Police Pursuit of the Common Good
Reforming & Restoring Police Community
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To ignore those struggles, to fail to address those challenges will only further the divide currently facing our police and marginalized communities. Our police communities are unique microcosms that provide rich and raw perspectives of what is going wrong and/or right in our society. Many of our citizens are struggling with inequities in our systems, with poverty and crime in our communities, with mental illness, and anxiety and depression.
However, many of our police officers are also suffering from similar issues. Both communities, the police and citizens, have struggled with feelings of isolation and loss of meaning and purpose. Many believe they are not valued in their work or communities. We have years of undisclosed trauma in our communities and police organizations and now they are both colliding into each other, with each side aggressively demonstrating that they have had enough. Each community, albeit police or marginalized, is insisting that the other change. Emotions are high with neither side wanting to back away.
Our marginalized communities have asked and now are demanding change. They are highlighting the abusive police behavior that is no longer acceptable. Currently, our police organizations have “reacted” to the conflict. Now it is time to slow our thinking down and look at our responses to the current conflicts in our communities.
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About the Book
In the Police Pursuit of the Common Good, Dr. Ginger Charles examines the current issues facing law enforcement and marginalized communities. She presents reasons why our police communities appear to be in constant conflict with marginalized communities for the last several years. In the book, she explores the behaviors in the police culture from a social psychological perspective, illustrating the importance of understanding police behaviors in order to change the culture of conflict. It is her experience as a police officer that provides the reader with a unique understanding from inside the police community and as an observer of that community. Dr. Charles concludes with potential solutions to reform and restore the police culture, as well as heal the divide between our communities and the police.
About the Author
Dr. Ginger Charles has worked as a police officer in Colorado since 1986. Dr. Charles received her PhD in Health Psychology from Saybrook University in 2005, while working as a police sergeant. Her profession of policing and dedication to service lead her to explore how to help police officers build resilience and inner strength. In 2013, Ginger decided to retire from law enforcement to teach, research, and write. She moved to California to begin the next stage of her career. She also wanted to surf waves rather than ride in snow.
Having worked as a police officer for almost three decades, she has a unique understanding, “living in the petri dish,” of the trauma and hardships that police officers and police leaders encounter daily. Her research is focused on identifying solutions to help police officers survive and thrive in their careers and beyond, while maintaining their mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. In addition to her research, Dr. Charles teaches psychology courses at Modesto Junior College in Modesto, California.