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Former teacher turns LAPD officer-in-training to better serve community

By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff

08.23.16

LOS ANGELES, CA — Renata Phillip had been happy as a teacher for 11 years when she decided to make a serious career change last August: she was going to become a police officer. Her friends and family were shocked.

Her decision came at a time of growing concern over police tactics. A number of unarmed black men across the country have died at the hands of officers. Most recently, the fatal police shooting of a black man who had a gun in his hand sparked violent unrest in Milwaukee.

Phillip, a black woman who grew up in a mostly white, upper-middle-class neighborhood 30 miles east of Los Angeles, said her decision wasn't motivated by race. But race is a motivation now as she completes her training to become a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy.

Issues Of Skin Color

"Everything that's going on, it drives me to work a little harder," the 36-year-old said during a break at the department's grueling training academy.

Phillip hopes to be an example to those who've never dealt with a black law enforcement officer. "If I can have a positive experience with someone and maybe help them change their mind, why not?" she said.

A little more than a year ago, Asia Hardy was in Phillip's shoes. She was training to become an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department.

The 26-year-old grew up in an idyllic, close-knit neighborhood in Pasadena. She has been a probationary officer for just over a year, working the beat she requested in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

She said Phillip should expect both criticism and pride on the streets.

"I get called a sellout sometimes," she said. Some will tell her: "Why are you doing the white man's job?"

Others see Hardy as a beacon.

"They'll say, 'I'm glad you're out here representing us,'" she said. "Or you get the little girl pointing at you and saying, 'Look, Mommy, there's a girl cop.' Things like that make my day. I want that little girl to know she can grow up and be a cop if she wants to."

Unbalanced Representation

Black officers made up about 12 percent of all police in 2013. That was the most recent year with nationwide statistics. In comparison, black people make up a little more than 13 percent of the country.

Departments have long struggled to recruit black candidates, said Nelson Lim, a researcher at the Rand Corp. who helps organizations diversify.

In the days after a sniper attack killed five of his officers last month, Dallas Police Chief David Brown urged black people to leave protests and join the department to work for change from within.

"Serve your community," said Brown, who is black. "We're hiring. Get off of that protest line and put your application in."

Community Problems Plagued Her Students

Phillip, the Los Angeles sheriff's recruit, was settled into her teaching career at Ganesha High School in Pomona, California. The middle-class city is near her hometown of Diamond Bar, but far from it in terms of gangs and violent crime.

She decided to become an officer after realizing she was spending more and more time helping her students with problems outside the classroom, and that she was enjoying it.

One student had lost a friend to gang violence. He started acting out by disrupting class, getting into drugs and into trouble.Phillip worked to gain his trust and build rapport. This eventually allowed her to find out what was bothering him and help him transfer to another school.

A Trying Training Period

Phillip is one of just two black women in her class of 84 recruits. More than half are men, and most are white or Hispanic.

Only three recruits out of every 100 will make it to graduation, said Capt. Scott Gage, who's in charge of training at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

He cited extensive background checks, strict physical requirements, dozens of tests and determination to stick with the yearlong process.

Hardy, the rookie LAPD officer, said she specifically requested to work in the most crime-ridden division.

"I knew a lot of African Americans live there and I wanted to be there to reach out, I want everybody to do better," she said. "Them seeing me out there and knowing, 'Wow, there goes a female cop. A black female cop.' I wanted to be that example."

Possible Response Questions: Choose one.

  • Explain how Renata Phillip is demonstrating leadership qualities.
  • What do you think of Renata Phillip’s decision to become a police officer? Explain.
  • Pick a passage (sentence, paragraph, section) from the article and respond to it.