Report Recommendation 2.4

The Saint Paul Police Department is committed to confronting biases and has embarked on a training regimen for the entire sworn staff that will be on-going in recognizing and opposing biases. Some past training examples include:  

• The department will train implicit bias concepts during in-service training
• The department has had training from the LGBTQ community
• Zootopia- Prejudice & Bias - A four-hour classroom session examining prejudice and bias through Disney's lens using the animated movie Zootopia.  Students watched the movie and participated in an instructor led discussion to identify and connect the themes woven into the movie to real life.  This training was well received by the workforce.
• Race: the Power of Illusion - An eight-hour classroom session examining the historical concept of race and institutional racism in the United States
• L.E.E.D. (Listen and Explain with Equity and Dignity) - A classroom session focusing on verbal de-escalation tactics utilizing business-oriented customer service principles as its foundation
• Implicit Bias - A classroom session examining implicit and explicit biases that all individuals have and its impact on policing.  The concept of police legitimacy and procedural justice are also explored
• Procedural Justice and Police Legitimacy - Training provided to the department’s command staff 
• Effectively Engaging High-Risk Youth in a Culturally Responsive Manner  - Joel Franklin, J.D. and former Vice President of the Saint Paul NAACP, Instructor 

Continuing with our commitment to confronting biases, police academy instruction as well as planned in service training for our officers have included the following instruction:

• LGBTQ Community Introduction
• LEADS with Kevin Dillon
• Implicit Bias Training with the Anti-Defamation League
• Introduction and understanding the deaf and hard of hearing community
• Race: the power of illusion
• Mental health and policing
• Moral Courage
• Ethical Policing is Courageous (EPIC)
• Trauma Informed Care

Saint Paul Police screen 'Zootopia' as part of anti-bias training
Fox 9 News | June 8, 2017

The Saint Paul Police Department continues to explore best practices to eliminate or minimize implicit bias and associated outcomes. Evidence of this commitment appears in the department’s Racial Equity Plan, training curriculum, and within specialized units focused on community engagement and outreach. 

In 2011, the Saint Paul Police Department adopted the recommendations of the Ramsey County Attorney’s office to utilize a sequential photo display in place of a simultaneous photo display when working with victims and witnesses of crimes. The practice significantly reduces the likelihood of misidentification of those suspected of crimes.

Additionally, officers administering the line-up to the witnesses and/or victims are independent from the investigation. Witnesses and victims are advised that it is just as important to clear innocent persons as it is to identify the guilty and the investigation will continue even if a suspect is not identified in the photo display. The department uses a “Sequential Photo Display Form” to ensure line-ups are conducted in strict accordance with policy and minimize opportunities for bias input.

These standards are not required by law but closely represent the department’s commitment to eliminating unintended bias in investigations.