NCJ Number
45758
Date Published
1978
Length
17 pages
Annotation
A PROJECT TO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL IN ORDER TO PREPARE THEM FOR ANY VIOLENCE WHICH MIGHT OCCUR IN CONNECTION WITH PLANNED SCHOOL DESEGREGATION BUSING IS EVALUATED.
Abstract
TEN MONTHS BEFORE MANDATORY SCHOOL INTEGRATION BUSING WAS TO TAKE PLACE IN THE NEW CASTLE COUNTY (DEL.) PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE DELAWARE STATE POLICE APPLIED FOR AND IN FEBRUARY 1977 RECEIVED A GRANT OF $34,643 TO MEET FOUR OBJECTIVES THROUGH WHICH THE PROJECT IS EVALUATED. THE ORIGINALLY PLANNED PROCEDURE MANUAL, DEVELOPED BY THE OFFICERS OF THE AFFECTED POLICE AGENCIES IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DELAWARE NATIONAL GUARD AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, COVERS THE POLICE ROLE IN DESEGREGATION AND IS DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTIONS. ONE IS A PROCEDURAL MANUAL TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL TASK FORCE MEMBERS. THE OTHER MANUAL, WHICH INCLUDED TECHNICAL MATERIAL SUCH AS AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS, BLUEPRINTS OF THE INVOLVED SCHOOLS, OUTLINES OF PROPER PROCEDURES, AND LISTS OF CONTACT PERSONS WITHIN THE SCHOOLS, IS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO ALL STATE POLICE SQUAD LEADERS. AT LEAST 779 POLICE OFFICERS WERE TO BE TRAINED FOR 8 HOURS IN PROCEDURE AND TACTICAL ASPECTS OF DESEGREGATION RESPONSE. IN JUNE 1977, 752 OFFICERS WERE TRAINED. TWENTY-THREE MAGISTRATES WERE TO BE TRAINED FOR 10 HOURS IN EMPATHY, LOGISTICS, AND LEGAL MATTERS. NO MONEY WAS REQUESTED FOR THIS OBJECTIVE, AND NO FORMAL TRAINING WAS DEVELOPED. INFORMALLY, SIX STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE COURTS SYSTEM MET WITH THE STATE POLICE TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DESEGREGATION. IN THE FOURTH OBJECTIVE, 14 CONSTABLES WERE TO BE TRAINED IN 6 HOURS OF EMPATHY AND MAINTENANCE OF ORDER. HOWEVER, NO MONEY WAS BUDGETED FOR THIS, AND NO RELATED ACTIVITY OCCURRED. IT IS FELT THAT THE APPLICATION DID NOT CLARIFY WHO WAS TO HAVE BEEN TRAINED. HOWEVER, THE DELAWARE STATE POLICE ARE COMMENDED FOR THE PLANNING WHICH PRECEDED THE PROJECT AS THEY HAD SOUGHT THE ADVICE OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS WHICH HAD EXPERIENCED DESEGREGATION. THE TRAINING APPEARED TO BE OF GOOD QUALITY, THOUGH THE POSITIVE INDIVIDUAL FEEDBACK WAS INFORMAL. THE ACTUAL IMPACT OF THE PROJECT WILL NOT BE KNOWN UNTIL THE DESEGREGATION PLAN IS IMPLEMENTED. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT A MANDATORY REFRESHER COURSE BE HELD IN AUGUST 1978 SINCE DESEGREGATION HAS BEEN DELAYED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1978, AND IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE PROJECTED COURSE FOR MAGISTRATES AND CONSTABLES BE HELD AS WELL. (MPL)