fbinaa_apr-jun-2020-Press-digital

THINKING ABOUT ORGANIZATIONAL JUSTICE

PHOTO CREDIT: SCOTT G. WINTERTON, DESERET NEWS

DAVID R. WHITE, MICHAEL KYLE & JOSEPH SCHAFER

Recent years have been characterized by an increased tension between citizens and police, including public concern over how and why police officers are using force and making enforcement decisions. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a number of critical incidents between the police and non-white citizens that have quickly attracted public attention and have sparked extensive public protest and calls for policing reform. High-profile citizen deaths, in combination with smartphones technology and social media platforms, have placed police officers, organizations, and leaders under the microscope. Within hours of a police-citizen encounter, hundreds or even thousands of people may have viewed an online post or watched a video clip and formed their opinion concerning the appropriateness of an officer’s actions. Slowing or shifting the course of that social media momentum can be a daunting task.

22 F B I N A A . O R G | A P R / J U N 2 0 2 0