Research Findings
After reviewing and examining prior and current literature on the underrepresentation of Asian-Americans in law enforcement, the following questions have been identified:
1. Why are Asian-Americans underrepresented in U.S. police departments?
2. What challenges do police recruiters face when recruiting prospective Asian candidates?
3. How can law enforcement agencies address common barriers among communities to develop …show more content…
118). An example of personal preferences is the perspectives and attitudes of minorities towards law enforcement (Gaines & Kappeler, 2014). There are several reasons why Asians are not attracted to the law enforcement profession, and they are as follows: (1) police work is not considered as a desirable vocation; (2) an antipolice attitude has created negativities that hinder the recruitment of minorities; (3) highly qualified minorities are frequently recruited for better paying and prestigious positions in government and private sectors; and (4) Asians are afraid they may be ostracized by their community if they become a police officer (Gaines & Kappeler, 2014, p. 119). If the aforementioned issues are left unaddressed, then it may cause “chronic underrepresentation of Asians and eventually affect target group recruitment as well” (Matthies et al., 2012, p. 3). Hiring and retaining more diverse officers will reduce their underrepresentation, and it will also create opportunities for police-community …show more content…
There are eleven scholarly journals and three published books that were found to be relevant for the second question. The biggest challenge that most police recruiters face has been to gain trust, confidence, and cooperation from the community (Cox, 2013). To recruit highly qualified diverse officers, police recruiters must be proficient in cross-cultural diversity, community mediation skills, and respecting individual rights (Hanser & Gomila, 2015). Three important factors that police recruiter must be cognizant of are: (1) generational status in the United States (first, second, and third generations); (2) degree of acculturation and assimilation; and (3) comfort with and competence in the English language (Hanser & Gomila, 2015, p.