Introduction
There are various issues of conflict within the current criminal justice system in the country. However, the most pronounced one is the matter of law enforcement training which has remaining a big challenge within the criminal justice system. The police officers who are deployed in the various law enforcement agencies to work do not seem to have the necessary skills and knowledge required. Yet, training for the work of law enforcement is a quite important and critical need. It is vital to note that the police make up a quite crucial segment of the criminal justice system which cannot be ignored. Without the contribution of the law enforcement agencies, the criminal justice system cannot operate effectively. Therefore, this research focuses on the challenge of law enforcement training which is the basis for the conflicting issues experienced in the criminal justice system.
The Challenge in Law Enforcement Training
In the past, the overriding perception of people was that law enforcement job did not require any critical training before one starts to practice. In fact, many people continue to believe that the work of a law enforcement officer is simply operation of a gun and patrolling. Little do such people understand that there is much brain work and knowledge needed by an officer for him or her to effectively manage the job of law enforcement (Brogden & Nijhar, 2013). The challenge in training the police officers starts when the trainers have this belief. When the whole curriculum used to train the police officers is centered on the belief that no education is required by police officers rather physical tactics given to them, problems in the program begin.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
There are challenges in the current training of the police officers because it does not conform to the emerging trends within the field of criminal justice. The training given to the police officers does not take into account the emerging new areas of crime (Wilson, Wilson & Gwann, 2016). Understandably, criminal elements within the modern society are ever introducing new tactics and approaches to crime. It implies that the training given to the law enforcement agencies has to be holistic enough to account for such developments. This level of quality in the training given to the police officers has not been achieved yet.
Part of the work of the police officers is patrolling within the community. The patrol officers aim at ensuring criminals do not disturb the peace of the societal members. These officers have not started to receive specialized training that can enable them function effectively. Notably, the officers are also not in given effective training that can enable them deal with the various dynamics which play out within the community. Notably, for the criminal justice system to achieve its goals and function properly, the community must be involved. Community members can contribute significantly to the efficiency of the criminal justice system by offering evidence implicating criminals in courts, revealing the hideouts of criminal elements, sensitizing the police whenever there is any alarming development that borders crime and offering general support to the patrol officers (Ferguson, 2017). It is the role of the law enforcement officers to on-board the community members since there is always a silent rift between the police and the community members. Breaking the ice and atmosphere of mistrust as well as enmity which exists between the police and the common people requires skills on the part of the officers. It is only through skilful mingling with the members of the community that the police can get the contribution of the societal members in strengthening the criminal justice system.
Today, the big challenge is that most law enforcement officers are not trained and educated about the deep diversity which exists within the community. The training offered to the law enforcement officers today does not focus on the concepts of cross-cultural dynamics which really play out in communities (Oliver, 2006). Therefore, it is difficult for the modern police officer to tap into the informational resources existing within the community. The concentration of modern training is on the physical war tactics.
It is, thus, worthy to note that the challenge in law enforcement training today is the quality of lessons, knowledge and skills offered. In fact, most of the trainers involved in the training of law enforcement officers are not qualified experts (Stephens, 2011). This challenge arises because of the minimal monetary resources which forces the police administration to focus on cost-cutting by hiring unqualified trainers. The only qualification considered is the experience of the trainer in terms of the number of years spent while serving as a police officer.
It is also vital to touch on the issue of the government, which is part of the challenge that is affecting the training process of law enforcement officers. The government is not investing in the programs geared towards training law enforcement officers. This act shows the way the whole process of training law enforcement officers is largely trivialized by the institution which should own it fully. There has never been any sign that the government regards the training of law enforcement agencies seriously (Stone & Travis, 2013). Whereas much more resources and serious training goes on for the army officers who are deployed as soldiers to safeguard the country’s boundaries, little is directed towards the law enforcement agencies. As a result of the neglect given to law enforcement training by the government, the programs continue to churn out officers who cannot meet the complex demands of the criminal justice system. The continued training that is focused on physical fitness and use of arms leaves out the critical intellectual, psychological and technical education which is needed by officers to effectively operate within the modern criminal justice system.
Ways of Mitigating the Challenge
There must be a paradigm shift in the training model used for the law enforcement recruits who later serve in the criminal justice system. The focus now must be put on the quality of the training that is offered to the recruits. This training must be transformed so that it matches the demands of the field. Notably, long gone are days when physical fitness and use of arms were the main qualifications for effective serving in the police force (Oliver, 2006). Today, there is need of high intellectual capacity and technical knowledge for one to effective serve in the criminal justice system as a law enforcement officer. It implies that the training programs developed have to now include both practical and theoretical lessons for the recruits. The recruitment process must also focus on getting people with stable intellectual capacity (Swanson, Territo & Taylor, 2016). The trend that has for long ruled the entire criminal justice field has been recruitment of officers who failed in their primary and secondary education hence cannot make it to tertiary and university institutions (Brogden & Nijhar, 2013). Believably, this approach is a perverted one that must end if the challenge of poor quality in the training of police officers is to be surmounted.
To further mitigate this issue of poor quality in the training of the law enforcement officers, the Federal Government must now increase its financial allocation to the exercise yearly. The problem of the administration of police training is budgetary constraints which forces the leaders in the law enforcement agencies to go for non-experts as trainers (Weitzer, 2002). This challenge can be overcome if the government starts to invest more resources in training of the law enforcement officers. Understandably, the law enforcement agencies, especially those that are actively involved in the criminal justice system need to well-trained and there are huge benefits to the government if this achievement is made.
The need for proper training of police officers is anchored in the laws and ordinances of this country. These same laws offer the required standards for appointment and promotion within the police service. It is important that the dictates of such laws be followed strictly when dealing with the training of the law enforcement officers. Notably, these laws and ordinances related to the development of police officers as a human resource require continuous capacity development through trainings and workshops (Matthies, Keller & Lim, 2012). The government and the police service must practice this demand by ensuring even those who are already serving in the police force are subjected to continuous training in course of their work life. It is a practice which ensures that all law enforcement officers are kept updated with the new criminal tactics and ways of dealing with them. It is vital to always note that crime is always a field undergoing high rate evolution.
Conclusion
The conflicting issues experienced in the criminal justice system today result from the poor quality of training which is accorded to the law enforcement officers. Training is a critical part of any successful career as a law enforcement officer. It is important that the government invests more resources in the training of the law enforcement officers so that they can effectively deal with emerging trends within the criminal justice system. The kind of crime experienced in the past may not be the same that people meet today. Therefore, keeping vigil of these trends and ensuring there are well-trained officers is the way to go.
References
Brogden, M., & Nijhar, P. (2013). Community policing . London: Routledge.
Ferguson, A. G. (2017). The Rise of Big Data Policing: Surveillance, Race, and the Future of Law Enforcement . NYU Press.
Klockars, C. B., Ivkovic, S. K., & Haberfeld, M. R. (2003). The contours of police integrity . Washington, D.C. : Sage Publications.
Koper, C. S. (2004). Hiring and keeping police officers . US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice.
Matthies, C. F., Keller, K. M., & Lim, N. (2012). Identifying barriers to diversity in law enforcement agencies . Santa Monica, California : Rand Corporation.
Miller, L. (2006). Undercover policing: A psychological and operational guide. Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology , 21 (2), 1-24.
Oliver, W. M. (2006). The fourth era of policing: Homeland security. International Review of Law Computers & Technology , 20 (1-2), 49-62.
Stephens, D. W. (2011). Police discipline: A case for change . Harvard Kennedy School Program in Criminal Justice Policy and Management.
Stone, C., & Travis, J. (2013). Toward a new professionalism in policing. JIJIS , 13 , 11.
Swanson, C. R., Territo, L., & Taylor, R. W. (2016). Police administration: Structures, processes, and behavior . Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Weitzer, R. (2002). Incidents of police misconduct and public opinion. Journal of criminal justice , 30 (5), 397-408.
Wilson, C. P., Wilson, S. A., & Gwann, M. (2016). Identifying barriers to diversity in law enforcement agencies. Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice , 14 (4), 231-253.
