Setting Up a Behavioral Science Unit for a Sheriff's Department
This paper outlines a proposed framework for establishing a Behavioral Science Unit (BSU) within a local sheriff's department, drawing primarily on the Tucson Police Department model described by Russell and Biegel (1990). The paper evaluates the advantages of using an independent contractor psychologist over an in-house hire, addresses the limitations of civilian practitioners working with law enforcement, and advocates for supplementing professional psychological services with peer counseling programs. It also examines the appropriate scope of psychological services, emphasizing crisis intervention and community mental health referrals over long-term treatment or personnel selection roles. The discussion concludes with a recommendation that small departments especially consider the Tucson Model's flexible, outsourced approach.
- Introduction: The Tucson Model as a Framework: Introduces the Tucson Model for outsourced BSU services
- Advantages of an Independent Contractor Psychologist: Benefits of autonomy and contractual flexibility for psychologists
- Limitations and the Importance of Law Enforcement Experience: Civilian psychologist gaps and need for police familiarity
- Peer Counseling as a Supplement to Professional Services: Peer counseling programs for officers and recruits
- Crisis Intervention and Community Mental Health Resources: Crisis services and community referral coordination role
- Psychologists and Personnel Selection: Limited psychologist role in promotions and assignments
- Conclusion and Recommendations: Tucson Model recommended especially for small departments
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper anchors its argument in a specific, real-world model (the Tucson Police Department), giving its recommendations concrete grounding rather than relying on abstract theory.
- It balances advocacy with candor, acknowledging the limitations of the proposed model before offering practical solutions such as peer counseling and community referral networks.
- Multiple authoritative sources are integrated naturally, with direct quotations used selectively to reinforce key points rather than substitute for analysis.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates applied synthesis: it draws on several distinct sources — a policing psychology text, an interview with an FBI behavioral expert, and a specialist psychology volume — and weaves them into a coherent policy recommendation. Rather than summarizing each source separately, the author uses each to address a specific aspect of the proposed unit's design, showing how evidence-based reasoning can guide practical decision-making in a law enforcement context.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens by identifying a model, then systematically evaluates its strengths and weaknesses across six functional areas: contractor independence, experiential limitations, peer counseling, crisis services, community referrals, and personnel selection. Each section builds on the last, and the conclusion circles back to the opening recommendation with added justification specific to small departments. This problem-solution-qualification structure is well suited to policy and applied psychology writing at the undergraduate level.
Introduction: The Tucson Model as a Framework
When considering how to establish a Behavioral Science Unit (BSU) for a local sheriff's office, the most effective approach is to follow the Tucson Model used by the Tucson Police Department and described by Russell and Biegel (1990). According to these authors, the Tucson Police Department's behavioral psychologist was not a member of the force, but worked at the Southern Arizona Mental Health Center, which was a bureau of the State Department of Health Services. His services were outsourced by the state, and because he was not a direct member of the police department, he was able to remain objective.
Advantages of an Independent Contractor Psychologist
The Tucson Model offers definite advantages. First, as an independent contractor, the psychologist did not have to answer to anyone in the department — he was essentially autonomous. Therefore, the status of his job was not dependent on his evaluations. As Russell and Biegel (1990) explain, "Although he had to satisfy the chief of police, other command personnel, and the troops themselves, no one in the police department made up his efficiency report or in any way had a direct bearing on whether or not he kept his job. If the contract was not renewed, he was still a full-time employee of the state and would be assigned other duties" (p. 430). Another advantage for a sheriff's department considering this model is that it allows the department to try out different mental health professionals without committing to a long-term contract.
References
Kurke, M., & Scrivner, E. (1995). Police psychology in the 21st century. Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers.
Russell, H. E., & Biegel, A. (1990). Understanding human behavior for effective police work. Basic Books.
Staff. (2007). Inside the mind of the mindhunter: An interview with legendary FBI Agent John Douglas. Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association, 10, 8–15.
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