Law enforcement is a profession of personal and public engagement. Be it proactive or reactive, its universal mission has always been and will always be to achieve a positive outcome to every engagement. Today, although a universal definition for a positive outcome remains elusive, police professionals should never aim for anything less.

One agency in Pennsylvania is more successful than ever in achieving these goals, thanks to a rather unusual partnership that leverages the expertise of a nearby college faculty—outside the criminal justice department.

Since its inception, modern law enforcement has recognized that positive community relationships and public cooperation not only go hand in hand but diminish the likelihood of more extreme measures, like the use of force. These principles remain as critical today as they were almost 200 years ago.

Today’s frayed relationships must be repaired in the streets through daily interactions. This is how we will build mutual trust and respect. Embracing this mindset means seeking and leveraging any opportunity to develop nontraditional partnerships—and capitalizing when presented with an opportunity to do so.

One such opportunity has been seized in Indiana Borough, a rural community in Western Pennsylvania. In addition to being the county seat and, famously, the birthplace of legendary actor Jimmy Stewart, Indiana Borough is a hub of local businesses, host to popular regional events, and home to the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), one of Pennsylvania’s largest higher learning institutions. Indiana Borough’s 20-member police department serves a resident population of approximately 14,000 and works closely with IUP’s Police Department, which serves a university community with a student enrollment as high as 14,000.

Through this relationship, Indiana Borough and IUP cemented a partnership in late 2018 that has since proven invaluable. Although IUP’s criminology department is among the best in the United States, it is the police department’s partnership with the university’s anthropology department that has built a bridge to higher levels of police service.

“The men and women of our police department are high character professionals who work tirelessly to serve and protect our community. Equipping them with a broadest resource base is incredibly important for everyone’s safety and success,” said Indiana Borough Mayor Joseph Trimarchi.

Law enforcement and anthropology may sound like a strange mix, but what began as a single-day training session has developed into an ongoing partnership centering on social justice, equity, inclusion, and diversity. The police and university believe this has translated to a safer, more welcoming environment for officers and the community.

“IUP is home to a very diverse population of students and employees, and we are committed to a culture and an environment that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. We greatly value our home community and continue to work hard to build bridges and connections, including with our local leaders. We are very fortunate to have an open and collaborative working relationship with the Indiana Borough Police, and we truly appreciate Chief Schawl’s proactive approach.” said Dr. Thomas Segar, IUP vice president for Student Affairs.

A key part of this partnership is Dr. Abigail Adams, a cultural and medical anthropologist with IUP’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Loosely stated, cultural anthropology is the study of societies and cultures, while medical anthropology is the study of stress and its impacts on health and well-being.

“The mission of police leaders is to create environments where officers can perform at their best.”

While adding to our mission success, Dr. Adams has simultaneously been committed to learning police culture, listening to officers, and understanding the “why” behind police actions and behaviors. This flow of information made for increasingly productive conversations and planning.

“IUP is fortunate to have outstanding faculty and staff—like Abbie Adams—who are experts in fields related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Listening, understanding, and respecting one another is key to a positive, strong town-gown relationship. I commend Chief Schawl for his willingness to invite members of the IUP community into his department to do the hard work and to make real change,” said IUP Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer/Title IX Coordinator Elise Glenn.

The partnership consists of semi-annual department-wide meetings in which Dr. Adams addresses officers as a whole and leads education and conversation on specific topics to enhance their ability to positively serve the community and increase officer safety. Topics have included understanding the diversity within the university community, Northern Appalachian culture, implicit bias and hate, local and global health impacts of COVID 19, the history of Black Lives Matter, and developing competencies to serve and support the LGBTQ+ community.

Through roll-call trainings, department meetings, ride-along opportunities, and informal socializing, the partnership delivers the following:

1. An understanding of how the police’s actions are perceived among the diverse populations they serve.
2. Context for and insights into the mindsets and opinions of others regarding the police’s professional efforts.
3. Improved communication to validate and respect those with whom officers engage.
4. Above all, positive community-police relationships that are capable of reducing stress and fostering healthier communities.

This partnership has enhanced the organizational knowledge base and the police department’s ability to reflect upon and reference its professional growth efforts, according to Chief Justin Schawl. In addition, public knowledge of the effort continues building community trust and support.

As the profession has always done, the Indiana Borough Police Department continues to embrace the best paths for officer and community safety. It’s more obvious than ever that law enforcement needs to provide better “customer service” by listening and taking steps to increase its understanding of and respect for those it serves.

The mission of police leaders is to create environments where officers can perform at their best. This means equipping them with the tools to succeed on the streets. The end results are increased trust in police and more productive relationships with community members.d