An inquiry into discrimination against Muslims by police officers in Kansas City, Missouri.

摘要

A multiple case study was conducted to determine whether bias exists within the Kansas City Missouri Police Department regarding people of Middle Eastern origin or Islamic heritage. This study involved personal interviews with Kansas City Missouri Police Officers of varied experience and rank structure as well as the Imam and the council representatives in Kansas City. In the investigation, 16 police officers from the Kansas City Police Department were interviewed. Because triangulation was involved in the study, three members of the Islamic Council and the sole Imam of the local mosque were also interviewed. The qualitative data gathered from the interviews with the 20 participants concluded that no discrimination of Muslims existed in the Kansas City Police Department. The author used narrative analysis of the data to determine if a preponderance of evidence existed to verify the respondents' anecdotal reports. This analysis also verified the findings of the interviews that no discrimination existed in the Kansas City Police Department against Muslims. The overriding expectancy by law enforcement in Kansas City Missouri and the Islamic participants concerned the professionalism of law enforcement and respect for all people regardless of personal demographics. While the overall response in this study was positive, the need for constant external review and internal assessment by all law enforcement agencies is suggested. It is also recommended that the community, especially minorities, plays a larger role in the need for civic awareness by law enforcement.