Morgantown Police Chief Eric Powell recently said he’s looking to foster a change in officers’ attitudes moving forward. “There’s lots of issues right now with our department when it comes to professionalism and how they treat people and how they talk to people, and I’m in the process of addressing that right now. They’re not using de-escalation techniques … I don’t want that to be how we operate.”
That’s a step in the right direction, and we applaud Powell for his willingness not only to acknowledge these issues, but to work on addressing them.
There’s been a lot of furor around policing over the last few years, leading to animosity on both sides — civilians’ and officers’. And that has seeped into even relatively benign interactions, sometimes resulting in more aggression from both parties than the situation warrants.
In almost any social setting, you get what you give. If someone comes storming in, angry and combative, then the person on the receiving end immediately goes on the defensive. Anyone who has worked in retail will tell you that their hackles go up when they sense a “Karen” on the rampage. On the reverse side, if someone approaches calmly and friendly, the person on the receiving end will likely respond in kind. And usually, though not always, a calm and compassionate response to someone who is loud and combative can diffuse the tension. Refusing to respond to aggression with more aggression can help de-escalate the situation.
Powell noted much of the “bully mentality” he sees occurs during police interactions with drunk people. We can understand the exasperation MPD officers feel when responding to public intoxication incidents. They occur frequently, officers can’t be sure what kind of drunk they’re going to encounter (is it the ultra-friendly or the angry-at-everything kind?) and inebriated people can rarely be reasoned with.
But it’s because drunk people are unlikely to respond to logic that officers should approach with a more friendly demeanor: When the conscious brain is impaired, we’re more likely to respond based on subconscious instincts. A person who approaches by yelling and scowling appears more like a threat than someone who approaches with a smile.
We’ve also seen that “bully mentality” at play over the years when an excessive number of officers respond. The Morgantown Civilian Police Review and Advisory Board recently went over a 2021 arrest in which four police cruisers and multiple police officers responded to a trespassing complaint involving one person at the downtown Sheetz. As members of the community, we have also seen multiple cruisers and officers respond to low-risk incidents like traffic stops in which there was no suspicion of drugs or weapons.
We understand not every situation can be resolved affably, and there are occasions when officers do have to stand firm. However, the “us-against-them” mentality Powell mentioned shouldn’t be the default for every police officer’s encounter with the public.
Some complain officers are held to an unfairly high standard. However, police are entrusted with great power and the greatest of responsibilities: public safety and the fair enforcement of our laws. So the standards should be high. Officers must rise to the occasion and prove to the public that they are worthy of that power and responsibility — and of our trust. And that can start with something as simple as an attitude adjustment.
