Final answer:
Early police departments incorporated military-like boot camp training for new officers, which focused on discipline, unity, and a shift in identity aligned with law enforcement culture. Trainees learned strict rules and schedules, similar to military basic training, and experienced hands-on training, sometimes resulting in discriminatory law enforcement practices based on race.
Step-by-step explanation:
In early police departments, it was common practice regarding recruits and new officers to undergo a form of orientation and training reminiscent of military practices. This period involved a systematic stripping of old identities and the construction of a new one that aligns with the institution's culture and values. Basic training involved learning new rules, bonding with peers, following structured schedules, and maintaining discipline through cleanliness and understanding hierarchical respect, such as saluting superiors. Just as military recruits might experience the effects of tools like pepper spray to understand its impact and encourage empathy and restraint in its use, early police trainees would receive similar hands-on training to prepare them for their roles in law enforcement.
These practices were designed to promote unity and efficiency within the force, with officers often trained to move and act in a cohesive manner that enhanced the force's ability to maintain public order. However, in some instances, intense training and aggressive tactics, perhaps influenced by supplemental funding and direction from higher agencies like the Drug Enforcement Agency, led to the adoption of race-based profiling and patrolling minority-inhabited neighborhoods more heavily, resulting in an uptick in arrests and prosecutions among Black and Hispanic populations.