The National Research Council (NRC) most recently conducted an extensive research on law enforcement issues such as patrol practices, police organization, strategies, administration, accountability, discretion, and their effectiveness in crime control. The effectiveness of implementing certain strategies in policing like hot spot policing and solving problems was evaluated. The main emphasis of the study was on identifying the more effective strategy; evidence based policing or proactive methods (Lum, 2009). The influence of the dimensional strategies implemented, on police effectiveness is an issue that is yet to be accurately determined. General remarks have been made by many scholars including police scholars, but none of the research data has concretely had a huge impact on policing (Lum, 2009). Evidence based policing makes use of scientific facts which are out of the daily routine of police officers. The problem with this approach is that many police officers become accustomed with the procedures used, such that they consider it experience, and experience is easily flexible. The mentality of law enforcers need to be changed by the use of incentives, to make certain that the proper tools, and procedure are used in evidence based approach, rather than the use of culture, tradition, experience or habit (Lum, 2009). Proactive policies approaches are meant to develop healthy relationships in the community, like community-focused policing and functional impartiality policing. The implementation of these two approaches is aimed at reducing the crime rates, and legal values protection. In many cases when proactive policing strategies are implemented like hot spots, and SQF (Stop, Question and Frisk), the law enforcers often result in abusing their power (Kochel, 2011). The law plays a vital role in providing limitations and restrictions on policing, which is why understanding the relationship between the law and proactive policing is important. Despite how effective a policing technique might be in eradicating, or reducing the crime rate, if it defies the law it is inadmissible. Evidence based policing approaches are considered more rational and effective. This is because they are more reliable when it comes to providing decision-making options like accurate guesses, behaviors, anecdotes, personal experiences, pressures and activities centered on organizational or political impulses ( National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2018).
References
Kochel, T. R. (2019). Explaining racial differences in Ferguson’s impact on local residents’ trust and perceived legitimacy: Policy implications for police. Criminal Justice Policy Review , 30 (3), 374-405.
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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). Proactive policing: Effects on crime and communities . National Academies Press .
