Prior to beginning work on this interactive assignment, read Chapter 8 on communication in your textbook. Watch the LAPD Police Chief William Bratton, LAPD’s Greatest Challenge, and Fear Between Police and Gangs video segments. For the purposes of this assignment, based on the video segments you viewed, it will be assumed that the LAPD lacked an effective communications plan. You must research four additional professional and/or scholarly resources on community relations between law enforcement and the public for this assignment. (Access the MSCJ Professional Sources guide for assistance with finding appropriate resources.) It is recommended that you also review the instructions for the Intervention Plan in Week Six as the work you complete here will be helpful with portions of your final project.

For this interactive assignment, you will take on the role of a newly hired Field Training Officer for the LAPD. You have been hired by the Chief of Police to determine how to improve community relations between law enforcement and the citizens through professional development of the officers on the force. In a separate document, create a two page mini communication plan in the form of an internal memorandum addressed to your fellow LAPD officers that addresses the following. (Information on

writing business memos

, as well as a

business memo template

and a

sample business memo

are provided for your convenience.)

• Evaluate the effects of communication on agency operations in improving community relations.
• Evaluate the effects of professional development on agency operations in improving community relations.
• Create a mini communication plan that illustrates the steps for improving professional development for the upcoming year. This must specifically address improvements in relations between officers and citizens in the community.
• Develop a plan for implementing the professional development, including the specific trainings, the timeline, and how this training will be communicated to the public.

Attach your completed memo document to your initial post and submit to the forum.