Through a process of community engagement, Maplewood, Minnesota, Police Chief, Paul Schnell has published a prologue in the department’s policy manual that provides community guidance to the police department. This prologue centers racial equity as a key focus and identifies ways in which police officers can engage community, build trust, and increase cultural awareness and sensitivity in their daily police activity. The prologue is designed in accordance with the City of Maplewood’s objectives in achieving racial equity in order to equip officers with a better understanding of the community which they serve. Through a set of “master recommendations,” training, professional development and ongoing supervision, the Maplewood police department hopes to “demonstrate a commitment to community-oriented policing” that “recognize the critical intersection of fairness with respect to race and identity.”
To read the full prologue, click here.