The police need to learn about soft power,” an article by James Stavridis in the July 6 issue of Time Magazine, should be of interest to all who desire to improve policing in America. Stavridis, the 16th allied commander of NATO, writes that soft power “meant reducing the dollars spent on preparations (military exercises…equipment…firearms training…) and increasing our spending on things like humanitarian operations.” Adapted to policing, “soft power” means curtailing the use of tasers, CN & CS gasses, and outlawing choke holds, etc.
Teaching “soft power” is as simple as changing terminology. “Battle space” is a military term that denotes an enemy, and enemies should be, as Donald Trump says, “dominated.” The area in which citizens peacefully demonstrate is not “battle space,” and policing demonstrators with the intention of “dominating” them is fascism in action. Removing military paraphernalia from policing would also be a step in the “soft power” direction. How about those stars on shirt collars? Are police chiefs and sheriffs really generals?
Getting cops involved in community activities is “soft power.” Though police-sponsored activities like the Police Athletic League serve a police purpose, such activities fall short in getting cops socially involved with citizens who engage in similar activities that are not police-sponsored. Utilizing the Dale Carnegie “How to Win Friends and Influence People” interpersonal communications course in police academies and in-service training seminars would also serve both cops and their communities well.
Michael K. Broughton
Green Park
