the idea that we aren't going to be able to hire any new police if we fire some of the current ones is laughably stupid.
Very much so. First of all reforms would absolutely attract more minority cops. There's also no reason police departments shouldn't be competing with the armed forces for their best talent.
What reforms? Shouldn't anybody who wants to make a change want to jump into the PD 30 years ago to help make change?
I'm guessing/hoping you aren't asking me about some rando beat cop or some rando chief making systematic changes to generations of flawed policing in the entire country. That's either really stupid or asked in bad faith.
I'm only asking what reforms you think would attract more minority cops. bolded above.
On the short term, there isn't much that will make any significant impact. The greatest reason that there aren't minority cops is goes all the way back before the country was ever founded, I'd hope you know that. We live in highly segregated areas but have never been allowed to police in the same way. You're not going to overturn hundreds of years of distrust in a matter of months or even years. My mother's generation had to be subjected to cops being the front line in the government pushing back in a battle for civil rights. It's obviously going to be a long and hard transformation, but it has to start somewhere. Here's what I'd do.
1. I would only hire officers that live in my city, especially in metro areas.
2. Police need hiring quotas to assist in representation
3. I balk at busting police unions, but they have been a strong barrier to community policing and representation in police departments.
4. Police departments should invest in education in our cities and not just by putting substations in black neighborhoods. Invest in scholarships, have more programs in small colleges, and not just some community colleges.
5. Partner with secondary schools to have plain clothed officers assist in educational programs. There is a national organization called Jobs for America's Graduates who would be perfect to partner with.
6. Have a presence, plain clothed, no guns, in community events. Host some of these events, block parties, farmers markets in food deserts.
There is literally a eff ton of things they can do if they actually wanted to do so.