have happened\u2014who will bring in officers to find out what\u2019s going on with them. It should never get to a point where we have another George Floyd\u2014and unfortunately, we\u2019ve had many.<\/p>\n

The work I do now is no different than my mission for the Capitol Police, which was to protect and serve. I\u2019m doing it in a different avenue with forensic psychology, protecting individuals who need it, and providing mental health services to them. I\u2019m advocating for training reform to ensure that law enforcement stays true to their mission. I\u2019m looking to build stronger communities, starting with the ones I am a part of.<\/p>\n

In the end it\u2019s all about service. I\u2019m glad to do my part in helping it along.<\/p>\n

\n

Learn more about The Chicago School\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

To learn more about academic programs at The Chicago School, fill out the information below to request more information. You can also apply today through our application portal here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Gary Goines, M.A., professor and chair of the Alumni Council, offers his thoughts on being Black\u2014and a police officer\u2014in America. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":112361,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1206],"class_list":["post-112386","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-the-magazine","insight_issues-winter-2021"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nIn their own words: Gary Goines | INSIGHT Digital Magazine 2021<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Gary Goines, M.A., professor and chair of the Alumni Council, offers his thoughts on being Black\u2014and a police officer\u2014in America.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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