WPD Participates in Impartial Policing Training Program

Chief Terence Delehanty is pleased to share that the Winthrop Police Department participated in a training hosted by the Fair and Impartial Policing organization this week.

Fair and Impartial Policing (FIP) provides implicit-bias-awareness training to agencies of all types and sizes, including local, state, county and university agencies. Members of the department, including Chief Delehanty and the command staff, as well as members of the community, took part during in-person sessions at the Winthrop Yacht Club.

Unlike traditional “racial profiling” training, FIP applies decades of research on human bias to the critical decisions police officers make every day. The course delves into how the human mind works, and explores how implicit bias can impact otherwise well-intentioned people beyond what even they can perceive.

Retired Chief Noble Wray facilitated the program. Wray worked for the Madison Police Department in Madison, Wisconsin for nearly 30 years and retired in 2013 after nine years as Chief.

“It’s extremely encouraging to see a police department the size of Winthrop’s seeking out and dedicating resources to Fair and Impartial Policing,” Wray said. “Many smaller departments feel like they can’t budget for this sort of training, but Chief Delehanty and his team know that the skills and expertise that come from this program are absolutely essential to have as well-rounded law enforcement officers, regardless of the size of the department or community.”

The program provides participants with the skills they need to reduce or manage implicit biases, in a way that makes them more effective at performing their jobs of enforcing the law and engaging with the community they serve.

“This educational model is an important part of our department’s commitment to serving our community equitably, fairly and with the highest level of respect,” Chief Delehanty said. “Chief Wray’s expertise in this area is invaluable, and we’re grateful to have the opportunity to learn from him.”

The training was originally scheduled for March but was postponed until May due to the COVID-19 pandemic