Communication in Law enforcement is an important skill as it facilitates the accomplishment of personnel objectives such as criminal investigations, building community trust, or de-escalating situations (McMains, 2014). Modern society has necessitated the need for communication skills in law enforcement agencies. The officers utilize both verbal and non-verbal communication skills when addressing different situations (McMains, 2014). It is important to note that America is among the most diverse countries in the world, and the need to value the different cultures and ethnicities is vital for maintaining law and order.
Verbal communication is used in various situations, such as de-escalating situations or collecting information from community members during investigation. The varying duties of law officers require various skills in developing trust and gaining useful information. For example, the role of the police is to ensure order by intervening in social disputes. The police also use verbal communication when dispersing rioters in disorderly protests.
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Non-verbal communication, on the other hand, is mostly used in tactical situations or integrations where they read the suspect’s body language. According to McMains (2014), the police also use body language to attain useful information. The author further states that nonverbal communication defines the basis of police communication. Empathy is defined by Jurin et al. (2010) as a component of emotional intelligence expressed using body language. Such expressions play a critical role in collecting information.
Overall, the audience for verbal communication is mostly community members, as law enforcement agencies work in developing trust (Jurin et al., 2010). Non-verbal communication is usually expressed during interrogations as it can be used to attain a confession or useful information for solving crimes (McMains, 2014). However, non-verbal communication is highly dependent on the personal mindset. By limiting distractions, it may negate concerns of personal emotions (Jurin et al., 2010). Overall, the actions of the body have more information compared to the words articulated.
References
Jurin, R., Danter, J., & Roush, D. (2010). Environmental communication (2nd ed.). Springer.
McMains, M. (2014). Crisis Negotiations (5th ed.). Taylor and Francis.
