Community Oriented Policing

Introduction

Community policing is a strategy of policing that emphasizes the need for police officers to build ties and work closely with members of communities. It is a policy that requires officers to adopt a proactive approach to deal with public safety concerns. In the United States, the government promotes community policing through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), which is a department within the Justice Department (Williams, White, Teece, & Kitto, 2012). Overall, community policing is believed to have a positive impact on a government’s quest to ensure a safe society. Both community members and officers attest to its effectiveness in raising the sense of security and reducing crime in a community. Generally, community policing supports the idea of full service tailored policing, where the same patrol officers work in the same location on a permanent basis, from a decentralized area, and work proactively in partnership with members of the society to identify issues and solve them (Wilson, 2010).

This paper seeks to establish the relationship or correlation between community policing and crime, the importance of positive police contact, and shortage of budget to fund programs.

Literature Review

According to Docobo (2006), community policing establishes partnerships between law enforcement agencies and other organizations such as government agencies, non-profit making organizations, community members, the media, and private businesses. The media represents a powerful pattern through which police officers communicate or keep in touch with the community. Community-oriented policing recognizes that officers cannot solve every public issue or problem alone. As such, interactive partnerships are created to enable the policing process and ensuring a safe society (Wisler & Onwudiwe, 2009). In essence, law enforcement agencies utilize the public to develop informed problem-solving solutions. The modern community-oriented policing practices emphasize changing the role played by law enforcement from a static, responsive, incident-driven bureaucracy to a more active, open, quality-oriented corporation with the community. The philosophy maintains that police officers should work closely with community agencies and local citizens when designing and implementing diverse problem-solving measures and prevention strategies. Members of community are believed to have the information required by officers to come up with effective prevention strategies. In the same way, the police is in a better position to determine social issues or challenges facing a particular community. With this being the case, the issue of some challenges being ignored by law enforcement agencies is mitigated (Ejiogu, 2011).

Ejiogu (2011) argues that community policing philosophy promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of problem-solving and partnership techniques, to address the immediate conditions giving rise to public safety issues, including crime, fear of crime, and social disorder. The thinking is often misunderstood as a program or program such as foot patrols, police substations, and bike patrols. These programs can be incorporated as part of broader community policing plan, but they are not community policing as the philosophy informs all aspects of police businesses and activities (Morash & Ford, 2012). Community policing emphasizes the modification of organizational structures with an aim of institutionalizing its adoption. Normally, agencies should be aligned in such a way to support proactive problem solving and partnerships in areas such as hiring, training, reward, and authority deployment, structures, and technology. Problem-solving is infused in all police operations to guide decision-making efforts. Agents and officers are encouraged to think innovatively or outside the box about their responses. Making an arrest should only be viewed as only one of the diverse array of potential responses. This widens their options and hence improve their ability to come up with workable solutions to security issues the society may be facing (Kappeler & Gaines, 2015).

It is clear from research that community policing has a direct relationship with crime and crime rates. Coleman and Foley (2013) argue that the philosophy or practice, if applied or implemented in the right manner, enables law enforcement agencies to reduce crime rates. Traditional policing practices such as responding to a crime after it has occurred have been deemed ineffective in ensuring a safer society. Community policing encourages agencies to develop solutions to the immediate underlying conditions that are likely to contribute to public safety problems. As opposed to addressing root causes, officers and their partners should focus their efforts on factors that are within reach, for example, limiting criminal access to victims and opportunities, associating risk with unwanted behavior, and increasing guardianship (Lyons, 2010). This way, law enforcement agencies ensure that crimes do not occur as individuals may not be motivated to engage in the same. The absence of crime opportunities makes it hard for one to engage in the vice and the risk of being caught is high. Criminals also require victims to realize their goals and objectives. Removing access to victims renders the vice unattractive hence a safer society. Agencies find it easy to achieve the same goal when working closely with other players in the community (Thurman & McGarrell, 2013).

The main objective behind traditional policing is to guarantee the protection of law abiding citizens from criminals. This has for many years been achieved through the identification and apprehension of criminals while collecting enough evidence to convict them. Offices focus on their duty to respond to incidents and accident in a swift manner, and clear emergency goals. Many police officers working busy shifts struggle to achieve the goal of protecting citizens. Most of them only have enough time to deal with emergency calls. According to research, this approach has failed to reduce crime and is considered a temporary fix to chronic issues and problems (Brown, 2012). Quite the reverse, community policing’s main objective is to aid the public in creating and maintaining a secure, orderly social environment. Apprehending criminals is one of the community-oriented policing goals, but not the most important. The philosophy is concerned with solving crimes that the community may be concerned about, as well as solving concerns through working with and enlisting the community support (Docobo, 2006).  Most effective solutions include, among others, coordinating police, citizens, local businesses, and government resources to deal with the problems negatively impacting the community. Law enforcement agencies engage the community using different strategies including the use of polls or surveys, call-in programs, meeting with interest groups, and town meetings. Connections are used to understand what the community expects from the police officers and what the community may be willing to do to address the crime problem (Nalla & Newman, 2013).

Community policing recognizes the fact that fear of crime and social disorder are essential issues that must be addressed by police officers. Both have been proved to be a major contributors to crime and hence affect the quality of life in a particular society. Community policing aids in handling this problem as it emphasizes the importance of agencies and the communities developing a shared understanding of their main goals and objectives. In essence, the public should be involved in the process of shaping the role of police officers as well as the prioritization of public safety issues (Ulincy, 2013). Implementing public policing strategies is one thing and ensuring they are working as expected is another. The public must understand what the police intends to achieve through the program and how they stand to benefit from the same. This helps in dealing with any form of resistance or lack of support from different stakeholders that form the partnership (Morash & Ford, 2012). When the public is too involved with policing, it is less likely to engage in crime as it will fear the consequences. Both officers and the community remain committed to the same goals and objectives. As a consequence, the risk of a member of the community acting in manner contrary to the rules of the land is minimized (Thacher, 2011).

The community-oriented policing philosophy takes many forms depending on the goal or objective the law enforcement agencies may be interested in achieving. For example, it can take the form of police officers, through a particular program or department relying on the community-based crime prevention strategies such as utilizing civilian training, neighborhood watch, and other techniques, as opposed to depend solely one police patrols to ensure a safe society (Linda S Miller, Hess, & Orthmann, 2013). There are societies experiencing security issues, not because they lack enough police officers but because the government fails in educating its people on matters linked with crime and the role they can play in reducing similar cases. Restructuring of patrol can also help in achieving community policing initiatives. Traditional techniques are used in the place of traditional patrol practices that have been proved to be ineffective (Lyons, 2010). Increasing police officers’ accountability when dealing with civilians is also a strategy used to strengthen community policing. Officers must appreciate the fact that their role is ensuring the safety of citizens. This will enhance creativity and willingness to involve the same citizens in the achieving a peaceful society. Decentralizing the police authority is equally significant as it allows more discretion among low ranking officers and as such, more initiative is expected from them (Linda S Miller, Hess, & Orthmann, 2013).

Positive police contact is essential in ensuring an effective community policing program or initiative. The way police behave or deal with the members of the public impacts citizen’s willingness to engage in the policing process. Officers that establish good relationship with the public are in a better position to establish meaningful relationships. Police officers have the tendency to create enmity with the public considering the way they handle suspects or carryout searches whenever this is warranted (Wilson, 2010). Some mishandle the public to the extent that citizens develop a negative attitude towards officers and their work. In this case, it becomes hard for community policing programs to thrive. On the other hand, good police contact create a friendly environment where the public is willing to play its part to ensure their safety. It is upon police officers to ensure the public trust their activities and sees their importance (Wisler & Onwudiwe, 2009). A police officer who treats other people with respect and only uses forces when the situation necessitates the same is in a better position to collect information from the public by encouraging people to share any information they may have important to guaranteeing safety. In general, police officers often fail to benefit from public policing as they treat the public as their number one enemy (Wilson, 2010).

Community policing, just like any other initiative that seeks to ensure community safety faces a number of challenges. For one, the issue of shortage of budget to fund programs. Clearly, community policing covers diverse areas in the law enforcement agency. It necessitates the community, non-profit making organizations, and business working closely and proactively with the police to create a safe society (Brown, 2012). Communication must be carried out on a regular basis. Funding these process and activities can a problem especially for a country struggling with economic downturn. This explains why some law enforcement agencies choose to work collaboratively with the community and ignore other stakeholders integral to the success of the process. The issue of resistance from some members of the policing fraternity is also evident in many countries across the globe. Law enforcement agencies have for many years been managed with high levels of bureaucracies (Williams, White, Teece, & Kitto, 2012). Some individuals are accustomed to this culture to the extent that they are unwilling to embrace more open and collaborative approaches to policing. There are polices bosses that may seem to support similar initiatives only to behave in ways contrary to what is expected to them. It is important for leaders among law enforcement agencies to come up with strategies to motivate everyone to support the initiatives (Williams, White, Teece, & Kitto, 2012).

It is evident from the above discussion that community policing helps in dealing with crime. Specifically, research has shown that such an approach to policing helps in dealing with safety issues before they even arise. An emphasis is placed on prevention as opposed to waiting until an issue arise before the officers can respond to the same. Quick response to a crime can save lives and property worth billions of dollars. On the other hand, preventing the crime altogether eliminates the risk of life or property loss to the minimal. The community, businesses, non-governmental organization, and the police work collaboratively to identify areas of weaknesses and some of the factors that are likely to contribute to high crime. Issues raised as a result of the collaboration are then handled in advance and hence ensuring a safer society. There are also issues that are linked with the successful implementation of community policing. Handling these issues and eliminating risks associated with the same helps in ensuring successful implementation.

Conclusion

Community policing in a philosophy that ensures the involvement of the members of the community, businesses, government agencies, and non-profit making organizations in the policing process. The society is involved to ensure the police officers find it easy to address security issues facing the society. The public provides information and an environment required for officers to achieve their goals and objectives. Police contact impact individuals’ willingness to help in dealing with crime. Positive behavior facilitates the process. Lack of funds is one of the challenges associated with the implementation of community policing. Generally, community policing is integral to solving security issues currently facing the world.

References

Brown, L. P. (2012). Policing in the 21st Century: Community Policing. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse.

Coleman, T., & Foley, J. (2013). It Is Time for Real Change: In Search of a Compensation Strategy for Community Policing. Canadian Journal of Police and Security Services, 1(1), 1028-1056.

Docobo, J. (2006). Community Policing as the Primary Prevention Strategy for Homeland Security at the Local Law Enforcement Level. Homeland Security Affairs, 1(1), 902-938.

Ejiogu, K. U. (2011). Community Policing: International Patterns and Comparative Perspectives. African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies: AJCJS, 4(1), 158-186.

Kappeler, V. E., & Gaines, L. K. (2015). Community Policing: A Contemporary Perspective. New York, NY: Routledge.

Linda S Miller, Hess, K. M., & Orthmann, C. (2013). Community Policing: Partnerships for Problem Solving. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Lyons, W. (2010). The politics of community policing: rearranging the power to punish. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Morash, M., & Ford, J. K. (2012). The move to community policing : making change happen. Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Publications.

Nalla, M. K., & Newman, G. R. (2013). Community Policing in Indigenous Communities. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Thacher, D. (2011). Equity and Community Policing: A New View of Community Partnerships. Criminal Justice Ethics, 20(1), 687-706.

Thurman, Q., & McGarrell, E. F. (2013). Community Policing in a Rural Setting. New York, NY: Routledge.

Ulincy, L. D. (2013). Understanding community policy : a framework for action. Collingdale, PA: Diane Pub Co.

Williams, P., White, P., Teece, M., & Kitto, R. (2012). Problem-Oriented Policing: Operation Mantle-A Case Study. Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, 45(6), 1369-1385.

Wilson, J. M. (2010). Community Policing in America. Mason, OH: Taylor & Francis.

Wisler, D., & Onwudiwe, I. D. (2009). Community Policing: International Patterns and Comparative Perspectives. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.