History of FIP | Science-Based Training Curricula | FIP Core Training Content | Expert Classroom Instructors | Engaging Online Programs | Customized Plans for Clientele | Seamless Logistics Support

Fair and Impartial Policing, LLC offers science-based implicit-bias-awareness training to city, county, state, and federal government agencies. Since 2008, FIP has delivered training to hundreds of government agencies, reaching tens of thousands of government personnel. Our courses are engaging, interactive, and highly rated by our clients.

History of FIP

Dr. Lorie Fridell, a Criminology professor and former Director of Research at the Police Executive Research Forum, established FIP in 2008 when she began training police chiefs and other command-level personnel on the topic of implicit bias. The expansion of the curriculum to serve law enforcement at all levels of a police agency was funded by the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and developed in collaboration with social psychologists, law enforcement professionals, and community stakeholders. FIP was the first entity to produce implicit bias training for the law enforcement community and is proud to be the #1 provider of implicit-bias-awareness training for law enforcement in the U.S.

FIP’s extension of its training to audiences beyond law enforcement was per popular demand. Prosecutors, fire/EMS professionals, city and county leaders, and others heard about FIP’s law enforcement training and asked about courses for their own professions.

As a result of this interest, FIP developed customized curricula for the followingse expanded arenas and professions:

  • ✓ City and county governments
  • ✓ Corrections
  • ✓ Fire/EMS
  • ✓ Prosecutors
  • ✓ Probation & Parole
  • ✓ Hospital Security

Visit our Training page to read about the various courses available for each of these groups.

Science-Based Training Curricula

Our curricula differentiate between explicit bias and implicit bias. The former is what social scientists long considered to be the only type of bias—wherein individuals consciously and unapologetically hold biased attitudes based on, for instance, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, body shape, or socio-economic status. The social psychologists then discovered another way that bias/prejudice can manifest—through implicit biases. Even well-intentioned people have implicit biases that can affect their perceptions and behavior, and this can occur outside conscious awareness. A key goal of the FIP training is to help individuals recognize their implicit biases and develop skills to minimize and manage them.

FIP’s science-based approach has been critical to the success of our training program. Some of our most challenging audiences have reported that they were expecting a training about “being racist.” Instead, they learned about how the human mind works and can subconsciously lead us to biased perceptions or behaviors unless checked. Here is what some trainees said:

“The whole presentation was done in a way that was helpful and never felt like something that was being preached.”

“Good job presenting a difficult topic in an engaging and non-threatening manner.”

“I thought this training would be very antagonistic, but it was open, and the discussion was comfortable.”

FIP regularly revisits and updates the training curricula to reflect advances in the science of implicit bias and current events that resonate with our training audiences. We also refresh the examples, exercises, and true-to-life scenarios found throughout our courses as well as incorporate new multi-media content and innovative ways to engage participants.

FIP Core Training Content

FIP has classroom-based curricula as well as virtual and online programs. All FIP curricula are organized according to our Core Training Content, which is applicable to all audiences and includes:

  • The science of implicit bias
  • How bias might manifest in the everyday work of the trainee
  • The consequences of biased decision-making
  • Skills for producing fair and impartial decision-making

The Science of Bias

Learners are exposed to selected studies from the extensive research documenting the existence of implicit bias and its potential impact on behavior. The FIP curricula address racial/ethnic bias but also include research and applications that connect biases to other factors, such as gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, socio-economic status and so forth.

How Bias Might Manifest in the Work Environment

Course participants learn about and discuss the ways implicit biases might manifest in their day-to-day decisions and behaviors. The examples and applications are tailored to the particular audience, such as law enforcement, Fire/EMS, city workers, and so forth.

The Consequences of Biased Behavior in the Workplace

Highlighting the negative consequences of biased behavior serves to motivate participants to implement skills to reduce and manage biases. Again, this portion of the curricula is customized for the specific audience.

Skills for Addressing Our Biases

The FIP curricula outline several strategies, accessible to anyone, that help a person to recognize, reduce, and manage his/her/their biases so that they do not affect behavior.

Expert Classroom Instructors

FIP maintains an impressive, diverse cadre of highly experienced and nationally respected instructors to administer the classroom programs. They are adept at conveying scientific research in an accessible way. They have experience interacting with learners who may reject the possibility that they have human biases. They share examples of how their own human biases affected their own behavior leading to negative outcomes. The instructors bring significant experience from city, county, and state government agencies having worked with both sworn and civilian employees.

Engaging Online Programs

FIP has partnered with an award-winning e-learning company to produce online courses for selected audiences. Multiple methods are used to present the material and engage the online learner, including:

  • ✓ Whiteboard
  • ✓ Animated vignettes
  • ✓ Knowledge, application & opinion questions
  • ✓ Exercises, including those where the learner applies the course content to multi-part animated vignettes.

Customized Plans for Clientele

FIP’s Chief Operating Officer, Mary Hoerig, joined FIP in 2012 and is the primary liaison for current and prospective clients. A former Inspector with the Milwaukee Police Department with a Master’s in Business Administration, Ms. Hoerig works with clients to develop a plan customized for the nature and needs of their agencies/departments.

Seamless Logistics Support

Once the plan is finalized, FIP’s logistics staff members manage every aspect of training implementation. They are responsible for liaising with clients to confirm training dates, locations, rosters, AV requirements, delivery of training materials, and day-of-training logistics. This includes providing support and technical assistance for our virtual training sessions. Our logistics team manages all aspects of invoicing and has successfully managed contracts up to $5 million. FIP has a reputation for timely, accurate invoicing and accounting.