Near the end of this chapter there is a short section talking about Police Unions. In that section it identifies employee unions as an ‘Internal Community’ that impacts the entire criminal justice system. Notice that the textbook says, “Whatever their name or their affiliation with external employee groups, their mission is to protect and promote the interests of their constituents” (p. 102).
Watch this video by the Heritage Foundation on Public Sector Collective Bargaining (while is was produced in the early 2010’s in response to Wisconsin labor law changes it still has important information). Keep in mind, that this is an organization trying to convince you to agree with their opinion.
Consider the contents of the video. Also, consider that the stated mission of the union (above) is to protect those in the union, NOT to enhance police service or protect the public or increase community and public cooperation. Post your reply to the following questions with a paragraph or so.
- How did the video make you think differently about the concept of a police union?
- If a union only exists to ‘protect and promote’ the interests of the police, what impact could that have on the community and its relationship with the police? Would it tend to enhance community cooperation or create a barrier as an internal community competing with external communities, etc.
