Institutional Assessment & Change: Reflections &

Exemplary Work
Samuel Jimenez
University of San Diego
LEPS 599 Integrative Capstone
Professor Hodge
March 19, 2018
 There have been many changes in law enforcement throughout the years. From adapting to

new levels of transparency that were nonexistent a decade ago, to adopting new policies to

promote improved police-community relations. These are examples of law enforcement and public

safety institutional assessment and change. As I look back at the coursework I have completed in

the program, the three pieces of work that exemplify the PLO “Engaging in law enforcement and

public safety institutional assessment and change” are Crime Data Manipulation and

Misrepresentation, Four Major Themes in Contemporary Law Enforcement, and Leading through

Crisis Case Study.

Crime Data Manipulation and Misrepresentation is a case study that involved the Los Angeles

Police Department and its misclassification of nearly 1200 violent crimes as minor offenses. The

incidents were recorded as minor offenses and as a result did not appear in the LAPD's published

statistics on serious crime. The public used statistics on serious crime to judge the department's

performance. This case study relates to law enforcement institutional assessment and change

because as a result of facing scrutiny by community members and the media, the LAPD assessed

their ways of classifying crimes and changed how they classify and report violent crimes. The LAPD

was able to reflect on the mistakes made, be receptive to feedback/constructive criticism to learn

and prevent similar mistakes from happening again in the future.

In Four Major Themes in Contemporary Law Enforcement, I discuss the status of the correctional

system, drug policies, and immigration. I also discuss race relations and how education, economics,

and the availability of resources affects those critical issues. I argue that education, investing in

socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, and making resources available in

socioeconomically disadvantaged communities can help the American correctional system, in the

realm of drug policies, immigration, and race relations and law enforcement. This work selection
relates to law enforcement institutional assessment and change because as law enforcement we

have the opportunity to have an impact in these critical issues and create change. For example,

most inmates in the American correctional system come from socioeconomically disadvantaged

communities. Law enforcement leaders can conduct needs assessments in at-risk communities and

continue to educate at-risk youth about how to avoid crime/ criminal activity and the risks

associated with drugs. This can be done through Police Explorer/ Cadet programs, Police Activity

Leagues, Police Academy Magnet Schools, and drug awareness programs.

Lastly, Leading through Crisis Case Study is a critique of the Ferguson Police Department’s

handling of the aftermath of the Officer Involved Shooting of Michael Brown. Leading through crisis

requires a leader to analyze the incident to try to determine potential responses from your

community, contextualizing the incident, and engaging one’s supportive stakeholders. This case

study relates to law enforcement institutional assessment and change because this incident sparked

national talk on the relationship between the police and minority communities. The events in

Ferguson caused changes in the ways law enforcement departments police their communities. For

example, law enforcement departments across the country began to adopt a community-oriented

style of policing and created community-policing units within their departments. Law enforcement

agencies also began to use body-worn cameras to promote transparency and accountability.

The works presented in this reflection and the PLO law enforcement institutional assessment and

change connect to my profession as a police officer because as law enforcement leaders we are

constantly assessing ourselves and looking for ways to improve and change. However, when looking

for ways improve and change we have to make sure we do so by showing integrity. We do not want

to create a situation where our department’s reputation or credibility are going to be damaged but

rather bring about positive change.

URL to ePortfolio: (link to my ePortfolio) https://samjimenez.weebly.com/

(direct link to the assignment) https://samjimenez.weebly.com/portfolio.html