I grew up in a canadian city of ~70k people, and I've been thinking a lot about why and how the police I've encountered here in the usa, and the american police model in general, are so wildly different. so! I did some quick, surface-level research to compare. (very brief thread)

the new westminster police application process includes:
1 written exam
1 physical test
security clearance test
background check
psych evaluation and polygraph
a pre-hire ride along
3 levels of interviews, including one for suitability covering the 12 skills needed to proceed

additionally, the nwpd site provides pdfs for preferred qualifications, including volunteer work, psych, sociology, or hospitality degrees, diverse backgrounds, experience working with the public, and sensitivity toward people of different ethnicities, lifestyles, and cultures

the new york police application process includes:
1 written entrance exam
1 written and 1 oral psych evaluation
background check
1 physical exam

nowhere in the nypd hiring info do they mention a need for people who have a background in sociology or psychology, who have experience working with the public, or who will be able to show compassion and sensitivity.

the new west pd hiring requirements never mention firearms.

after recruitment, both police departments require police academy training. in new york, police academy lasts 6 months. in new westminster, police academy lasts almost 9 months.

and lastly, the ratio of officers in new westminster is 16.7 for every 10K people. in new york, it's 43.1 officers for every 10K people.

the police all over the united states AND canada need serious, from-the-ground-up restructuring. I'm not saying the new west police department is perfect or doesn't need the same kind of overhauling

I'm saying the process to become an officer in new west is LITERALLY the bare minimum, and the fact 1. the largest police department in the country isn't even on par with that, and 2. there are 30% MORE officers on the street, is fucking insane and terrifying. defund this shit

sorry just to clarify, I am definitely not saying that by changing the hiring process, the major systemic problems with the police will be fixed. defund the police, acab. this was just to satisfy my own curiosity about this particular aspect of the police https://twitter.com/NAlJAGYAL/status/1295848670336868353?s=20