The public image of the law enforcement profession is under intense scrutiny due to the nature and impact of their services. In an effort to counter criminal activities and maintain safe and healthy communities, law enforcement should ensure that they work effectively with diverse populations. The complex and dynamic workplace means that modern officers need to have greater tactical expertise and more expertise and skills than the basic technical know-how. The essential competencies can function as an approach to deal with challenging situations. Various competencies can be drawn from one’s education, work, or community experiences. The specific competencies that include analytical thinking, self-confidence, communication skills, flexibility/valuing diversity, self-control, relationship-building, achievement orientation, and medical/physical skills are analyzed as follows.
Analytical Thinking
Analytical thinking is based on the ability to analyze situations logically and to organize parts of a problem systematically. Law enforcement agents like police officers are required to have strong analytical skills to evaluate situations and arrest the offenders. Police officers may have little time to react in case of an incident and must use the best judgment. Analytical thinking is also critical in risk assessment. Police officers may be required to analyze a problem and determine whether they need backup, should contact emergency medical services, or should find help from firefighters (Rajakaruna et al., 2017). One may be required to respond correctly to help victims escape, securing areas, and assessing injuries to help victims. Analytical skills are necessary to know the specific actions to be taken to solve a problem and realize the best results.
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Self-Confidence
Self-confidence will become important when believing in oneself by recognizing personal limitations and development needs. The education process in law enforcement can provide one with a greater understanding of oneself where one has the ability to realize their specific strengths and weaknesses. One can gain self-confidence by learning to deal with various situations positively. Believing in one’s strengths is critical in managing the stress and pressure associated with policing. Facing a challenging real-world scenario with criminal suspects and victims may require a greater degree of self-confidence to approach the situation. Confidence will enable one to show authority in a specific situation and thus gain proper control of the situation (Gau & Paoline, 2021). Self-confidence can also entail recognizing one’s limitations, and it enables one to deal with a specific situation effectively. Understanding one’s weaknesses, like the inability to have patience, can help one to manage a specific situation better. It can enable one to prevent someone from reacting angrily and thus solve a situation correctly.
Communication Skills
Having strong listening, verbal, and written communication skills is critical when communicating with different people like other officers, subordinates, community members, victims, and other departments. Written communication skills will be critical when writing reports and statements about a situation or dealing with the court systems and legal proceedings. Police officers are expected to encounter conflict situations on a daily basis, and verbal skills are critical when dealing with such conflict (Rosenbaum & Lawrence, 2017). They need to effectively listen and understand proper verbal communication skills to avoid any possible misunderstandings.
Flexibility/Valuing Diversity
The current population has become increasingly diverse, and the modern police officer is required to deal with different diversity issues. One should adapt to situations effectively have flexibility in understanding people from different backgrounds, cultures, and socio-economic situations. Flexibility should begin by understanding one’s stereotypes about a specific population or group. One should then learn to communicate with diverse populations ranging from criminal suspects, witnesses, victims, community members, and other social service members. Some individuals may also have certain problems with poverty, mental illness, addiction, and trauma. Valuing diversity and showing flexibility will enable better police-community relations (Todak et al., 2018). Showing respect to other individuals that may have different backgrounds and beliefs will build understanding and respect.
Self-control
Self-control is critical when one is provoked and working in stressful situations. Officers that have high levels of control are less likely to use deadly force when arresting suspecting and in a shooting incident (Donner et al., 2017). Showing self-control means that one is less likely to show behavior that is an outlet for their frustration. Officers should thus strive not to be easily provoked, impulsive, or short-centered. Self-control will involve managing one’s emotions effectively, and it can facilitate making better decisions and upholding proper behavior.
Relationship Building
Building relationships and networks both inside and outside the police service can help one to improve their policing and interaction with other members of the community. A significant part of policing is performed in the field, where one is expected to interact with different individuals. Establishing proper relationships with the community can help bridge the gap in the current difficult police-community relations (Glowatski et al., 2017). Building relationships inside the police service can take place by joining professional associations at the national, statewide, or regional level. The associations provide multiple opportunities for networking and mentoring. One can meet other professionals and expand their reach.
Achievement Orientation
The nature of challenges that police officers face changes over time due to the changes in the population and improvement in technology. Having a desire for continuous improvement in service or accomplishments will enable one to constantly improve their skills and abilities. Gaining additional education and training can also improve the level of one’s professionalism. The digital landscape is ever-changing, and police officers should be ready to adapt to new technologies easily and readily. The desire for continuous improvement will enable one to utilize such technologies easily.
Medical/physical Skills and Abilities
Medical and physical skills and abilities will be critical when handling challenging situations in the field. An officer that has physical strength can deal with work-related situations that may involve using physical force. Physical strength can also be applied when dealing with stressful work situations where one is required to work for longer hours in case of an emergency. One should also have proper vision and hearing skills that can help one easily detect an emergency situation like someone crying for help. Physical fitness is also a measure of the overall health and wellness of the police officer and can be used to show that they have the right mental strength.
References
Donner, C. M., Maskaly, J., Piquero, A. R., & Jennings, W. G. (2017). Quick on the draw: Assessing the relationship between low self-control and officer-involved police shootings. Police Quarterly , 20 (2), 213-234.
Gau, J. M., & Paoline III, E. A. (2021). Police officers’ self-assessed legitimacy: A theoretical extension and empirical test. Justice Quarterly , 38 (2), 276-300.
Glowatski, K., Jones, N. A., & Nicholas Carleton, R. (2017). Bridging police and communities through relationship: the importance of a theoretical foundation for restorative policing. Restorative Justice , 5 (2), 267-292.
Rajakaruna, N., Henry, P. J., Cutler, A., & Fairman, G. (2017). Ensuring the validity of police use of force training. Police Practice and Research , 18 (5), 507-521.
Rosenbaum, D. P., & Lawrence, D. S. (2017). Teaching procedural justice and communication skills during police-community encounters: Results of a randomized control trial with police recruits. Journal of Experimental Criminology , 13 (3), 293-319.
Todak, N., Huff, J., & James, L. (2018). Investigating perceptions of race and ethnic diversity among prospective police officers. Police Practice and Research , 19 (5), 490-504.
