Community policing is an approach that acknowledges the shared responsibility and independence between a community and the police force in fostering a secure and safe environment for all people. In other words, it is a policing strategy whose focus is establishing a cordial relationship and working closely with society inhabitants. In essence, the policing approach aims at establishing police-community collaboration to enable swift problem identification and problem solving (Diamond & Weiss, 2016) . The policing strategy focuses on reinvigorating communities to find solution to crime and create vital neighborhoods. Community policing origin dates back in the 1960s, a period that saw a proliferation of urban mass protests and criminal activity. The police’s reputation was damaged when the police resorted to using force to quell the criminal actions. Due to the growing mistrust among citizens, the police departments realized that the police needed to show presence in the community in a bid to regain trust ( Diamond & Weiss, 2016) . The police started developing community ties and having increased local presence. In 1970s and 1980s, community policing gained tract characterized by improved relationships with communities throughout the United States. The primary objective of community policing is establishment of close ties between law enforcement and residents for seamless and swift problem response. However, there have been issues raised about the policing strategy due to drawbacks precipitated by a rise in hostility between law enforcement carders and neighborhood inhabitants which impede productive partnerships ( Carter & Fox, 2019) . Additional issues raised about community policing is the increase in police decision making autonomy which has paved way for police corruption thereby hampering successful implementation of the strategy. The increased police autonomy in decision making has provided police with opportunities to abuse bestowed authority by engaging in corruption. Despite the 21 st century being characterized by closer ties between the police and the community, there have been high levels of patronage and corruption which have tainted the police force. Additional concerns raised about community policing is that the approach is merely abused to bolster police legitimacy when the force is undermined by protests and crisis. A segment of the population also feels that community policing cannot curb crime causing problems but cannot only uproot them temporarily. A section of citizens in the United States expressed concerns that community policing is only an excuse to expand police hiring and funding. A group of residents in Texas felt that community policing only extend presence of police and surveillance in people’s everyday life which converts social conundrums into police problems.
A study on community policing by Carter and Fox (2019) explained that the approach is not a remedy to brutality caused by police but a trigger that only compounds the problem. The study stated that community policing is a nebulous and broad philosophy, one that is difficult to oppose. The strategy was for example touted to be a lasting remedy to increased felony rates in Chicago and Camden. Concerns have been raised that the community policing strategy only increases more police on the streets. A section of residents in Black Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood stated that as long as the law enforcers understand that their budges empower them to operate with near impunity, the police force will always resort to brutality when challenged. Community policing lacks law enforcement accountability which paves way for police brutality in the guise of establishing ties with neighborhood residents. A study by Higgins et al., (2019) concurred with the sentiments made by Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood residents noting that community policing may be inadvertently causing brutality which it was meant to discourage. The approach to policing only places the law enforcers in areas they are less required leading to increased tensions in the community which could be solved civilly. For example, having armed law enforcement officers to intervene in social contracts, civil conflicts and family feuds places the officers and their authority in regions where they are perceived as intruders. Residents in Alabama expressed concerns that they find no pleasure in seeing law enforcement officers with a gun and badge in their communities with the full power to mediate the dynamics of their interactions. A sampled group of inhabitants in Pickens County stated that increased permeation of police officers in their communities only made them feel unsafe since when such officers violate resident’s civil rights through brutality, the police at most times are not convicted for their mistakes ( Higgins et al., 2019). Re-training of police officers on effective community policing would solve the problems associated with implementation. Police agencies ought to support the philosophy of community police training at the recruit stage. The training of new recruits and re-training of officers already in the force would make them more proactive problem solvers, resource catalysts and responsive to community quality life issues. A study by Higgins et al., (2019) noted that academy training is notoriously deficient in providing skills and values necessary to shape an officer’s discretion in attending to community needs. Rather than training officers on crime fighting alone, the police also ought to be given skills on how to organize neighborhoods to deal with community problems. Training on proactive policing would advocate attempts to improve community relational qualities which maintain territorial linkages. The police officers therefore should undergo a training program to be equipped with knowledge and skills for incorporating community policing in their work. Creating community immersions has been touted as a solution to effective community policing. The solution can be implemented by immersing enforcement officers in their respective communities. The strategy can be accomplished by elevating or re-introducing earlier community policing models. The models exhort the need to form coalitions and community partnerships with community leaders who can play a role in building relations where tensions manifest. As Boettke et al., (2016) explain, making the police officers more personable and visible establishes cohesion with business owners and residents in a community. The strategy emphasizes on need to let police officers partake in community programs or neighborhood projects to create conversation to build community and bring citizens together. The Los Angeles Police Department for example has integrated community immersions by building partnerships between police and community. Each of the 21 geographic zones in Los Angeles have an area level community board composed of business and residential community members. The board is key in advising area commanding officer with data on crime incidences as well as providing the community with a voice in policing. Use of transactional model of communication and active listening would foster effective community policing. In most instances, police officers utilize linear communication by giving orders or commands. The communication model is adopted when a police officer intend to gain compliance immediately. However, when transferred in community policing, linear communication is usually counterproductive. The linear communication build negatives perceptions from the public. The community prefer officers who exhibit compassion rather than those exhibiting robotic and insensitive qualities. Integration of transactional communication model enables officers to develop active listening and allow feedback in open channels ( Boettke et al., 2016) . Utilization of the model in community policing paves way for rapport building and opens up communication to a more transactional framework. The law enforcement agencies therefore ought to re-evaluate their communication models to improve officer’s interpersonal skills in an effort to dispel racial tensions and build public trust for effective community policing.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
References
Boettke, P. J., Lemke, J. S., & Palagashvili, L. (2016). Re-evaluating community policing in a polycentric system. Journal of Institutional Economics , 12 (2), 305-325.
Diamond, D., & Weiss, D. M. (2016). Advancing community policing through community governance: A framework document.
Carter, J. G., & Fox, B. (2019). Community policing and intelligence-led policing. Policing: An International Journal .
Higgins, E. M., Overstreet, S., Coffey, B., & Fisher, B. W. (2019). ‘Bridging the gap’: school resource officers as bridge builders in the community policing era. Journal of Crime and Justice , 1-16.
