Abstract:

The paper evaluates the current value orientation of police officers in the area of a culturally diverse society and its influence in dealing with emergency situations in the performance of law enforcement. The text is based on the agenda of the fulfillment of the Police's strategic goals in the field of work with minorities, specifically in the field of training and education police officers in intercultural dialogue and professional dealings with members of minorities. The authors present the result of a questionnaire survey among police officers in the field of perception of religion, cultural differences of persons, personal knowledge and contacts with persons of a different cultural and ethnic profile or the concept of a multicultural society, in relation to the level of education achieved and the forms and scope of police education in areas of intercultural dialogue and work with minorities. The survey results are framed by the concept of ethnic profiling, where the authors first explain the use of profiling in a general context outside of law enforcement, then focus on the practice of profiling within law enforcement. This is done with an emphasis on distinguishing when profiling that uses race, ethnic origin or religious belief, be considered discriminatory and therefore illegal, and under what circumstances a reference to said characteristics may be permissible. Article also analyzes existing educational programs in the field of police education and identifies shortcomings and possible risks associated with ethnic profiling. Based on this analysis, innovative educational approaches are proposed that emphasize the importance of cultural understanding, empathy and non-discriminatory behavior in the performance of police work.

Keywords:

Value orientation, intercultural communication, integration, police, ethnic profiling, discrimination, education.