Police and Community Relations. Essay Example

For a particular law to be adequately enforced, there has to be a good relationship between the police and the community. Every specific human being has an origin from a particular community. However, the society today, the police have had a lot of bad relations with the community. In due course, it became difficult for the government to implement its policies. The cops, on the other hand, sacrifice their lives to protect the citizen. Communities, rarely recognize this effort whereby they opt to think most of the actions by the police is inhuman. As a result, some incidents which can be prevented by the communities are left to happen.

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A functional relation between the police and community on the same note promotes a trust from the people. For instance, when there is a crime which has been committed in a given place, the police rely on information from the public. The information which is provided determines the type of judgment which will be offered by the police. In a case where the community does not feel okay with the police, they will tend to hide some critical information. A reason to this can be fear of victimization or prior knowledge of unfair judgment. A negative perception by the community members to the police comes due to previous actions. Governance is also outlined by effectiveness in the policing.

Measures taken by the police officers to the people in a community is perceived in a way to be victimization. A significant factor which has catalyzed the poor relations between the police officers and the public comes about from the pol political side (Jonathan, 2016). Politics entails governance and implementation of policies. For a system to be equitably put into use, there has been legal measures put in place. The police will be in charge of reinforcing these laws which have been formulated. Nevertheless, a state has to have a good relationship with its citizen for its success to be recognized. Some exceptions from the community are hard to be tolerated by the law enforcers.

Community Policing.

Community policing was formulated to make a good foundation and to properly partner with the police and the community. In this case, however, they are responsible for ensuring that a given region is safe and secure. When a crime takes place, the government represented by the police will work for hand in hand with the community policing to ensure all is put in order. A good example where this idea was implemented was Ethiopia. After its establishment, the incidents of insecurity reduced but not that much. The community policing act was challenging to achieve in urban areas compared to the rural. In a region where there is much insecurity, community members find it hard to efficiently practice their social, economic, cultural and political affairs.

Where the idea of community policing has been implemented, the people take more charge in their security affairs. In instances where it is extreme, they now involve the police. It improves the relationship between the police and the community where they rarely get an opportunity to have a conflict. Countries which have also considered the city policing include, Canada, Singapore, Israel, and Sweden. Similarly, the mutual relation brought by the community policing has helped to curb societal disorders. In 1984 the Office of Justice Programs was established to involve the city in the arising incidents actively. (Mulugeta, 2017)

Avoiding violence between police and Citizens.

In the US, the establishment of Community Relation Service had a goal to improve the mode in which societal issues were to be solved. It was noted that there were many cases reported which included racial discrimination, community crimes, and conflicts. In its role, it could solve a problem by being reasonable and help in a diplomatic set of way. Similarly, they were taught some techniques in addressing the community problems by mediation, arbitration or even reconciliation. Through this, the community members could be satisfied with how they have been assisted. A caution which they had to imply when at work was that they never take sides when an incident occurs.

CRS had another interest in addressing any issue which affects the police and the citizens. They outlined that when a policy is formulated, it must be adopted in a proper and better way rather than using excess force. Also, they took charge in the recruitment of police. They suggested that the kind of people who were to be employed must have a good record of ethics. In due course, there were many reforms established to address the emerging contemporary issues. The service went further to educate the community members and relevant stakeholders to enable effectiveness in their proposals.

Policing Strategies in a Diverse Society

In this concept, they argue that most of the state addressed problems are brought in through the form of violence experienced by the police and general public. Responsible agencies must consider building a proper relationship before they handle the issues in a community. Through this, they can curb and ease their course of work. Before the police go to the ground, they have to understand the map and geographical factors in a given place. In all the operations, they must utilize the technological equipment to upgrade their services. Considerably, they must have in mind that even though they apply the technology, it does not at any cost improve the relationship with the community. Police must ensure that there is respect in the way they conduct an investigation. Abusing a citizen's right brings all these conflicts. (Debra, 2016)

Policing Strategies in a Diverse Society

In this article, the writer states that there has been an insufficient relationship between the police and community members. Police officers do not have in mind that the people in society play a significant role and eases their work. Community members can give the police an insight of a given disorder that they did not opt to think about. Nevertheless, they also propose the same idea of community policing where they establish the Community Orientation Policing. Precisely-y, it puts the government officers and the people at an equal rank. At around 2003, the government of US had reached the implementation of the policing up to a percentage of 59. The practice has been digitalized where the citizens can readily interact with the police and provide solutions in their absence. (Pomrenke, 1966).

Police and Citizens' Perceptions of Community Policing in Richmond, Virginia

In Virginia, the people also welcomed the community policing. It considered how the police themselves and people worked in harmony to make all their strategies a success. As a result, the trust of the citizens to the police increased. Social challenges in Virginia, for example, has inline been curbed. When all the three parties work and account for every incident that takes places, all that results is termed as a success. The mode in which the community members perceive the police has improved day by day. It has been noted that even the people in a set of society do not feel comfortable intruding their neighbors' issues. There is a literature gap which in Virginia which the task force has in line to fill. (Farmer, 1976)

Community relations in Los Angels.

In Los Angeles, there was a community Relationship Division which was formulated which were to oversee the police modes of governance (Mayhall, 1979). It was an effect after the riots which took place at Watts at around 1965. After the weak relationship which came out from all these, the CRD was forced to build up the trust between the community and the Police. The officials who formed this organization prioritized the first relation which was needed from the police. For all the policies to be effective, the community was recommended to have a common understanding and accept why some things had to take place. To begin, the cities which felt disintegrated because of their population were to be given the sense of belonging.

Chief Charlie Beck had a goal of creating a better and change the mindset of the community members. It began by sitting and discussing with a few leaders and get what exactly was the start. Nevertheless, the stakeholders were responsible to later engage the people in the community. In this mission, they were to inform the people of what they intended to do to make them understand better. After a standard understanding, the society members would readily and freely engage the officials. Building a relationship with creating a bond where policies will be efficiently coordinated. In case the CRD will pass information it will be received with positivity.

The two departments' need each other and work in harmony to make a success of their goals. For example, the community members depend on the police to get security. Similarly, the police require the public's information to reach their investigations and get amicable community solutions. In cases where there are conflicts in a community, the police come through to weigh and see who is in the wrong. In cases where the police use force in solving some of the issues, the general public keeps away. For instance, in the US the people protested against police legitimacy in 2013. The community stakeholders argued that the police were the first to have gross misconducts which should not be the case. It needed the intervention of organizations like the Police Executive Research Forum to improve the relationship.

To improve the relationship between the police and the public, they should discuss what inline affects the community members. Through this, it can upgrade and make the community members feel free with the police. When one officer makes a mistake, all the people perceive that all the officers are the same. In instances where the cops apply more force, the public feel intimidated. People from the weak economic background are not always given priorities or heard when there is a conflict. Some police officers take a bribe to act with haste when an issue is brought before them. In a situation where one is not able to meet there wants or needs, they opt not to hear them

Racial disparities add up to the controversies between these two group of the individuals. In instances where the police officers come from different ethnic backgrounds, the judgment if not fair they tend to think of their race. For example, if a black is judged unfairly or is not treated well, he perceives it was because of the origin. Due to this, a lousy relation erupts between the two groups. When the police officers are investigating solving a problem they need to be transparent. When an incident occurs, everything done should be present openly to make the public aware. A report should be published by the police to show the stages of progress or efforts incurred. Transparency will make the society to be satisfied, and when something similar happens, they will have the police as their first option.

Nevertheless, there is a need for police to partner with the residents in putting law measures. When posted in a workplace, police should take time and understand the type of individuals who are found there. A shared understanding will guide the police to specific locations and what exactly makes a place. Some of the community's economic and social operation (Mayhall, 1979). During this survey, they should readily interact with the community members. As a result, they create a bond which will last. It will be easy for the people to report in an instance where a problem erupts. Precisely, there will be a notion which will be built that the police are responsible for giving amicable solutions. In areas with a high number of crime rates, police should, in turn, be more and friendly. A generalization judgment will with less help. For examp...