Understanding Implicit Bias: Trust and Justice

Understanding Implicit Bias: Trust and Justice examines the automatic association people make between groups of people and stereotypes, which can influence behavior and make people respond in biased ways even when they are not explicitly prejudiced. Based on more than 30 years of research in neurology and social and cognitive psychology, studies have shown that people hold implicit biases even in the absence of heartfelt bigotry simply by paying attention to the social world around them. Implicit racial bias has given rise to a phenomenon known as "racism without racists," which can cause institutions or individuals to act on racial prejudices even in spite of good intentions and nondiscriminatory policies or standards.

Topics Covered / Course Objectives

  • Explore reconciliation to facilitate frank conversations between law enforcement and communities to address historic tensions, grievances and misconceptions
  • Focus on procedural justice and law enforcement interactions with the public that shape views of police, their willingness to obey the law and actual crime rates
  • Understand the unconscious psychological process that can shape authorities' actions and lead to racial disparate outcomes

Course Length

Understanding Implicit Bias: Trust and Justice is a one-day course.

Course Hours

Participants receive 8 hours of TCOLE credit.

Course Cost / Fee Policy

Understanding Implicit Bias: Trust and Justice is $95 per person for Texas Law Enforcement Officers.

Registration Process

Registration is 100% online. Please visit the Register Online link located on the Upcoming Events table below or the LEMIT Calendar page to register. A confirmation e-mail will be sent to the e-mail address indicated on the form within one week of registration.

Cancellation / No-Show Policy

If the participant has already paid, he/she will be refunded half the cost of the registration fee if written notice of cancellation is received by the Program Coordinator no later than seven (7) business days prior to the program. No refunds are available after this date, but substitutions of attendees are permitted.

If no written cancellation is received and the participant does not attend the program, the participant or their agency will be required to pay 100% of the registration fee if the registration fee was not previously paid.

Course Contact

Camara Walden, Coordinator - Professional Development Programs
Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas
George J. Beto Criminal Justice Building
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX 77341-2417
Fax: (936) 294-3926
Phone: (936) 294-4995
Phone: 800-477-9248
lemitpdp@shsu.edu

Dress for the Week:
Business casual is the dress for the week. Clothing should be professional and no caps/hats or shorts are permitted. It is always recommended to bring a light jacket in case the training room is cold. A coat (and tie for the men) is needed for the group photo.

Firearms:
If you choose to wear your duty weapon you may do so in full uniform or in plain clothes with your badge fully displayed. Individuals who are 21 years of age and who currently possess a handgun license from the State of Texas or an approved reciprocating state may legally carry a concealed handgun on or about their person. Handguns may be carried on campus, except at collegiate and UIL athletic events, health and counseling centers, and other specified locations on campus. Signs will clearly identify prohibited sites around campus.

Tobacco Products:
In order to promote a healthy, safe, and aesthetically pleasing work and educational environment, Sam Houston State University endorses a smoke free and tobacco free environment. Tobacco use (including smokeless tobacco) is not permitted on campus grounds. Electronic cigarettes/vaping products are also prohibited.

LEMIT Building and Parking:

The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas is located at 1600 Bobby K. Marks Dr., Huntsville, Texas, at the corner of Bobby K. Marks and Bearkat Boulevard on the campus of Sam Houston State University. It also is located right next door to the University Hotel.

  • ALL vehicles must be registered to park on the SHSU campus. This includes marked agency vehicles.
  • Prior to your class, you will receive information on how to register your vehicle and where to park.
  • For visitors and guests, there are pay-by-hour spaces along Bobby K. Marks Street and Bearkat Boulevard; however, these are managed through the City of Huntsville system and are not part of the University permits. Follow instructions listed on street signs for payment options and be sure to select "Huntsville" when asked to select a location. For more information on the City of Huntsville system, visit Huntsville Paid Parking.
  • Parking is also available for visitors in the Sam Houston Parking Garage, located at 1730 Avenue I, within walking distance to LEMIT. The parking garage contains approximately 250 hourly use parking spaces. Visitors should not park in the parking spaces that are numbered; the numbered spaces are reserved for Garage Permit Holders only. For directions to the SHSU Parking Garage, please click here.