Ralph Huppertsberg
Overview
The public debate surrounding potential racist tendencies in the way our police officers act in Thuringia and in Germany as a whole often involves sweeping prejudices, accusations, and insinuations. The public paid close attention to the actions of our police colleagues here in Germany long before the Black Lives Matter movement originated in the United States. And rightly so, because, after all, we police officers serve as guardians of public safety and order, and our most important duty is to protect the constitution and human rights.
We demand a great deal from ourselves and our personal attitudes. As a behavioral trainer, in particular, but also as a police officer with ten years of professional experience on the beat, I know all too well, however, that behind every uniform there is always a person – a person who is subjected to the same socialization processes as everyone else.
Since we as police officers are confronted every day of our working lives with the worst depths of human nature and the worst aspects of crime, it is all the more important that we do the right thing ourselves. This requires intensive training and reflection on how we act in order to maintain a mindset that remains in line with democratic values.
Topic: Interculturality – Experience-Oriented Learning
Our young police trainees receive intensive training on social skills development.
This involves ten days of training spread over the entire period they spend training to become police officers. The primary objective is to develop their ability to act in a manner that in line with the obligations of the constitution. To do so, it is essential to uncover both favorable and unfavorable behavioral patterns and to use experiential learning projects to develop the appropriate mindset in the young trainees.
When we work on intercultural competence, we successfully use two METALOG tools in the training sessions to develop the soft skills of tolerance, openness, and personal mindset. The training unit “Prejudice from a Psychological Perspective” precedes the training workshop described in this case study. Using ScenarioCards at the beginning of the next training unit enables us to first reflect on the previous unit as well as establish a bridge to the previous context.
Staging: using available knowledge (ScenarioCards 2, Stereotypes & Diversity)
a. Preparation
The ScenarioCards are spread out on a table in the middle of the room. The participants sit on chairs arranged in a circle.
b. Performance
The trainee police officers are introduced to the topic of “intercultural competence” through the following reflection question: “Why do you think diversity is key to preventing and counteracting group-directed mistrust? Please take a look at the cards spread out on the table and then choose one that you think says something about the question.” The question pursues a systemic and resource-oriented approach, which assumes that the group itself has all the knowledge it needs. After a short period of preparation, each participant is asked to explain his or her thoughts and impressions based on the picture they chose. Here, I assume the role of observer.
Reflection
The young police officers reflect on their personal experiences of interculturality in a very open and varied way. The wide range of individual experiences also encourage a broad exchange of ideas and knowledge. This enables the participants to find their own voice on the topic of interculturality and, through the contributions of all of the participants, to develop a multifaceted perspective.
Conclusion
ScenarioCards 2 is an excellent way to spark a lively discussion at the beginning of a new training day. The creative versatility of the images gives each participant the opportunity to reflect on his or her personal experiences. It delivers considerable added value to the group.
Throughout the training program, the participants intensively explore cognitive aspects such as country-specific knowledge, knowledge of migration and integration processes, culture-specific knowledge and other issues. However, this knowledge is in itself only one of three pillars that form our holistic approach to the topic of interculturality. That is why we place particular emphasis on developing affective processes in our training programs. Experience-Oriented Learning projects provide targeted support for developing skills such as showing appreciation, changes of perspective, sensitivity, and empathy.
To this end, I first do the “Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes” exercise developed by Jane Elliott and follow up with the CultuRallye learning project described below.
Staging: intercultural competence (CultuRallye)
a. Preparation
A number of “playing tables” are spread out around the room depending on the size of the group. From experience, four to five “players” per table are ideal. The rules of the game are then placed face down on the tables. The participants receive a predefined number of playing chips.
b. Performance
After a warm-up phase of about ten minutes in which the players learn the rules, the first round starts. After about five minutes, the player who has won the fewest chips has to change to another table. We do it in this way because of its relevance to everyday life: refugees are rarely the winners in their system. They often seek their fortune and happiness in a new society because they see themselves as losers in their old system.
Transfer to the real World (CultuRallye)
| Elements in the learning project | Elements in the real world |
|---|---|
| Dice | Meaning of rules in a society; symbol of the unpredictability of life, trial and error; but also meaning shared language |
| Tables | Different societies and systems with similar, yet different, rules, standards, and values |
| Chips | Prosperity vs. poverty |
| Rules of play | Laws/rules of the respective society |
| Participants | Reflection of society |
Once they have changed tables, no speaking is allowed at the tables. If a player runs out of chips, he/she will receive a one-off “payment” of a small number of chips, similar to a government allowance.
Reflection
CultuRallye has a very playful component that generates an enormous pull effect in a very short time. As a result, the participants very quickly forget the actual context of the training and often show very authentic behavior. At the different tables, all conceivable human behaviors become very quickly apparent: from understanding and support to shameless exploitation and refusal to help.
Frustration and happiness often go hand in hand. Participants experience a perceptible change in perspective and often quickly appreciate how it feels to enter a new system as someone in need of help and to experience only rejection instead of openness and support.
I bring these insights into sharp focus by asking the participants the following questions:
• How do you feel right now?
• Did you have a choice in how you acted, or did the situation dictate how you behaved?
• What do such situations look like in your private life or also in your job as a police officer?
Conclusion
We leverage this personal experience of learning with great success when we tackle the topic of intercultural competence. The change in perspective that is achieved, the insights gained over multiple sensory channels, and the subsequent transfer to the real world enable the participants to gain an enormous wealth of experience that has a sustained, beneficial influence on their personal behavior.