The Importance of Police Officers' Role as Public Servant

Discuss your views on the importance of police officers' role as 'public servant.' 

The main job description of a police officer is to maintain law and order in the community. A police officer may be required to perform various roles such as intervening in domestic assault cases, handling traffic violations and incidents, investigate criminal activities and even arresting various law breakers among other duties. This type of job description will require them to take up a number of different roles at different times and in different situations. 

Among these roles is that of a public servant who is a person employed by the government to offer various services to or on behalf of the people. Police are usually sworn to serve all people without discrimination or favor. As public servants it is important that police ensure that they serve all people equally and accord them their rights and this includes criminals. This role is also important in that it limits the use of force by the police unless it was really necessary and this helps minimize unnecessary injuries or deaths to suspects and even the police themselves ( Riccucci, 2014). 

This role as public servants is important in endearing the police service to the community it serves as the citizens get to see a side of the police that is focused not only on maintaining law and order but also on ensuring that police officers treat citizens fairly and also conduct themselves in a professional manner while carrying out their law enforcement duties. This increases the chances of citizens cooperating with the police in maintaining law and order ( Riccucci, 2014). 

In what ways might police departments developing positive connections to the communities they serve contribute to the 'crime fighter' aspect of the job? 

Positive connections between police departments and the communities they serve help alot in the prevention and deterrence of crime and incase crimes have been committed, police may benefit from increased cooperation from the community in investigating the crimes. Experts agree that the police cannot prevent crimes on their own and require a high level of cooperation from the community to minimize levels of crime ( Miller, Hess & Orthmann, 2017). 

Programs such as community policing make police activities and operations more visible and eliminate secrecy making the force more accountable to the public. This in turn builds public trust and the increases the chances of police hearing from the people about crimes about to take place, the people committing various crimes and even get opportunities to interact with the community and sensitize them on the risks associated with criminal behavior which in the long run may reduce incidences of crime ( Miller, Hess & Orthmann, 2017). 

Another benefit of these positive connections is that they turn the community to an active partner in promoting security and preventing crime rather than leave them as a passive audience watching the police deal with crime. This cooperation increases the crime-fighting network thus increases chances of crime being dealt with efficiently and even eliminated. 

The public accountability brought about by the positive connections between police and the community also gives the police better morale to fight crime and protect the community they serve in. police officers develop positive attachments with the community and are willing to go the extra mile to ensure they perform their duties diligently and not betray the trust that the community has placed on them ( Miller, Hess & Orthmann, 2017). 

References 

Miller L. S., Hess K. M. & Orthmann C. (2017). Community Policing: Partnerships for Problem Solving, Cengage Learning, 

Riccucci N. M. (2014). Serving the Public Interest: Profiles of Successful and Innovative Public Servants: Profiles of Successful and Innovative Public Servants, Routledge,