Essay on "Public Service the Modernisation of Public Services"

Essay 8 pages (2882 words) Sources: 3 Style: Harvard

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Public Service

The modernisation of public services is taking place in response to the government's agendas

The issue and need for modernization and reform in the public service seems at first to be self- explanatory. It is generally accepted that all public services departments should be continually upgraded and improved as a matter of course and to maintain standards and meet requirements. However, the situation is more complex and intricate than it may appear and the idea of reform and modernization has to be considered in relation to other factors and aspects that necessitate this reform in the first place; and which are responsible for shaping the governmental agenda behind reform initiatives.

A good example of one of these factors is that a central concept that has to be considered in terms of public service modernization is the fact that we live in a rapidly evolving and changing world. The rate of change in our modern society is being fueled by new and increasingly sophisticated technologies, such as innovative forms of communication and the Internet. These changes bring about new challenges as well as problems that need to be dealt with by the public services. Therefore, in this light, the concept of modernization is an aspect that has to be continually addressed in order to deal with new areas of concern.

A central area of concern in our changing world is crime and modern public security considerations. In this regard the public service that stands at the forefront of issues such as crime and security are the police services. As will be discussed in this paper, there are a wide range of threats to public safety and security that have been created by our technological age and the environment in which we live. Coupled with this are the changing perceptions and expectations of the modern-day police service. This is an especially complex issue as the modern police service needs to reshape its image to meet modern requirements and to distance itself from more conservative views and perceptions of its functioning in order to meet the requirements of a contemporary society threatened by new forms of crime and criminal activity.

As the following analysis of various reports and studies will outline, one of the central aspects of public service modernization is that there is a need for greater interaction and understanding between the police services and the public. This is just one of the many considerations that fall under the heading of modernization in the police services and is a prime aspect that forms part of the government agenda on reform.

There are also many reports which attest to the fact that public services, including the police services, have improved dramatically. There have already been many major reforms in all sectors of the public services. While there is a drive to make our public services "world class" what many observes and pundits point out is that this can only be achieved when the idea of modernization is matched to the contemporary needs and demands of the society.

2. Modernization of the police services

2.1. Challenges and governmental agendas

The need for modernization in the public services and police services in particular is highlighted and emphasized by numerous documents, papers and reports that tend to stress the need for reform. This reaction to what are perceived to be the new challenges facing the public services are included in government policy documents and special mention is made of the police services. As one report notes:

As globalisation and the advances of technology revolutionise the lives of the law-abiding majority, new opportunities open up for opportunistic and determined criminals alike. Organised crime across international borders, e-crime and the threat from international terrorism continue to grow."

(FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD TO THE NATIONAL: POLICING OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER)

There are references to aspects such as the increasing threat posed to safety by the abuse of drugs and alcohol, which have become one of the main causes of crime. (FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD TO THE NATIONAL: POLICING OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER) There is also an increasing problem in society with re-offenders and those who return to criminal activities even after incarceration.

The battle against crime has also become more complex and technological - which in turn means that the police services have to be modernized to cope with these new threats. This has also placed a new emphasis on the area of specialization in the police force and there is a growling need for specialists in areas such as crime analysis and in computer fraud.

These are all aspects that have to be taken into consideration with regard to the envisaged changes in policies in the process of modernization. Another fact that is noted is the increasing Importance of including other partners in the fight against crime, such as big business, that should be coordinated with and incorporated into a more extensive and integrated set of governmental policy statements.

These are some of the aspects that have been a driving force behind governmental changes in policy, and are seen as motivating factors behind reform and modernization. Another factor that is included in plans for reform and modernization is the attention that is being given to more democratic mechanisms for involvement and participation in the police services from all sectors of the community. These factors are all aspects that set the agenda for governmental reform in the police services.

2. 2. Aspects of Modernization in the police force

The Green Paper From the neighbourhood to the national: policing our communities together by the Secretary of State for the Home Department also provides some important point's with regard to the issue of modernization and the reform process. One of the cardinal issues is that it "…sets out a new vision for a 21st century police service that gives the police greater power and sets out a clear deal for what the public can expect from the police." (FROM THE NEIGHBOURHOOD TO THE NATIONAL: POLICING OUR COMMUNITIES TOGETHER) This is an important point as it refers to the increased powers for the police services; which is a matter of contention and possible criticism that will be addressed in the last section of this paper.

This Green Paper also calls for "…greater freedom and flexibility" in the police service in order to deal more effectively with the new issues and problems that face this service. Importantly, it also refers to the other side of the Issue and to what the public expects of the police and the kind of services they want to receive. This leads to a number of important modernization issues as there is also a need for the modernization of the police force to take place in a way that is perceived by the public as being positive and not restrictive or overbearing in any way. Therefore the agenda towards modernization includes as a central aspect the need for a more open and integrated relationship with the public.

At the heart of this relationship is the importance of empowering citizens through an enhanced role for the public's voice in policing; driving professionalism in the service through greater freedom and discretion for all police forces to deliver increased public confidence; and ensuring a more strategic role for government.

(From the neighbourhood to the national: policing our communities together)

There are a number of documents that also stress this central aspect of the modernization agenda. For instance, the view that a new Policing Pledge should be implemented, which would embed "…neighbourhood policing into the broader management of local neighbourhoods; and through being able directly to elect the individuals that will both Chair their local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) and form the majority on their police authority." (From the neighbourhood to the national: policing our communities together) This is also related to the important aspect of increasing democratization and improving the image of the police force.

We will strengthen the democratic link between the public and the people who hold the police to account. We will introduce local directly elected Crime and Policing Representatives who will be responsible for ensuring that the police are tackling the priorities that concern us most."

(From the neighbourhood to the national: policing our communities together)

Another document entitled, Excellence and fairness: Achieving world class public services reiterates this aspect of the agenda and states that public services should be tailored to meet the personalized requirements of the citizens of the country and that, " No centrally driven or centrally accountable system can operate in this fine-grained way when confronted with literally millions of different public service users." (Excellence and fairness: Achieving world class public services) Central to the modernization agenda is the focus on the 'local dimension' and the way that government plans and policies should interface with the success already achieved with neighbourhood policing. It is suggest that this should even extend to "… allowing the public to elect a majority of their members directly from their communities. (From the neighbourhood to the national: policing… READ MORE

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