Running head: COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 1

Community Relations Between African American and Latino Communities and Law

Enforcement in Fayetteville, North Carolina

Taylor Holmes

Briar Cliff University

Department of Social Work

March 31, 2019

Abstract

This research study will be used to further explore attitudes held by individuals in African

American and Latino communities towards law enforcement, and law enforcement officers’

attitudes towards these communities. The relationship between these groups is perceived by the

larger community to be tense and volatile. Along with exploring attitudes, this study will analyze

possible causes for this perceived tension as reported by members of both groups. This study will

be conducted through an interview survey method. The survey will consist of very similar

questions for both groups, with questions slightly edited to best fit the life experiences of

members of each group. It is anticipated that most members from Latino and African American

communities will hold negative attitudes about law enforcement with causes ranging from

systematic racism to societal biases. In addition, it is anticipated that law enforcement officers

will answer survey questions in the most politically correct way possible instead of being honest.

The results of this study will be significant to society as a whole because they will be a

representation of causes of a historically volatile relationship. Furthermore, these results could

begin the conversation on how to achieve systematic change that benefits both groups.

Key words: African American, Latino, law enforcement, police, police brutality, social media,

trust, community relations

Community Relations Between African American and Latino Communities and Law

Enforcement in Fayetteville, North Carolina

Problem Statement

On August 5, 2014, 22-year-old John Crawford III was shot in a Wal-Mart while playing

with an airsoft pellet gun sold by the store (Izadi, 2014). On August 9, 2014, 18-year-old Michael

Brown was shot and killed by a white police officer, Darren Wilson (Davey & Bosman, 2014). In

November of that same year, 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot from less than 10 feet away by a

white police officer while playing with an airsoft pellet gun (Danylko, 2014). Following the

shooting of Mike Brown, civil outrage erupted, resulting in #BlackLivesMatter chapters starting

across the country (Black Lives Matter, 2019). These are just a few incidences that have

highlighted the tense relationship between people of color and law enforcement. These incidents

are also indications of a tense relationship between black men in particular and law enforcement

that dates back to the founding of America (Brooks et al., 2016).

Although the tense relationship with law enforcement and the African American

community has been made quite obvious through the media and social media platforms, it is also

prevalent in the Latino community. On July 3, 2016, 19-year-old Pedro Villanueva was chased

by two undercover California Highway Patrol officers in an unmarked car. Villanueva made a U-

turn after being pursued into a dead-end, where police opened fire on his vehicle and he died at

the scene (Downs, 2016). On September 19, 2017, 35-year-old Madgiel Sanchez was stopped by

Oklahoma City police for holding a metal pipe. The officers instructed Sanchez to drop the pipe

and get on the ground, however Sanchez was deaf. Neighbors in the area tried to tell the officers

Sanchez was deaf but he was still shot with a taser by one officer while the other used his

handgun, killing Sanchez at the scene (Perez, 2017). The tension between these communities and
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 4

law enforcement is clearly a criminal justice problem, and also a social justice problem. In order

to truly change the system, we must understand the problem and its origins. In order to

understand the issue, on must ask, what are the causes of the strain on community relations

between African American and Hispanic communities and law enforcement? This tense

relationship and its effects are seen across the nation, but this research will focus on Fayetteville,

North Carolina.

Research Question/Hypothesis

The purpose of this study is to investigate the possible causes of the perceived strained

relationship between African American and Latino communities and law enforcement. Possible

causes range from history to stereotypes, but this tension would be best explained by those who

are directly affected. The results of the research will be based on the thoughts, feelings, life

experiences and attitudes of African American and Latino communities as well as those of law

enforcement.

Literature Review

Perceptions of Minority Communities by Police

A study by LeCount (2017) was conducted to analyze the racial attitudes police hold in

comparison to the general public. The study utilized data from a national data survey, the General

Social Survey (GSS). A total of 65,784 multiple cross-sectional study samples were taken from

GSS between the years of 1972 and 2014. Only responses from individuals who identified as

black or white, and as law enforcement (police officers, detectives, bailiffs or correctional

officers) or no relation to law enforcement at all were used (LeCount, 2017).

The study focused on racial attitudes by measuring how respondents agree with the

statements “whites are more intelligent than blacks”, “blacks are lazier than whites”, and “blacks
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 5

are more violent than whites” (LeCount, 2017). LeCount (2017) found that simply being a police

officer did not significantly predict a respondent’s validation of two out of these three statements.

However, being an officer, particularly a white officer, made it nine times as likely for them to

agree that Black people are more violent than whites as nonpolice citizens. White police officers

were also more likely to agree that “Blacks should work their way up like everyone else” and

showed more resentment towards special treatment and public assistance for African Americans

than white nonpolice citizens (LeCount, 2017). The study also found that white officers are 1.4

times more likely to deny that African Americans face educational disadvantages or

discrimination, and 1.4 times more likely to say that affirmative action is discriminatory against

white people (LeCount, 2017). For all of the measures tested for above, LeCount (2017) found

that black officers were not more likely to hold the same perceptions as white officers and were

more liberal in their answers than nonpolice black citizens.

Perceptions of Police by Latino Community

While studies have shown that minority groups hold more negative perceptions of law

enforcement that white citizens, a great deal of these studies place their focus on the African

American community. Roles, Moak, & ten Bensel (2016) took this as an opportunity to further

the research on the subject of police and community relations with an emphasis on Hispanic

immigrants of Mexican origin. This demographic was chosen because Hispanic people of

Mexican origin made up 75% of the total increase in the Hispanic population between 2000 and

2010, which is already the largest and fastest growing group (Roles, Moak, & ten Bensel, 2016).

In early studies on community relations with law enforcement, Hispanic people held a more

negative attitude towards police in comparison to the general population. However, more recent

studies show that Hispanics today hold a more positive attitude towards police (Roles, Moak, &
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 6

ten Bensel, 2016). These studies show that the perception of police held by Hispanic individuals

tend to sit at a midpoint between whites who hold a more positive perception, and African

Americans who hold a more negative perception than Hispanics (Roles, Moak, ten Bensel,

2016).

The study conducted by Roles, Moak, & ten Bensel (2016) consisted of about 70

Hispanic immigrants of Mexican descent voluntarily filling out a questionnaire. The results of

the survey show that Hispanic immigrants of Mexican origin generally hold a positive perception

of police. 70% of respondents stated the police in their communities are trustworthy, 80% of

respondents believed that if they call for help, the police will respond, and 65% of respondents

agreed that the police in their community treat them fairly (Roles, Moak, ten Bensel, 2016).

There were a number of variables tested for a correlation in respondents’ perceptions of police

such as gender, age, time in the United States, language proficiency, legal residence status,

victimization experience, and fear of crime. Out of all of the tested variables, the only one that

had a significant relation to Hispanic immigrants’ perceptions of police was legal residence

status. Those respondents who had come to America utilizing illegal means held negative

attitudes towards police (Roles, Moak, & ten Bensel, 2016). The notion that Latinos hold a more

positive view of police than African Americans but a more negative view than whites is further

supported by Roles, Moak, & ten Bensel’s research. However, their research does not consider

the attitudes of Latinos that were born in America.

Berthelot, McNeal, & Baldwin (2018) offer research that measures the levels of trust and

confidence African Americans and Latinos hold for police and the courts. For purposes of this

study, we will focus on their results for trust and confidence in the police. Berthelot, McNeal, &

Baldwin (2018) examine race and ethnicity, prior contact with police or the courts, and
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 7

victimization to further define how well citizens trust police officers. Perceptions of trust and

confidence are determined utilizing data from the 2013 Racial Attitudes Survey (RAS) from

1,560 Black, White, and Hispanic respondents (Berthelot, McNeal, & Baldwin, 2018).

Researchers chose this survey to analyze because the 2013 RAS focused on crime and

punishment (Berthelot, McNeal, Baldwin, 2018).

Trust in the police was measured by respondents’ answers to the question, “how much

trust do you have for the police in your area?”. Respondents’ confidence in fair treatment by the

police was measured by their answers to “how much confidence do you have that police officers

in your community will treat people fairly?”. The study evaluated respondents’ confidence in the

police fighting crime by answers to the questions “how much confidence do you have that police

officers in your community will do a good job enforcing the law?” and “how much confidence

do you have that the police officers in your community will do a good job of dealing with the

gangs?” (Berthelot, McNeal, & Baldwin, 2018). For the purposes of this study, we will only

focus on respondents’ answers to the questions that measure general trust in the police and their

confidence in police treating people fairly. Berthelot, McNeal, & Baldwin (2018) found that of

all the variables tested (race and ethnicity, prior contact with police or the courts, and

victimization), race and ethnicity held the most influence over levels of trust and confidence. As

far as Latino citizens are concerned, they were less likely than whites and more likely than

African Americans to trust and have confidence in the police (Berthelot, McNeal, Baldwin,

2018).

Perceptions of Police by African American Community

Throughout American history, African Americans and law enforcement have had a

tumultuous relationship. From Jim Crow to the Civil Rights Era, law enforcement has a history
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 8

of actively restricting Black rights and condoning/perpetuating the mistreatment and harassment

of African Americans (Brooks et al., 2016). Brooks et al. (2016) conduct a focus group in which

participants were asked survey questions and discussed their answers with other participants.

Three themes of the relationship between law enforcement and black men in particular were

found: black people have the right to be angry, black men are feared and there is a need for new

law enforcement training and education techniques (Brooks et al., 2016). The previously cited

research conducted by Berthelot, McNeal, & Baldwin (2018) can also be used to further

understand the relationship between the African American community and law enforcement.

Berthelot, McNeal, & Baldwin’s (2018) research further supports that African Americans hold

the least trust and confidence in police. This research shows that an individual’s race and/or

ethnicity holds a significant negative affect on how they perceive the police. This study will

focus on exploring what causes this negative perception. Kramer and Remster (2018) offer

research that can be utilized to explain this negative perception of police. In New York City,

African American residents are 2.5 times more likely to be stopped by police than white residents

(Kramer & Remster, (2018). Kramer and Remster (2018) used data from the New York Police

Department’s record of civilian interactions and stops. Officers with the NYPD are required to

document any interaction they have with civilians where they have “reasonable suspicion” that

the individual is engaged in criminal activity (Kramer & Remster, 2018). These documents (UF-

250) were analyzed for the years 2007-2014, resulting in a sample of two million stops. Kramer

and Remster (2018) found that police used force in about 22.3% of stops when interacting with

an African American citizen and 16.4% of stops when interacting with white citizens. It was also

found that African Americans are 27% more likely to experience use of force and 28% more

likely to have a weapon drawn at them when interacting with officers (Kramer & Remster,
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 9

2018). This significant racial disparity in how African Americans are treated by police officers

could play a role in the tension seen between African Americans and law enforcement.

Racial Bias

Stereotypes and bias can also contribute to the lack of a cohesive relationship between

law enforcement and African American and Latino communities. From the old “black

brute/savage” stereotype to the notion that Mexican immigrants are criminals, stereotypes have

been an integral part of American history (Milner, George, & Allison, 2016). When explaining

his perspective of Michael Brown’s shooting to the grand jury, Officer Darren Wilson stated he

felt like “a five-year-old holding onto Hulk Hogan”. He claimed Brown looked “like a demon”,

and he shot at Brown 12 times because it appeared Brown was “bulking up to run through the

shots” (Milner, George, & Allison, 2016). Despite Brown being a mere 18 years old, Officer

Wilson’s perception of the 6’4”, 292-pound boy as a huge, bullet-eating demon influenced the

interaction. Research has shown that white citizens “super-humanize” African Americans and

deny their ability to feel pain. Studies also show that some white citizens believe that stopping

African American males requires more physical force (Gilbert & Ray, 2016). Milner, George, &

Allison (2016) conducted a data review using 2006-2013 data from the New York Police

Department Stop, Question, and Frisk (SQF) Database. Of the 3,195,304 stops made involving

males 18 years and older, 10% were white, 53% were black, and 32% were Hispanic (Milner,

George, & Allison, 2016). The research focused on the officer-perceived height and weight of the

suspect. It was found that suspects who appear to be tall or heavy are more likely to experience

physical police force, but black and Hispanic suspects who are tall and heavy are the

demographic most likely to experience use of force by police (Milner, George, & Allison, 2016).

This research study will expand upon this finding in the sense that implicit or explicit biases held
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 10

by law enforcement officers could explain the tension seen between law enforcement and African

American and Latino communities.

Media Attention

Another variable that could play a part in tense community relations between law

enforcement and African Americans and Latinos is the amount of media attention these cases

receive. America has seen a series of controversial incidents involving the police and African

American and Latino individuals such as the deaths of Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, and Madgiel

Sanchez. Public confidence in the police has a tendency to fall following heavily publicized

incidents like these. While this confidence usually rises back to original levels over time, when

multiple incidents occur over a short period of time and are heavily publicized, the public’s

perception of the police can diminish across the nation (Weitzer, 2015). The level of media

attention these incidents receive can also contribute to the public being influenced by vicarious

experiences. Vicarious experiences are things indirectly experienced by individuals through

accounts of family, friends, neighbors, and strangers portrayed in the media (Weitzer, 2015).

African Americans and Latinos are more likely to hear stories about police brutality and

mistreatment than white citizens, making them more likely to have these vicarious experiences

and alter their perception of police.

The way police departments handle incidents of police violence involving African

American or Latino citizens in the media may be another explanation for African American and

Latino relations with police. Following highly publicized events of police violence, police

departments more often than not take their time providing information to the public. The officer

in question in these events is also more often than not backed by the police union, chief of police
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 11

and department (Weitzer, 2015). This lack of transparency in the media by police could play a

role in community relations and will be further explored in this research study.

Methods

Design

The research will be conducted through an interview. Members from African American

and Latino communities will be given a survey, as well as members of law enforcement. By

carrying out this study, the researcher seeks to analyze common themes from the responses

provided by participants to better understand the possible causes of the tension between law

enforcement and Latino and African American communities. The survey will be conducted with

volunteer participants only. This study can be described as an exploratory study because it

consists of in-depth, qualitative interviews that seek to further explore and explain possible

causes of tension between African American and Latino communities and law enforcement

(Rubin & Babbie, 1997). The study is qualitative because the focus of the study is being placed

on gaining an understanding of the significance of the problem in these communities by its

members and not statistics. Although the survey will primarily consist of open-ended questions,

the survey will also utilize quantitative questions to determine participant demographics and to

gauge their attitudes in regard to trust and transparency between the groups.

Sample

The researcher will use a nonprobability sampling method to select participants. Since the

survey will consist of primarily open-ended questions, the sample size can be kept relatively

small. There will be a total of 80 participants surveyed, 30 of which will be members of law

enforcement and 25 members each from both Black and Latino communities. Interviewing 80

total individuals allows the researcher to collect a more realistic set of data that can be
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 12

extrapolated for the city of Fayetteville, North Carolina, as opposed to utilizing a small sample

size that would only represent a handful of individuals. Individuals from Black and Latino

communities will be over the age of 18 and there will be no set age range for law enforcement, as

all officers should be over the age of 18. There will be close-ended questions included in the

survey to establish demographics of the respondents. These questions will ask each participant to

identify their age, gender, race/ethnicity, city and state of birth, and occupation. Participants will

be recruited on a voluntary basis. Respondents will be asked if they would like to participate in a

survey regarding community relations between African American and Latino communities and

law enforcement, to which they have the option of declining. The researcher will contact

Fayetteville Police Department and Hope Mills Police Department to inquire about officers who

might be willing to participate in an interview. The Chief of Police will be contacted first and

given the specifics of the purpose of this study, privacy and confidentiality for the study, and any

risk and safeguards implemented in regard to officers participating. The researcher will work

with the Chief of Police from both stations to inform officers of the study and recruit

participants. For participants from African American and Latino communities, the researcher will

seek out voluntary subjects from Studio 26 barber shop, The Beauty Room beauty salon,

Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College and the Post Exchange

on Fort Bragg. These locations are very diverse and will provide the researcher with the best

access to individuals from these communities, with Studio 26 and The Beauty Room being hot

spots for both African Americans and Latinos. The researcher will discuss conducting interviews

with patrons with the owners of Studio 26 and The Beauty Room prior to recruiting participants

at these establishments. The survey will be publicly announced via signage at the other three

locations, which will allow willing participants to speak with the researcher at their leisure.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 13

Instrumentation

The study will utilize a survey and Likert scale to collect results. The Likert scale,

included in appendix B, will assist the researcher in finding common themes. The scales and

questionnaires given to African American and Latino community members will differ from those

given to law enforcement officers to account for differing life experiences. The questionnaire

given to law enforcement will focus on their job and their attitude towards African Americans

and Latinos while doing their job. The questionnaire for African Americans and Latinos will

focus on their life experiences of interacting with law enforcement. The scale for perceived trust

between members of law enforcement and members of Latino and African American

communities will be analyzed by calculating the mean amongst responses. The mean will be

calculated by dividing the added scores by the number of respondents from a given group in

order to find the average levels of trust, comfort, social media impact and fairness as reported by

participants. This average along with responses from the survey will allow the researcher to

deduce common themes of what causes the strained relationship between African Americans and

Latinos and law enforcement officers. The Likert scale has been proven to be a reliable and valid

rating scale to gage people’s attitudes and opinions since it was created in 1932 (Jamieson,

2017). The remainder of the questions were created by the researcher and taken from an article

written by Brooks et al. (2016). The validity of the questions constructed by the researcher is

unknown, but it can be considered reliable because they can be used again with the same subject

group and achieve the same results. However, the questions utilized by Brooks et al. (2016) can

be considered reliable because they will be used again and could reach relatively the same results

with the African American community. It’s reliability with the Latino and law enforcement

communities is unknown at this time.

Data Collection

The researcher will conduct the study utilizing the assistance of four other people. The

researchers will gather data from African American and Latino individuals from public spaces

around Fayetteville, North Carolina. These public spaces will consist of Studio 26 barber shop,

The Beauty Room salon, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community

College, and the Fort Bragg Post Exchange. Each researcher will be responsible for two locations

each. These locations will be visited on two separate weekends. Each researcher will have a

target goal of interviewing at least five voluntary respondents from each location, resulting in a

total of ten total interviews completed. Five of these respondents should be a member of the

Latino community, and the other five should be members of the African American community,

resulting in a total of 50 respondents.

The researcher will recruit the assistance of the same four people with gathering

information from members of law enforcement from Fayetteville Police Department and Hope

Mills Police Department. The researcher will create a schedule so voluntary law enforcement

officers can choose a time to complete the interview as it best fits their schedule. Each gatherer

will be responsible for interviewing at least three officers from each location, resulting in a total

of 30 voluntary officer respondents.

Data Analysis

In order to analyze the data given by respondents, the author will utilize both mean and

frequency statistical testing. For questions such as age and the responses to the Likert scale

questions, the researcher will utilize a mean statistical test. The mean statistical test will best fit

these data sets because it will allow the researcher to gauge the average age of respondents, as

well as a common theme derived from an average of how respondents agree to questions using
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 15

the Likert scale for responses. For other demographic questions such as race/ethnicity, education,

occupation and sex, the researcher will analyze results using a frequencies statistical test. For this

data, a frequency statistical test is the best fit because it will allow the researcher to record how

many times an individual of a certain race/ethnicity, educational and occupational status, and sex

respond to the survey. Knowing this can allow for further research directed towards a specific

demographic in regard to relations with law enforcement.

Human Subjects

By using human subjects in this study, the researcher is able to gather and analyze

information in regard to the relationship between African Americans and Latinos and law

enforcement. Studying the attitudes of the relationship as told by the people in it and affected by

it the most allows the researcher to gather a response that represents the community. Possible

risks of participating in this study for members of the African American and Latino community

could be unwarranted stress due to discussing violence, racism and harassment they have

experienced by law enforcement. Another possible risk could be in the event of a breach of

confidentiality, Latino and African American community members could be targeted by law

enforcement themselves or members of the larger community who disagree with any form of

backlash on law enforcement. Possible risks that could be faced by law enforcement officers are

feelings of stress or anxiousness about answering interview questions honestly due to the current

climate. Law enforcement officers could possibly face repercussions from their employer if they

answer in a way some see as offensive, or if they admit to stereotypical biases against African

American and Latino people. In order to safeguard participants from these risks, every

opportunity to protect the privacy and confidentiality of participants will be taken. Participants

will not be asked to divulge their names and response sheets will be given a number for
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 16

analytical purposes. The reported results of the study will not include any identifiable

information such as age, gender, education or occupation. The individual responses for these

variables will be reported using a mean formula to gauge experiences by various demographics.

Discussion

Significance

The purpose of this study is to explore the causes of the tense relationship seen between

Hispanic and African American communities and law enforcement in Fayetteville, North

Carolina. The results of this study will add to existing knowledge in regard to attitudes toward

African American and Hispanic communities by police officers and attitudes toward police

officers by African Americans and Hispanics. By understanding how each of these groups feel

about the other and why they feel this way, police departments can alter their community

practices to ensure African American and Latino communities are heard and feel safe. On the

other hand, new police techniques can be implemented to control for any admitted bias officers

have. Future research may benefit from analyzing if age and/or gender along with race/ethnicity

has any bearing on one’s perception of police. It would also be beneficial to continue this

research over time to analyze any connection between how long someone has been a police

officer and their perception of African American and Latino communities.

Limitations

 This study is limited in the sense that it only accounts for a sample of Fayetteville, North

Carolina residents and is not indicative of the feelings of the greater population. There also may

be some variation in answers given by police officers due to sociopolitical pressures. This study

asks some difficult questions and some officers may opt to give an answer that is politically

correct instead of honest. In the future, it may be beneficial for researchers to examine the
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 17

relationship between law enforcement and all minority groups, not just Hispanic and African

American. This research does not draw any conclusions between perceptions of police or African

American/Hispanic communities and level of education. Future research should analyze what

level of significance, if any, one’s level of education alters their perception of law enforcement or

African American and Hispanic communities. Another limitation of this study would be not

being able to utilize the same survey for both law enforcement and African American/Latino

communities. The survey had to be slightly altered to best fit each community. This alteration in

language used on both surveys makes it more difficult to find common themes or analyze

responses equally.
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 18

References

Berthelot, E. R., McNeal, B. A., & Baldwin, J. M. (2018). Relationships between agency-specific

contact, victimization type, and trust and confidence in the police and courts. American

Journal of Criminal Justice: AJCJ, 43(4), 768-791.

doi:http://dx.doi.org.briarcliff.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s12103-018-9434-x

Black Lives Matter. (2019, January). Black lives matter. Retrieved February 22, 2019, from

https://blacklivesmatter.com/about/herstory/

Brooks, M., Ward, C., Euring, M., Townsend, C., White, N., & Hughes, K. L. (2016). Is There a

Problem Officer? Exploring the Lived Experience of Black Men and Their Relationship with

Law Enforcement. Journal of African American Studies, 20(3-4), 346+. Retrieved from

http://link.galegroup.com.briarcliff.idm.oclc.org/apps/doc/A473001580/AONE?

u=briarcliffu&sid=AONE&xid=3a13757c

Danylko, R. (2014, November 25). Cleveland police officer fatally shoots 12-year-old Tamir

Rice: The big story. Retrieved February 21, 2019, from

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/11/cleveland_police_officer_fatal.html

Davey, M., & Bosman, J. (2014, November 24). Protests flare after Ferguson police officer is not

indicted. Retrieved February 21, 2019, from

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/25/us/ferguson-darren-wilson-shooting-michael-brown-

grand-jury.html

Downs, K. (2016, July 14). Why aren't more people talking about Latinos killed by police?

Retrieved March 8, 2019, from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/black-men-werent-

unarmed-people-killed-police-last-week
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 19

Gilbert, K. L., & Ray, R. (2016). Why police kill black males with impunity: Applying public

health critical race praxis (PHCRP) to address the determinants of policing behaviors and

"justifiable" homicides in the USA. Journal of Urban Health, 93, 122-140.

doi:http://dx.doi.org.briarcliff.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s11524-015-0005-x

Izadi, E. (2014, September 25). Ohio Wal-Mart surveillance video shows police shooting and

killing John Crawford III. Retrieved February 22, 2019, from

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2014/09/25/ohio-wal-mart-

surveillance-video-shows-police-shooting-and-killing-john-crawford-iii/?

utm_term=.32e9ee9f5dc8

Jamieson, S. (2017, September 27). Likert scale. Retrieved October 5, 2018, from

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Likert-Scale

Kramer, R., & Remster, B. (2018). Stop, frisk, and assault? Racial disparities in police use of

force during investigatory stops. Law & Society Review, 52(4), 960-993.

doi:10.1111/lasr.12366

LeCount, R. J. (2017). More black than blue? Comparing the racial attitudes of police to

citizens. Sociological Forum, 32, 1051-1072. doi:10.1111/socf.12367

Milner, A., George, B., & Allison, D. (2016). Black and Hispanic men perceived to be large are

at increased risk for police frisk, search, and force. Plos One, 11(1), 0147158.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0147158

Perez, M. (2017, September 23). It's not just Black and White people: Police shootings are

killing Latinos. Retrieved March 9, 2019, from https://www.newsweek.com/latinos-police-

shootings-oklahoma-city-669854
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 20

Roles, R., Moak, S. C., & Ten Bensel, T. (2016). Perceptions of police among Hispanic

immigrants of Mexican origin in the southeast united states. American Journal of Criminal

Justice: AJCJ,  41(2), 202-219. doi:http://dx.doi.org.briarcliff.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s12103-

015-9299-1

Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. (1997). Research methods for social work, 3rd edition. Pacific Grove,

CA: Brooks/Cole.

Weitzer, R. (2015). American policing under fire: Misconduct and reform. Society, 52(5), 475-

480. doi: http://dx.doi.org.briarcliff.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s12115-015-9931-1

APPENDICES

Appendix A

Human Subjects Research Certification.

Appendix B

Likert scale

On a scale of 1-5, 1 being strongly disagree, 2 being disagree, 3 being neutral, 4 being agree, and

5 being strongly agree, rate the following statements.

Members of minority communities:

 I trust local authorities.

 I feel comfortable around law enforcement.

 I feel protected by law enforcement.

 Social media and cameras make incidents of police brutality/harassment against people of color

seem more prevalent than they are.

Law enforcement:

 I feel safe patrolling minority neighborhoods.

 I am comfortable around Latino and African American communities.

 I treat all victims and suspects the same.

 Social media and cameras make incidents of police brutality/harassment against people of color

seem more prevalent than they are.

Appendix C. Survey
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 24

Appendix D

Informed consent for African American and Latino community members

Informed Consent (Participant Copy)

You are invited to be in a research study to examine the causes of the tense relationship

between African Americans and Latinos and law enforcement in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

You were selected as a possible participant because you are 18 years or older, identify as African

American and/or Latino and volunteered to talk about your feelings and thoughts regarding

community relations with law enforcement. I ask that you read this form before agreeing to be in

the study. If there are questions, please feel free to ask and I will be happy to answer any

questions or explain any material that is unclear at any time.

This study will be conducted by Taylor Holmes, a social work undergraduate student of Briar

Cliff University.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the possible causes of the perceived strained

relationship between African American and Latino communities and law enforcement in

Fayetteville, North Carolina. Possible causes range from history to stereotypes, but this tension

would be best explained by those who are directly affected. You were chosen for this study

because as an adult member of the African American and/or Hispanic community, you bring
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 25

particular knowledge and experience to this topic. This interview may contribute to the

understanding of how to improve community relations between Hispanics and African

Americans and law enforcement.

Procedure and Participation

The research will involve participation that involves completion of an interview that will take

approximately 30 minutes.

Risks and Benefits of Participating in the Study

The study has minor risks. First, you may feel upset as you answer some questions; and second,

you may wish that you hadn’t answered questions that you did. There are no direct benefits for

you to take part in this study. However, this information may contribute to the understanding of

community attitudes towards law enforcement.

The researcher realizes that some of the questions asked may have provoked strong emotions. As

the researcher, I do not provide mental health services and will not be following up with you

after the study. However, I want to provide every participant in this study with an accurate

listing of a clinical resource that is available, should you decide you need assistance at any time.

If you complete the interview, feel upset and would like to talk to someone; I would like to refer

you to Alliance Behavioral Healthcare’s 24-hour information line at 1(800) 510-9132 and their

address is 711 Executive Place, Fayetteville, N.C. 28301.

Voluntary Nature of the Study

Your participation is completely voluntary. Your decision to participate will have no effect on

your current or future relations with me. If you decide to participate, you are free to not answer

any question or withdraw at any time. You are under no obligation to answer any question if you
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 26

do not want to. You may stop the interview at any time. The researcher may stop the interview if

the questions appear to be distressing to the participant.

If you complete the interview and wish you hadn’t, you may withdraw your participation from

the study and your input will not be used in the research.

Confidentiality

Your personal identity will be kept confidential. I will not include any identifiable individual

participant information that will make it possible to identify a participant within the completed

report. Once the research study is completed, I will destroy all interview material and

information.

Contacts and Questions

The researcher conducting this study is: Taylor Holmes. You may ask questions now or if you

have questions later, you are encouraged to contact me at (216)526-7049 or

[email protected]. If you wish, you may also contact my instructor, Sara Staver,

CADC, LMSW at Briar Cliff University, 3303 Rebecca St. Sioux City, IA, 51104, Heelan Hall

#311 and by phone at (712) 279-5489, or by e-mail at [email protected]

You will be given a copy of this information for your records.

Statement of Consent:

I have read the abovementioned information, or it has been read to me. I have had the

opportunity to ask questions about the study and understand what I am agreeing to do. I consent

voluntarily to be a participant in this study.

________________________________________ ________________________

Signature of Participant Date

________________________________________ ________________________
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 27

Signature of Researcher Date

Appendix E

Informed consent for law enforcement officers

Informed Consent (Participant Copy)

You are invited to be in a research study to examine the causes of the tense relationship

between African Americans and Latinos and law enforcement in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

You were selected as a possible participant because you are 18 years or older, are employed with

Fayetteville Police Department or Hope Mills Police Department and volunteered to talk about

your feelings and thoughts regarding community relations with African American and Latino

communities. I ask that you read this form before agreeing to be in the study. If there are

questions, please feel free to ask and I will be happy to answer any questions or explain any

material that is unclear at any time.

This study will be conducted by Taylor Holmes, a social work undergraduate student of Briar

Cliff University.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the possible causes of the perceived strained

relationship between African American and Latino communities and law enforcement in
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Holmes 28

Fayetteville, North Carolina. Possible causes range from history to stereotypes, but this tension

would be best explained by those who are directly affected. You were chosen for this study

because as an adult member of the African American and/or Hispanic community, you bring

particular knowledge and experience to this topic. This interview may contribute to the

understanding of how to improve community relations between Hispanics and African

Americans and law enforcement.

Procedure and Participation

The research will involve participation that involves completion of an interview that will take

approximately 30 minutes.

Risks and Benefits of Participating in the Study

The study has minor risks. First, you may feel upset as you answer some questions; and second,

you may wish that you hadn’t answered questions that you did. There are no direct benefits for

you to take part in this study. However, this information may contribute to the understanding of

community attitudes towards law enforcement.

The researcher realizes that some of the questions asked may have provoked strong emotions. As

the researcher, I do not provide mental health services and will not be following up with you

after the study. However, I want to provide every participant in this study with an accurate

listing of a clinical resource that is available, should you decide you need assistance at any time.

If you complete the interview, feel upset and would like to talk to someone; I would like to refer

you to Alliance Behavioral Healthcare’s 24-hour information line at 1(800) 510-9132 and their

address is 711 Executive Place, Fayetteville, N.C. 28301.

Voluntary Nature of the Study

Your participation is completely voluntary. Your decision to participate will have no effect on

your current or future relations with me. If you decide to participate, you are free to not answer

any question or withdraw at any time. You are under no obligation to answer any question if you

do not want to. You may stop the interview at any time. The researcher may stop the interview if

the questions appear to be distressing to the participant.

If you complete the interview and wish you hadn’t, you may withdraw your participation from

the study and your input will not be used in the research.

Confidentiality

Your personal identity will be kept confidential. I will not include any identifiable individual

participant information that will make it possible to identify a participant within the completed

report. Once the research study is completed, I will destroy all interview material and

information.

Contacts and Questions

The researcher conducting this study is: Taylor Holmes. You may ask questions now or if you

have questions later, you are encouraged to contact me at (216)526-7049 or

[email protected]. If you wish, you may also contact my instructor, Sara Staver,

CADC, LMSW at Briar Cliff University, 3303 Rebecca St. Sioux City, IA, 51104, Heelan Hall

#311 and by phone at (712) 279-5489, or by e-mail at [email protected]

You will be given a copy of this information for your records.

Statement of Consent:

I have read the abovementioned information, or it has been read to me. I have had the

opportunity to ask questions about the study and understand what I am agreeing to do. I consent

voluntarily to be a participant in this study.

________________________________________ ________________________

Signature of Participant Date

________________________________________ ________________________

Signature of Researcher Date