[RD] Policing High-Fives

[BvBPL]

In December of last year, Northampton, Massachusetts police started a policy of high-fiving school children. The community engagement effort, called High-Five Fridays, had police meeting and engaging with school children in an informal setting. Uniformed police were on site at schools to greet children as they started their school day. In some cases, police officers played with school children during recess.

The police very much enjoyed interacting with the children. By all reports, the majority of the community served had no objection to the program.

The police department recently put the program on hold. A number of “concerns” were raised about the program. A recent public meeting about the program, attended by 12-15 members of the public, aired some of these concerns. In response to these concerns, the Northampton PD has suspended the program.

Community engagement by the police is a critical step in salving distrust directed at the police. Community policing helps to ensure that the police are respectful of the communities they serve, responsive to the needs of their communities, and representative of community values. Engagement is not a one-way street. Sometimes when someone reaches out a hand in friendship, you may need to reach a little too.

The Northampton Police Department reports that officers are still available on an ad hoc basis for high-fives, low-fives, and fist bumps.

 

[metalhead]

I'm going to assume you're against this program. After all, there is a governmental entity forcing citizens to speak by offering high fives. The kids might not feel they have the option not to give an officer a high five, therefore amounting to the government compelling speech in a clear violation of the First Amendment.

 

[Lexicus]

I'm fairly against this policy, it seems like propaganda to make the kids think the police are interested in their welfare or something.

 

[BvBPL]

I'm going to assume you're against this program. After all, there is a governmental entity forcing citizens to speak by offering high fives. The kids might not feel they have the option not to give an officer a high five, therefore amounting to the government compelling speech in a clear violation of the First Amendment.

A high-five isn’t speech. Rather, it is expressive conduct.

I'm fairly against this policy, it seems like propaganda to make the kids think the police are interested in their welfare or something.

There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that the police need to be reminded that it is their job to be responsible for the welfare of others. Sharing a high-five with a child doesn’t seem a bad way to gently remind officers of that fact.

 

[Lexicus]

There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that the police need to be reminded that it is their job to be responsible for the welfare of others. Sharing a high-five with a child doesn’t seem a bad way to gently remind officers of that fact.

Meh, they can start giving high-fives to children when they stop shooting hundreds of people a year, repeal civil asset forfeiture laws, and stop engaging in protection rackets to fund municipal governments.

 

[Perfection]

High fives and fist bumps promote being excellent to each other. I therefore favor them.

 

[Farm Boy]

Meh, they can start giving high-fives to children when they stop shooting hundreds of people a year, repeal civil asset forfeiture laws, and stop engaging in protection rackets to fund municipal governments.

"I dislike things, and I dislike the things that could be used to make them better. Mostly, I want things to suck as much as possible."

That reasonably accurate there?

 

[Lexicus]

That reasonably accurate there?

Far below your usual standard. If you want to provide some evidence that high-fives improve things, by all means do so.

 

[Farm Boy]

Hey, you set the table. It's not much of a trough if I say so myself.

 

[BvBPL]

Meh, they can start giving high-fives to children when they stop shooting hundreds of people a year, repeal civil asset forfeiture laws, and stop engaging in protection rackets to fund municipal governments.

The Northampton police don’t shoot hundreds of people. Community policing responses need to be geared towards the targeted community. What would be the correct course of action in St. Louis may not be in Northampton.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

Personally, I'd prefer a smile, nod, and friendly "good morning/afternoon/evening" (as may be applicable).

The last time I spoke to a cop in this building, there were several of them downstairs, and I was just going back up after getting my mail. One of them pointed at me, and asked his fellow officers, "Is that the one we're supposed to talk to?"

Wow. I felt like saying, "Y'know, you could just ask me." So I ignored them, called the elevator, and next thing I knew, they all pushed their way on. So I pushed the number for my floor, asked which one they wanted, and told them to get all the way in so the sensor would let the door close. I got off on my floor, and whatever they wanted upstairs, I have no idea.

 

[civvver]

I watched a documentary on PBS last night about police and race in America and it was pretty good. Mostly what I took away were there are two huge issues that cause the massive uptick in police shootings lately.

First and foremost is almost everyone has guns now, bad guys, good guys, everyone. This lead police to just assume you have a gun cus many times you do. So you make a quick move towards your car, oh man going for the gun, and they shoot you. They didn't present any statistical evidence of this but there was a chief of police training who got his start undercover doing drug buys off street dealers in the 70s. Anecdotal evidence, but he said he never encountered a single dealer with a gun. Today they all have guns.

Second issue is police aren't part of the community anymore. There's no neighborhood beat cop who knows people by name and whom people know and are comfortable with. Everyone's just strangers and animosity is high. So hey if police can get out there and high five kids and be a part of the community maybe that helps this.

 

[Gori the Grey]

All this news is for me is sad. The program was started in an attempt to get young people to feel more comfortable with police, and it has been suspended on the grounds that some children might not feel comfortable with police. Can't think what's going to get us past such an impasse.

 

[Farm Boy]

Apparently, we're aiming for this instead of the chubby blue menace stalking the playgrounds in the earlier photos.

Spoiler :

 

[BvBPL]

Personally, I'd prefer a smile, nod, and friendly "good morning/afternoon/evening" (as may be applicable).

That’s a much more appropriate way to greet you in large part because you are an adult. A high-five is a greeting for children, and that’s why it is appropriate for this sort of program.

That said, I am now amused by the mental image of a police department who’s policy is to greet people with high-fives. It would make a good comedy skit.

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

I'm all for community relations but if cops put into structural reform the same effort they put into superficial feel-good stories like this, them giving high-fives wouldn't need to be a news story.

 

[BvBPL]

The police are engaged in that work. That doesn’t mean that they cannot do other programs at the same time. Indeed there are two very different audiences that require different approaches. A child is not going to be persuaded to trust the police because of a policy change, but a high-five might help.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

That’s a much more appropriate way to greet you in large part because you are an adult. A high-five is a greeting for children, and that’s why it is appropriate for this sort of program.

That said, I am now amused by the mental image of a police department who’s policy is to greet people with high-fives. It would make a good comedy skit.

I'm not one for shaking hands, high-fiving, or much else physical with people I don't know. I reserve hugs for family or friends.

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

The police are engaged in that work. That doesn’t mean that they cannot do other programs at the same time. Indeed there are two very different audiences that require different approaches. A child is not going to be persuaded to trust the police because of a policy change, but a high-five might help.

Some are, most aren't, nearby Chicago and Detroit have been a mess calling for reform for years but there's been zip, zero, nada, the demographic inconsistencies in departments is pervasive across the country.

 

[Farm Boy]

Well, I'll have to suggest to the Sheriff that he halt community engagement until Chicago gets its shiz in order.