Police Commissioner's new policy - no more lying

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[Kerry]

The following View Point was submitted to Hawaii Tribune Herald on 10/14/08.

View Point

Another Fork in The Road

Once again the Police Commissioners are in the process of interviewing candidates for the next County of Hawaii Police Chief.

Every few years we get a chance to up the integrity of our entire community, to create a context for more and more people to tell more truths, to keep more laws, and to honor more agreements, especially homework agreements.

The commissioners need only add one stipulation to the job requirement, "We're looking for a Police Chief who is willing to implement a no lying, no sting policy. We are excited about eliminating the double standard, that it's been OK for police to deceive and lie but that we've expected our citizens to be more honest."�

Two examples:

1) The present policy is that police officers are allowed to lie to suspects during interrogations. "We know you did it." "We have proof you did it." "Your friend told us you did it. etc.”

2) For decades police have been allowed to pose as a criminal so as to entice a potential suspect to commit a crime. This philosophy has been condoned nationwide throughout the law enforcement community because of several reasons and beliefs. The main reasons being, "Other police departments do it." "It's common practice." "It's taught at the FBI Academy." And, the rock solid belief, "The job simply can't be done if we can't lie at times."

Time after time in the reality TV show Cops viewers watch people being questioned tell boldface lies to the officers. Officers are unaware that citizens are unconsciously manipulated into mirroring the communication model, the operating integrity, of the officer asking the question. Conversely, officers who tell the truth on the job and at home, those committed to zero deceits, have remarkable success eliciting respect and truth. It's simply unthinkable to lie to a compassionate wholesome person. An officer with an unacknowledged (non-verbalized) lie or deceit in his/her professional/personal life emanates an aura; it creates a context of adversary. The suspect doesn't know why but they are driven to thwart, resist, and unconsciously disrespect.

The premise of a new leadership communication model which could be implemented by the next Chief of Police is that officers must intend that at any moment in time a citizen is about to make the choice to go straight, perhaps coinciding with an officer driving by. Whereas before, an officer could predict with considerable certainty that a sting victim would in fact commit the proffered crime, the officer was disallowing the power of his/her intentions. To succeed in the sting the officer had to maintain his/her intention for the citizen to commit a crime every single second right up through to the arrest. With the "no lie no sting policy" officers will carry with them into each conversation a new ground of being. They will create a reputation of impeccable integrity and a commitment to service so powerful that it can and will effect the desired intention, for citizens to emulate and exemplify an officer's honesty at any given moment.

Kerrith H. (Kerry) King
Leadership Communication Skills Coach

[Kerry]

A news release I'd like to read:

Police Commissioner's new policy - no more lying —new philosophy for hiring Police Chief

Hawaii County Police Commissioners may be the first in the nation to ask a police chief applicant, "Are you willing to implement a no lying, no sting policy?"

Hawaii County Police Commissioners have voted unanimously to ask a whole new set of questions to the next Police Chief applicant. A spokesperson is quoted as saying, "The work we are doing now in amending the interview questions in no way diminishes the respect we have for our present police chief. In fact we have been consulting with him throughout the revision process. We all agree that it's simply time to expand upon the admirable foundation created by our law enforcement professionals. We posit that citizens are ready to adopt a code of mutual honesty. We are excited about eliminating the double standard, that it's been OK for police to deceive and lie but not OK for citizens. Everyone knows the policy has been sending mixed messages to young people but the alternative is so overwhelmingly mind boggling that the thought to not do it is always justified with reasons and excuses. 

The present policy is that police officers are allowed to lie to suspects during interrogations. "We know you did it." "We have proof you did it." "Your friend told us you did it." etc.. For years police have been allowed to pose as a criminal so as to entice a potential suspect to commit a crime. This philosophy has been condoned nationwide throughout the law enforcement community because of several reasons and beliefs. The main reasons being, "Every other police department does it." "It's common practice." "It's taught at the FBI Academy." And the rock solid belief, "The job simply can't be done if we can't lie at times."

In the popular TV show Cops time after time viewers watch suspects tell boldface lies to the officers. Officers are unaware that citizens have no choice but to mirror the communication model of the officer asking the question. Conversely, officers who tell the truth on the job and at home, those committed to zero deceits, have remarkable success with eliciting truth. It's simply unthinkable to lie to a "nice" wholesome person. An officer with an unacknowledged (non verbalized) lie or deceit in his/her professional/personal life emanates an aura, it creates a context of adversary. The suspect doesn't know why but they have no choice but to thwart and resist.

The premise of the new leadership communication model to be implemented by the next Chief of Police is that officers must intend that at any moment in time a citizen is about to make the choice to go straight—perhaps coinciding with an officer driving by. Whereas before, an officer could predict with considerable certainty that a sting victim would in fact commit the proffered crime, the officer was disallowing the power of his/her intentions. To succeed in the sting the officer had to maintain his/her intention for the citizen to commit a crime every single second right up through to the arrest. Officers will carry with them into each conversation a new ground of being, a reputation of impeccable integrity and a commitment to service so powerful that it can and will effect the desired intention, for citizens to emulate and exemplify an officer's honesty at any given moment.

Here's more about this communication model.