Law Enforcement, Police Unions, and the Future: Educating Police Management and Unions About the Challenges Ahead

For the past 40 years, the majority of law enforcement personnel could depend on regular salary increases, better health care and pension benefits while reaping the advantages of belonging to a police union that was learning how to gain and use political power. However, these peaceful and untroubled days are over. Police unions, despite their best efforts at the bargaining table, now find themselves preparing their members for layoffs, pay and benefit cuts, and more restrictive working conditions. Leaders are trying to fight back against the well-financed, organized efforts to weaken public sector unions, eliminate collective bargaining rights, end defined benefit pensions, and privatize the job. Police unions must change the way they do business if they want to survive. This book identifies how to mount an effective political campaign, the complexities of confrontations, and the reasons police union leaders succeed and fail. This book is divided into five primary parts, each of which explores the police union environment. Part I focuses on the myriad of police challenges, Part II examines police union power, politics and confrontation, Part III encourages police unions to embrace reforms, Part IV discusses the future of policing, and finally, Part V evaluates the national and international perspectives on the current issues that impact policing. Areas of discussion include police-involved shootings; stopping the growing racial divide between law enforcement and citizens; complex issues concerning body cams; how to use social media effectively; mastering a certain leadership style; changing the culture of unions; more diversity among leadership; and motivating membership. By following the superb analysis and creative ideas for solutions in this book, police union leaders, police management, law enforcement personnel, and policymakers will see a path to advancing the police profession.