October 10, 2022
A few days ago, the Alameda County Sheriffs Office found that 47 of their deputies had failed the psychological evaluations required for their jobs. As a result, they were stripped of their guns and arrest powers. This came to light after the Sheriffs Office reviewed the background of a deputy arrested on suspicion of an "execution-style" murder of a couple. This prompted a broader audit of the Alameda County Sheriff Deputies' psychological backgrounds.
I wonder if Chico Police Department officers are completing sufficient training in issues regarding discrimination, implicit and explicit bias, police-community relations, as well as post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury? The "higher-ups" in CPD must identify issues in these essential areas, particularly considering the lack of diversity within the Department. Are CPD officers psychologically fit to use lethal force? Will Chief Aldridge reassure the public?
With a nation-wide crisis in police recruiting, the pressure is on to hire and train qualified officers. Has CPD set a bar to help ensure that psychological evaluations are conducted with the rigor required to determine whether both police recruits and veteran officers will contribute to public safety or put it at risk?