Research Paper on "Community Policing Is, in Essence, Collaboration"

Research Paper 5 pages (1615 words) Sources: 3

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Community policing is, in essence, collaboration between the police and the community that identifies and solves community problems (Monograph, 1994). The fact of the matter is that the spread of populations and communities across large territories makes it very difficult for the police authorities to have complete and thorough control over all the law and order conditions. This is where the community cooperation comes in as they act as the allies of the police authorities where the control of the police authorities seems to thin out. This cooperation helps in ensuring that quality and security of life in the neighborhood remains on par. This can have numerous effects on the community as well as the police responsibilities (Mastrofski et al., 1998).

"The expanded outlook on crime control and prevention, the new emphasis on making community members active participants in the process of problem solving, and the patrol officers' pivotal role in community policing require profound changes within the police organization" (Monograph, 1994). The creation of neighborhood patrol officers and police departments when supported by the local/national police will help the communities to deal with their crime rates and other problems a lot more efficiently and in a timely manner. This format also ensures that the resources of the communities are also properly utilized and exactly as the communities see fit. The biggest advantage of this form of community-police cooperation, or community-policing, is that the communities can actually have a major input in the framework used within the community as well as give advice on potential solutions, and assist in the execution and sustenance of these solutions. Of course, this relationship cannot last without both the involved parties having the patience, communication, consideration, cooperation, energy as well as the flexibility needed. The slightest bit of misunderstanding between the two parties could result in dire circumstances for both the community and the police department. Trust and confidence in each others' abilities is extremely essential for success (Mastrofski et al., 1998).

"Analyses of crime statistics show that the current emphasis on crime fighting has had a limited effect on reducing crime. In addition, the concept of centralized management of most police organizations has often served to isolate police from the communities they serve. This isolation hampers crime-fighting efforts. Statistics on unreported crime suggest that in many cases police are not aware of existing problems. Without strong ties to the community, police may not have access to pertinent information from citizens that could help solve or deter crime" (Monograph, 1994).

A relevant study corroborates this by asserting that "reinvigorating communities is essential if we are to deter crime and create more vital neighborhoods. In some communities, it will take time to break down barriers of apathy and mistrust so that meaningful partnerships can be forged. Trust is the value that underlies and links the components of community partnership and problem solving. A foundation of trust will allow police to form close relationships with the community that will produce solid achievements. Without trust between police and citizens, effective policing is impossible" (Monograph, 1994).

The concept of community policing has had a lot more popularity on recent years due to the vast extent of the populations as well as the need for more creative ways to establish and sustain control over extensive territories. Public safety has been a very important topic of discussion for most governments as the crime rates increase and the social structure of the communities grows more aware of their security rights (Lyons, 1999). "In addition, the social fabric of our country has changed radically. The family unit is not as stable as it once was. Single working parents find it extremely difficult to spend enough time with their children and churches and schools have been unable to fill this void. Immigrants, ethnic groups, and minorities, while adding to the diverse nature of American communities, often have different interests and pursue disparate goals. Governments at all levels are having increased difficulty balancing budgets, which frequently forces police departments to allocate dwindling resources to growing problems" (Monograph, 1994). The services provided by the police authorities, the chiefs, local sheriffs and officials are under constant evaluations and re-evaluations from inside agencies so that they can improve their overall performance in providing security, better quality of life as well as better communicative and creative solutions to various other community problems (Lyons, 1999).

"Community policing encompasses a variety of philosophical and practical approaches and is still evolving rapidly. Community policing strategies vary depending on the needs and responses of the communities involved; however, certain basic principles and considerations are common to all community policing efforts" (Monograph, 1994).

Even though there seems to be no real conceptual framework to define and design community policing strategies and policies, it is still being explored as one of the most useful solutions for the future of security. The philosophy of community policing will allow many researchers to really get creative and flexible with the possible solutions to address the various crime and disorder prevalent across communities today. In order to establish community policing into the community structures more effectively the Community Policing Consortium prepared a document titled "Understanding Community Policing." The primary aim of the document was not only to create awareness about the concept but also was the first step to structure, analyze, and monitor the vitals aspects necessary to understand and learn the community policing procedures. This document was also used as the backdrop to design the necessary experimentation and alteration techniques needed to make the community policing strategies and principles work more effectively in the long run (Mastrofski et al., 1998). "As the field of community policing develops, this document will be updated and revised to reflect the transformations taking place at the test sites in this collaboration between the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Community Policing Consortium, and the practitioner community" (Monograph, 1994).

The most important part is that the government agencies and local community managers and leaders are also stepping forward and realizing how effectual the community policing strategy can be in the long run, not only for the community but also for their own administration. Furthermore, the local authorities and government agencies are also recognizing their own responsibility to ensure the security of the communities they serve. There is a need for community policing under the assumption that only a unified effort against criminal efforts can help reduce the violent rates and percentages. There is recognition amongst the lay people that the disregard for law cannot and must not continue as it will not help any efforts to commit successful intervention strategies that involve the community and the lawful authorities (Monograph, 1994).

"Established and funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Community Policing Consortium includes representatives from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the National Sheriffs' Association, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), and the Police Foundation. BJA gave the Consortium the task of developing a conceptual framework for community policing and assisting agencies in implementing community policing. The process was designed to be a learning experience, allowing police, community members, and policymakers to assess the effectiveness of different implementation procedures and the impact of community policing on local levels of crime, violence, fear, and other public-safety problems. The development of this community policing framework presented policing organizations with an opportunity to contribute to the evolution and implementation of community policing. The sharing of successes, failures, and frustrations was and will continue to be an inherent part of this process" (Monograph, 1994).

Of course, many critics had focused on how the law enforcement departments need to step up and re-evaluate their principles and policies so that the implementation can improve. A lot of research conducted on the policing strategies done in the past also support a change… READ MORE

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