Inspiring and Supporting the Next Generation of Law Enforcement Leaders with an Emphasis on Historically Underrepresented Groups

Sunday, October 20, 2024

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET

Location: 205A

Submitter(s)

Thurston Bryant

Senior Policy Advisor
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Speaker(s)

Kym Craven

Executive Director
National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives
West Townsend, Massachusetts, United States
DC

Dwayne Crawford

Executive Director
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Crystal Daye

ASPIRE Project Co-Director
RTI International, North Carolina, United States
CJ

Clarence Jorif

Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA)
Kisha Slaton

Program Manager
International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA)
Bloomington, Indiana, United States
DW

Debra Williams

Chief of Police & Associate Vice President
Clark Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Through focus groups with students from three historically black colleges and universities (HBCU), the BJA Advancing Service-oriented Policing through Inclusion, Relationship-building, & Engagement (ASPIRE) project identified barriers students experience to entering a career in policing. Speakers will discuss challenges police agencies should consider when designing recruitment efforts to attract a more diverse workforce. These include students’ safety concerns, general negative perceptions of police, perceived police corruption and unfair treatment of black and brown communities, and lack of diverse police role models. Experts from ASPIRE partners—NOBLE, NAWLEE, IACLEA, HAPCOA, and HBCU-LEEA —will discuss current solutions that address these challenges, and how their adoption and impact can be expanded.