In the public discussion surrounding the topic of police use of force, many disturbing claims have been made by community activists, the news media, and elected officials. Is there evidence to support the idea that systemic racism in policing presents a constant threat to the safety of Black Americans? Or is the overriding issue, as President Obama stated in his October 27, 2015 address to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, that “too often law enforcement gets scapegoated for broader failures of our society”?
In this two-hour webinar, Chief Harry P. Dolan (Ret.) will discuss the evidence demonstrating that, while any unjustified use of force by the police is unacceptable, the idea that police brutality is rampant is a prominent and rarely challenged talking point that can only be confronted with facts.
Perhaps even more concerning, as well as factually wrong, is the idea that police brutality is the societal problem facing Black Americans. It seems much more likely, based on the facts, that placing the primary responsibility and burden on the police is an all too common way for many to avoid asking more difficult and painful questions. Those questions are associated with why racial inequalities persist unabated in our most challenged communities where police service is so disproportionately needed.
All attendees will receive copies of the webinar presentation PowerPoint to assist them in communicating more effectively with community groups, elected officials and others in their community who are too often presented with a narrative on this topic that bears little resemblance to reality.
It is vital that law enforcement professionals be provided with the facts and supporting information so that they can effectively confront misinformation which often times results in scapegoating the police. If unchallenged, the popular myth that police brutality is rampant and is the primary expression of racial inequality in America can result in reckless policy decisions—undercutting officers' ability to prevent and detect criminal activity and endangering the very citizens that rely on their protection and service.
CEO, Dolan Consulting Group
| Chief Harry Dolan (Ret.)
Harry P. Dolan is a 32-year police veteran who served as a Chief of Police since 1987. As one of the nation's most experienced police chiefs, he brings 25 years of public safety executive experience to Dolan Consulting Group. He retired in October 2012 as Chief of Police of the Raleigh (N.C.) Police Department, an agency comprised of nearly 900 employees in America's 42nd largest city.
Chief Dolan began his law enforcement career in 1980 as a deputy sheriff in Asheville, North Carolina and served there until early 1982, when he joined the Raleigh Police Department, where he served as a patrol officer. In 1987, he was appointed Chief of Police for the N.C. Department of Human Resources Police Department, located in Black Mountain. He served as Chief of Police in Lumberton, N.C. from 1992 until 1998, when he became Chief of Police of the Grand Rapids, Michigan Police Department. He served in that capacity for nearly ten years before becoming Chief of the Raleigh Police Department in September 2007. As Chief, he raised the bar at every organization and left each in a better position to both achieve and sustain success.
Harry Dolan has lectured throughout the United States and has trained thousands of public safety professionals in the fields of Leadership & Management, Communications Skills, and Community Policing. Past participants have consistently described Chief Dolan's presentations as career changing, characterized by his sense of humor and unique ability to maintain participants' interest throughout his training sessions. Chief Dolan's demonstrated ability to connect with his clientele and deliver insightful instruction all with uncompromising principles will be of tremendous value in the private sector.
Chief Dolan's unbridled passion to achieve service-excellence is a driving force behind Dolan Consulting Group. He is a graduate of Western Carolina University and holds a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership and Management from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
Consent Questions
Download Webinar Handout
Systemic Racism in Policing or Scapegoating? The Facts on Racial Inequality and Police Brutality | Hour 1
Systemic Racism in Policing or Scapegoating? The Facts on Racial Inequality and Police Brutality | Hour 2
