ALL SWORN PERSONNEL RECEIVE IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING

The Walker County Sheriff’s Office strives to be a capstone in law enforcement, and a forerunner of public safety. We’re working to become a CALEA accredited agency, and we’re making strides in that regard. The latest move, in that journey, is to complete implicit bias training for all APOST certified officers.
 
The goal, of this training, is to promote fairness in law enforcement. This initiative follows standards set by the Alabama Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC), who, along with national police frontrunners, have identified the need for introspective awareness in law enforcement about how we interact with members of our communities.
 
Implicit bias refers to the subconscious attitudes can define an individual’s response to the people and world around them. In the context of law enforcement, recognizing and addressing implicit bias is incredibly important to ensuring equal treatment for all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic status.
 
Implementing implicit bias training shows an effort to bring our police strategy into the twenty-first century, and aims to be more inclusive to all cross sections of our community. Sheriff Smith shared some wisdom, and optimism about the program’s long-term benefits stating that, “building trust with our community starts with understanding the way we perceive the world. This training helps us become better deputies and, more importantly, better members of the community we serve.” Through initiatives like this, our office aims to show that positive change in law enforcement is not only possible, but essential for a safer and more united Walker County, for every person.