The Need for Funding the Law Enforcement Agencies to Enhance Professionalism

Abstract

Police officers make up an essential part of the community since their work entails crime prevention and protection of citizens from harm. However, the effectiveness and performance of the officers have been declining over the years. One of the reasons is the failure to adopt current technologies and identify the emerging trends in criminal activities. Another reason is the over-emphasis on technical training. Hence, a significant number of officers lack soft skills such as compassion and respect. While police officers are willing to improve their service delivery, they lack the resources that will inform their knowledge and practice. This research highlights the significance of investing in police programs as a means to improve the officers’ performance and capabilities.

Keywords: police officers, training, performance, effectiveness, crime, 

Over the years, scholars have conducted research to identify the best strategies to prevent and stop crime. Some people believe that law enforcement agents are best suited to reduce crime rates since they have adequate resources to identify crime incidences as they happen. However, some people dispute the presence of police officers. They believe that the state and local governments have given them too much power to the extent that they overlook the dignity of the people that they serve. Take, for example, the incidences of police brutality involving the excessive use of violence. Others believe that police academies have not trained officers well enough to handle unforeseen events. Under this premise, police reforms can result in improved performance and efficiency of the officers. Besides, police officers have demonstrated a lack of preparedness in the event of an active shooter. Indeed, the police units need to undergo reforms to improve the performance of the officers since society needs them. While police may not be the best social option to prevent crime, police officers should be adequately funded to allow for advanced training and equipment since better trained and financed police are both more capable and professional.

The critics of the police force argue that law enforcement agencies are not the best institutions to stop crime. Police officers are known to adopt the warrior mindset that involves being fighters of chaos and criminality (McLean, Wolfe, Rojek, Alpert, & Smith, 2018). Here, law enforcement agencies invoke the “us versus them mindset,” meaning that they perceive the citizens as their enemies. Thus, there has been public criticism based on the “Ferguson Effect,” which implies that the police officers view themselves as forces of good and the citizens as evil (McLean et al., 2018). With such a mindset, law enforcement agencies are likely to shoot and kill innocent citizens without facing repercussions. Such a move instills fear and even retaliation from the surrounding communities. In return, law enforcement officers have engaged in the use of excessive force and violence, amounting to police brutality. Recent studies have shown that police cultures are often negative since they discourage police reform and accountability (Harris, 2017). Critics of police force insist that law enforcement agencies endorse civil rights violations and abuse of power. Thus, citizens tend to avoid interacting with law enforcement officers since they view them as enemies. At the same time, the officers depend on each other for companionship and moral support. As a result, police officers are likely to engage in misconduct since they believe that the members of the surrounding community do not understand the nature of their work.

Furthermore, the strategies that the police officers use have been dubbed as ineffective. One of the commonly used approaches is police militarization, which refers to the integration of tactics, equipment, and culture that fosters violent conflict (Bove & Gavrilova, 2017). In recent years, law enforcement departments have militarized their officers by adopting modern weapons, attires, and tactics that are likened to the ones used in wars. This change was driven by the expansion of the war on drugs. However, critics have argued that this tactic has been ineffective since it has disproportionately targeted a single race, the African American, thereby violating the code of law enforcement that is about protecting and serving everyone equally. Law enforcement officers who are not well-educated are likely to take advantage of the militarized tactics to inflict pain and harm on citizens (Harris, 2017). The militarization of police officers should be investigated since some of them do not understand how to use their powers. More specifically, the law enforcement agencies deploy Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to crime-prone areas. Recent studies have pointed out that increased militarization of law enforcement agents has increased within-agency violent crimes (Mummolo, 2018). Here, the researchers noted that police officers are the perpetrators of crime instead of preventing them. The presence of SWAT teams has also lowered the trust between the law enforcement officers and the citizens and thus, enabling barriers for criminal investigations and promoting crime (Mummolo, 2018). By considering the current techniques that law enforcement agents use, it is evident that police units are not the best bodies to stop crime. However, there can be an improvement to enhance the performance and effectiveness of police officers.

A change in training strategies will enhance the professionalism of the police officers. Researchers have discovered that law enforcement agents have been trained to be “warriors” instead of “guardians” (Harris, 2017). As a result, there has been an increased division between the public and the police officers. The best solution to address this problem is through community policing. More importantly, the new training methods should focus on police officers learning how to treat citizens with dignity and respect, listen to their concerns, and being neutral and transparent in the decision-making process (Harris, 2017). Once the police academies’ training strategies focus on these principles, there will be public trust leading to increased feelings among the citizens to obey the law and work closely with the legal authorities. Besides, police officers believe that if they are trained to work with the members of a community, then, their performance will improve (Uluturk, Guler, & Karakaya, 2017). They believe that this strategy will enhance the cooperation between the police departments and the members of the local community. A training strategy linked to the community policing will encourage the people to provide officers with valuable information that will result in the arrest of criminals. Notably, officers who have undergone in-service training are likely to support community policing (Uluturk, Guler, & Karakaya, 2017). Police training should focus on changing their attitudes and approaches to the community that they serve. If not, the federal and state governments are likely to pay the cost of having poorly trained officers. Between 2010 and 2015, US cities paid $1.02 billion in fines for alleged beatings, shootings, and wrongful imprisonment (Judith & Gustafsberg, 2016). This trend will continue to prevail unless the police officers are taught how to make appropriate decisions when they encounter criminal acts. 

Furthermore, law enforcement agents work in high-risk settings, and with improper training, they are likely to make wrong decisions. Police officers encounter unpredictable and uncontrollable events, and thus they are likely to act erratically (Judith & Gustafsberg, 2016). There have been incidences in which police officers could have been crimes from happening if only they had invoked a proper decision-making strategy. Take, for example, the case involving the Cleveland police officers shooting a 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who had a plastic gun at the time of the event (Dewan & Oppel Jr., 2015). From the scenario, it was evident that the police department had encouraged a pattern of excessive use of force, meaning that the officers who acted unprofessionally were rarely disciplined or trained well to handle such a situation. Besides, police officers are seldom well-vetted for their jobs. In the case of Tamir Rice, Officer Loehmann had a history of “dangerous loss of composure” during firearm training (Dewan & Oppel Jr., 2015). However, the Cleveland Police had not considered this factor. Such police officers are not well-equipped to handle unpredictable events, and thus, they resort to the use of deadly force. These law enforcement agents are not well-taught on how to decipher activities that contribute to criminal acts

Moreover, police officers are not well-trained to use modern equipment. Over the last 201 years, the American law enforcement system has dwelled on the use of patrol rifles, with the reason being the police officers should be able to use them in case they encounter an active shooter (Philips & Jarvis, 2017). While the concern is genuine, there is a concern about the limited time allocated to the training of these officers. In a recent study, the patrol officers stated that they receive refresher training at least once or twice a year (Philips & Jarvis, 2017). This method does not enhance the officers’ ability to use weapons during active shooter events. Besides, most of these training focus on citizen protests. While crowd control is one of the duties of law enforcement agents, protests are not always dangerous. Some police officers slowly realize the problem with law enforcement force. During the recent demonstrations of George Floyd’s death, police officers from different departments quit their citing lack of proper training and accountability among the officers guilty of the use of excessive force (Kaleem & Jarvie, 2020). While the majority of the Americans have called for a defunding of the police force, such a move would not address the problems within the law enforcement culture. The best strategy is to increase the funding that will enhance the reform of the police culture and enhance professionalism. 

There is a link between increased funding of police units and their performance. More specifically, the adequate resources allocated to law enforcement agencies will enhance the training of the police officers. Recently, the Chicago Police Department observed that a substantial increase in investment in officer training could reduce the pattern of misconduct (Rushin & Michalski, 2019). The state officials noted that by building state-of-the-art training facilities, the police officers would be equipped with the knowledge of handling unpredictable events. Such facilities can have shooting ranges where the officers will perform simulated training scenarios. In restructuring the police force to include such programs, there should be crime analysts who can evaluate the activities of the law enforcement agents. However, a recent study has shown that the majority of the police departments have few crime analysts (Piza, Skzola, & Blount-Hill, 2020). An increased police funding would give these professionals a chance to collect data and investigate the strategies used by police officers and, in turn, offer recommendations that will improve the service delivery of law enforcement agents. Besides, well-paid officers are unlikely to engage in professional misconduct. A recent survey revealed that officers who earn $10 an hour are unlikely to shoot an innocent citizen (Rushin & Michalski, 2019). The reason is that such an officer is motivated to perform their duties per the law. On the contrary, the officers who earn little salaries are unwilling to take part in patrols that could result in a reduction of crime rates. Apart from wages, police officers need to be trained on how to handle unpredictable events.

The investment in police training can result in a swift response to challenging situations. Admittedly, the work of police officers is stressful, and without proper training programs, then they may be unable to perform their tasks. A recent study showed that police departments with stress reduction programs had officers who had improved self-regulation skills such as energy levels and emotional regulation (Andersen & Gustafsberg, 2016). When the police funding is allocated to programs that reduce psychological stress, then the health of the offers improve along with their performance outcomes. These training programs should be scenario-based and tailored to the high-stress environments that police officers encounter every day to report a positive change in performance. Such a change requires an increase in funds allocated to the police units. When police officers are undertrained, they will likely have poor situational awareness resulting in the use of excessive force (Andersen & Gustafsberg, 2016). Such officers cannot easily understand the flow of events. As a result, they may pull the trigger of their weapon, misidentify the items on the crime scene, and fail to separate criminals from innocent bystanders. Indeed, state governments and local communities should invest in the police force to avoid such events from happening. Meanwhile, police officers who have undergone intensive training are likely to control their heart rates and maintain psychological control (Andersen & Gustafsberg, 2016). In the process, these law enforcements perform well under pressure. When officers are trained in the state-of-the-art facilities that mimic real-life scenarios, they will become used to the unpredictable environments and perform actions per the practices of the police force. Such an improved performance directly reflects on their potential to save lives in real life.

Besides, police academies’ training programs should focus on enhancing the emotional skills of law enforcement agents. Police work has an impact on one’s emotional wellbeing, and by extension, the officers’ emotions affect the way that they respond to crime incidences (Blumberg, Schloser, Papazoglou, Creighton, & Kaye, 2019). If the police training overlooks this aspect, then it is likely that the police officers will experience high levels of burnout. In some instances, law enforcement officers are exposed to trauma and human suffering. These incidences stem from the fact that police officers are supposed to remain stoic and composed even when they are angry or frustrated (Blumberg, Schloser, Papazoglou, Creighton, & Kaye, 2019). Since police officers are not equipped to work in such situations, some of them may lose their composure. Some people argue that police training tends to focus too much on technical skills compared to de-escalation approaches (Lhamon, 2018). This observation explains the reason why police officers are likely to use excessive force and even commit extrajudicial killings. In the police academies, they are not taught how to control their emotions. Currently, there are no minimum hours for de-escalation training in police departments (Lhamon, 2018). It is becoming increasingly crucial for officers to learn how to approach high-stressful situations. They need to learn how to approach a suspect calmly, build rapport, and initiate a proper strategy. The investment in emotional regulation training can enhance the performance of law enforcement agents. A recent study suggested that this skill improves the psychological wellbeing of the officers, enhances their social ties, and work success (Blumberg, Schloser, Papazoglou, Creighton, & Kaye, 2019). As a result, the police officers will become satisfied with their role in the communities that they serve. During training, the police officers should learn that only one of them should speak to the suspect instead of having different officers shouting. Recent studies have shown that de-escalation training is useful since it has resulted in a significant reduction in excessive force complaints in different states (Lhamon, 2018). When police officers are taught to be in touch with their emotions, they understand that human life is valuable and that they should treat every individual with dignity regardless of their background. Besides, this training enhances the emotional intelligence of the police officers. They can control their feelings and recognize others’ emotional cues without overreacting (Blumberg, Schloser, Papazoglou, Creighton, & Kaye, 2019). Police officers that exhibit high levels of emotional intelligence are likely to handle stress well and perform their duties effectively. Thus, police training should dedicate more hours to improving the emotional intelligence of its officers. 

Moreover, police officers should be trained to handle moral and ethical dilemmas at work. Law enforcement faces challenges such as deciding whether to receive a gift from a citizen or take bribes from people who want to avoid being arrested (Blumberg, Schloser, Papazoglou, Creighton, & Kaye, 2019). In such situations, a police officer has to demonstrate a high level of integrity. The current training techniques have proved to be ineffective since cases of corruption are still present in different police departments. Instead of using classroom-based models, police recruits should be exposed to real-life situations that involve these moral risks (Blumberg, Schloser, Papazoglou, Creighton, & Kaye, 2019). Here, they will be asked how an officer should respond, and the supervisors will conduct regular debriefings that highlight the unethical decisions. Another means to enhance the moral responsibility of the officers is spiritual training. This model will strengthen the officers’ commitment to religious practices. Police academies can make this process possible through investment in resources such as books, peer mentors, and chaplains (Blumberg, Schloser, Papazoglou, Creighton, & Kaye, 2019). Under this model, the officers will learn ethical principles such as integrity, accountability, and respect. 

Another issue that police officers encounter is the balance between work and life. Mostly, the married and female officers face barriers while performing their duties to family demands (Blumberg, Schloser, Papazoglou, Creighton, & Kaye, 2019). Thus, funding should be allocated to social skill training. One of the aspects of this training is social competence. Here, the recruits will learn how to communicate with each other, tactfully and respectfully (Blumberg, Schloser, Papazoglou, Creighton, & Kaye, 2019). After undergoing this training, the officers should demonstrate a high level of concern and sensitivity towards one another. Such an approach will enhance the social life of the law enforcement agents; they will view each other as a supporting figure and thereby execute their duties with confidence. The social training program should also teach the value of teamwork. Under this model, the recruits will learn about the significance of cooperation and coordination within departments (Blumberg, Schloser, Papazoglou, Creighton, & Kaye, 2019). As a result, there will be an improved relationship among the officers, supervisors, and citizens. The officers can also be taught how to be assertive in dangerous and adverse conditions. This model will enhance accountability among law enforcement agents. For instance, the police officers will learn how to confront misconduct or lack of effort by their peers (Blumberg, Schloser, Papazoglou, Creighton, & Kaye, 2019). While physical fitness is an integral part of police work, there is a need for a system of support among the officers. When the law enforcement agents confide in each other and address their family-work problems, they will have a positive outlook on life. As a result, they will cease using the “us versus them” mindset whenever they encounter crime suspects.

The active-shooter events are also among the reasons for the need for increased police funding. Between 2014 and 2015, there a total of 40 active shooter incidences resulting in the death of 92 people (Downs, 2019). Some of these events could have detected early if the law enforcement agencies were well equipped. Due to the increase of active shooter events, scholars have advocated for increased training of law enforcement agents. The current Basic Peace Officer Course does not cover the vital elements of active shooter training methods, such as entry tactics, communications, and team movements (Dugas, 2017). Hence, the patrol officers lack the basic skills that they are supposed to apply in their tasks. Texas State has taken considered police training as an integral component to stop crime. Its Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) model has become impactful to the extent that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has sent its officers and tactical instructors to the Texas State University to learn about the ALERRT course (Dugas, 2017). The FBI noted that the course was significant as it informs the modern practices that law enforcement agents should apply whenever they encounter an active shooter. The only problem with this strategy is that it will require police academies to add more training hours, and thus, the cost of recruiting new officers will rise. For this reason, the state and the federal government should allocate more budget to law enforcement agencies. 

However, the trend is different in most police departments. For example, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has officers working fulltime and making $71000 a year, earning $10 per hour less than the workers at Wal-Mart (Rushin & Michalski, 2019). In this community, the police officers are not demotivated, but they also lack adequate resources to stop crimes. Besides, the cities with the highest rates of crime are the ones with few and least-paid officers (Rushin & Michalski, 2019). This trend stems from the fact that the primary funding source of law enforcement agencies is local sales and property taxes. Besides, President Donald Trump proposed a 50% budget cut for the Office of Community Policing Services (COPS), a body that has provided more than $14 billion in funds to the police units (De Soto, 2017). This move stimulated negative comments from the critics. They wanted COPS to retain its mandate of funding law enforcement (De Soto, 2017). The funds collected from this body can be used to develop and test the modern and standard procedures that will enhance the police officers’ decisions when working under pressure. Although there are opportunities for the state governments to invest and make use of modern technologies, there has been a slow adoption of digital technology (Weir, Norris, & Kilili, 2020). As a result, law enforcement agencies have been unable to track down incidences of cybercriminal as they occur. 

Furthermore, the police officers are concerned that the failure in investment in cybercrime units has adversely affected their ability to stop crime. In a recent study, a police officer admitted that their seniors are not technically minded as the junior officers; thus, they do not understand the role of modern technologies in criminal investigations (Harkin, Whelan, & Chang, 2018). This lack of interest from police commanders has resulted in the low investment in cybercrime in police units. Besides, the majority of the senior officers do not understand elements of cybercrime, such as a virtual private network (VPN), internet protocol (IP), and Bitcoin (Harkin, Whelan, & Chang, 2018). As a result, the cyber units feel distanced, undervalued, and marginalized, making them unable to deliver their duties well. Some members of the senior management believe that the cybercrime units are too expensive, and instead, the police departments should focus their resources on other squads (Harkin, Whelan, & Chang, 2018). Due to the lack of support, some members of the cyber team leave the police unit. This move creates a gap in the cybercrime unit and predisposes the public to incidences of hacking and fraud. In 2010, for example, there was a cyberattack on Mastercard, Visa, and Paypal that in damages over $5 million (Sarre, Lau, & Chang, 2018). The attackers used Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS). Among the concerns of the government is the ability of cybercriminals to attack for espionage and terrorism. Currently, anyone can carry out cyberattacks since there are resources online that offer guidelines. Since the field of artificial intelligence is growing, the government should invest in training the officers to detect the cyber-attacks before they result in damages. 

The investment in cyber technologies will enhance the performance of law enforcement agents. Over the years, the police administrators have requested for the improvement in training and resources allocation for police officers at the local and state levels to enhance their capacity as emergency responders (Holt, 2018). However, the US has not made significant efforts to equip police officers to respond to technology-enabled offenses. One of the primary contributors to this trend is budget constraints at the state and local agencies. In response to this issue, the Bureau of Justice (BJA) formed the Law Enforcement Cyber Center (LECC) that enhances the state and local police officers to fight cybercrime (Romanosky, Stanley, Taylor, & Winkelman, 2017). The LECC serves an online platform that provides officers with resources about cyberattacks. It also allows the experts to guide the officers on how to identify a potential cybercrime and threat. The law enforcement agents who visited the LECC website claimed that they learned new cyber tactics and were able to handle unforeseen events (Romanosky, Stanley, Taylor, & Winkelman, 2017). When police officers have adequate training and resources, they perform their duties better.

One of the emerging roles of law enforcement agents is cyberattack prevention. Here, law enforcement agents are expected to use modern techniques to trace and capture criminals. Hence, the federal and state governments should direct resources to the field of cybernetics to enhance the preparedness of the law enforcement agents. Undoubtedly, technology has the potential to change the service delivery of law enforcement agencies. Recent studies have shown that modern technologies have enhanced the capabilities of police officers (Strom, 2017). For instance, the police use of computer-aided dispatch, geographic information system (GIS), and 911 systems have enabled the dispatching of officers to crime scenes within a short time. However, the reduction in response does not guarantee more arrests. Hence, the reason for the need for advanced training of officers. It is increasingly becoming vital for law enforcement agents to have adequate knowledge and skill while responding to a criminal event. Besides, the urgency of some of the 911 calls put pressure on the police departments that have no resources leaving the law enforcement agents with no time to engage in pro-active or community-based policing (Strom, 2017). Due to this trend, police departments should invest in modern technologies that will enhance the effectiveness of their officers.

More specifically, the introduction of body-worn cameras has been perceived as one of the significant reforms in law enforcement units. In a recent study, researchers noted that the citizen complaints about police brutality and the use of excessive force dropped by 88% when the police officers wore body cameras (Harris, 2017). The use of body cameras is linked to improving the behaviors of both the police officers and the citizens whenever they interact. When the police officers know that they are on camera, they will desist from using violence. Similarly, when citizens know that their actions are being recorded, they will avoid using vulgar language when they are being arrested. Admittedly, respect between both parties will enhance the smooth operation of the police work. Another benefit of the body-worn camera is the definitive collection of evidence during and after the criminal act has happened (Braga, Coldren Jr, Sousa, Rodriguez, & Alper, 2017). Police officers have stated that the use of body-worn cameras have made the public understand the reason for arresting specific individuals and the acts that prompted them to use force. In the footages of these cameras, one can see the incidences that a person violates a law and holds them accountable for the transgressions committed (Braga, Coldren Jr, Sousa, Rodriguez, & Alper, 2017). Besides, body-worn cameras enhance the performance of police officers. In Arizona, for example, the number of arrests increased by 17% due to the use of body-worn cameras (Braga, Coldren Jr, Sousa, Rodriguez, & Alper, 2017). These arrests were conducted objectively, resulting in criminal charges. However, these body-worn cameras are not affordable in every department. Despite the benefits associated with the use of body-worn cameras, police departments claim that they are costly to store and manage the hours of footage. For example, Arlington County banned the use of body-worn cameras since they cost the department an annual budget of $300000 (Kindy, 2019). Since the benefits of the body-worn cameras outweigh its disadvantages, state and federal governments should invest in this program. It is one of the best ways to restore public trust. Some people argue that body-worn cameras can be used against undocumented immigrants (Kindy, 2019). They base this opinion on the premise that law enforcement agents are not equipped to analyze the events stored in the camera footage. If the police officers are trained to analyze the data stored in these cameras, then this problem would no longer be a concern. The only problem with the use of body-worn cameras is the lack of adequate funding to implement and use them to serve the citizens well. Since 2015, the BJA has allocated $70 million to police departments to cover the cost of implementing body-worn cameras (Kindy, 2019). This money was mean to enhance innovative practices and make these departments self-sustaining. However, the police officials believe that this fund does not cover the storage of footages, and thereby making it difficult for police officers to conduct their duties (Kindy, 2019). For this reason, there should be increased funding in the police departments to ensure that the body-worn cameras are allocated to each patrol officer as a means to improve their performance and conduct around citizens. 

Apart from body-worn cameras, police officers can improve their performance through the use of computerized crime mapping software. By using the GIS, law enforcement agents can analyze the crime patterns over time, visualize and examine the public complaints, and identify the shortest routes to a crime scene (Strom, 2017). The investment in the GIS technologies will enable the law enforcement units to identify the crime incidents and types, generate graphic images of the events and deploy the equipped officers. Although there is limited evidence to ascertain the effectiveness of GIS resulting in arrests, researchers have noted that the technology can enhance the implementation of proactive techniques (Strom, 2017). Aspects of GIS technology, such as hot-spot policing, can significantly reduce the number of reported criminal incidents and instances of social disorder. Despite the benefits of GIS technology, the majority of police departments still encounter technical difficulties, mismanagement of large amounts of data, and lack of adequate resources. Hence, the state and local governments need to invest in training programs that will enhance the police officers’ understanding and use of GIS to reduce crime rates in their neighborhoods that they serve.

Besides, police funding should also be dedicated to devices that enhance their access to social media sites. Most offenders, especially terrorists, use social media to recruit followers who can join their cause (Jones, 2017). In such cases, law enforcement agents can collect this information and find the suspects before they can harm the members of the public. Apart from tracking criminals, social media has become a vital tool in building a trusting relationship between law enforcement agents and police officers (Strom, 2017). This platform has enabled the police units to interact with the users and receive tips about a possible crime incident. In a recent study, about 34% of social media users claim that they use sites such as Facebook and Twitter to notify the officers about criminals in the community (Strom, 2017). One can give anonymous tips that can reduce the time that the police officers would have spent to conduct investigations. Besides, social media platforms have enhanced police departments’ perceptions of the local community. They have made them understand the elements of the law enforcement that they like and those that they do not like. Besides, police officers have used social media to enhance public safety during times of unrest (Strom, 2017). In return, people view the officers as humans who are part of the community. Such a positive relationship enables a compelling performance on the part of the law enforcement agents.

Furthermore, when police departments are well funded, law enforcement agents will be able to handle equipment well. Some people have been concerned about the increased militarization of the police force; they claim that it results in increased crime and violence. On the contrary, when police officers have access to modern weapons and techniques, there is likely to be a reduction in the following crime robberies, motor vehicle thefts, assaults, and larcenies (Bove & Gavrilova, 2017). These acts are preventable with a heavy presence of police officers. Indeed, employing military equipment can enhance police officers’ capabilities to stop crime. The opponents of a militarized police should not be concerned by the use of modern weapons and tactics. Instead, they should ask for enhanced training of the officers to apply these techniques when they deem necessary. President Obama observed that the militarization of law enforcement has enhanced the protection of the citizens and reduced the operational risks of the police work (Bove & Gavrilova, 2017). When law enforcement agents lack adequate raining, they make odd operational choices and fail to use the police equipment effectively. The regular police work involves searching, chasing, and capture (McLean, Wolfe, Rojek, Alpert, & Smith, 2018). As simple as this statement may sound, the officers have a lot of work to do. At times, they have to face criminals who have state-of-the-art weapons. During such encounters, they have to use advanced weapons to capture the criminals and protect the citizens. Take, for example, the case of the active shooters in a high school in Columbine who had made over 100 explosives; the police officers who were at the scene had to wait for the SWAT team to arrive (Downs, 2019). The Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) dictated that the police officers should wait for a specialized unit that can take over the situation. This delay resulted in 13 deaths; the outcome could have been controlled if the police officers trained to carry and use tactics applied to such a case (Downs, 2019). With the increasing number of active shooter events in the US, there is a need for police officers to learn how to use modern equipment. At the moment, law enforcement agencies know how to use guns, tear gas, and tasers. However, the nature of their work can never be predicted. They need to learn skills such as dismantling a bomb, negotiating with a suicide bomber, or attacking an active shooter without harming the citizens. 

Overall, increase funding of the police department results in better performance and improved capabilities of the police officers. Police work involves working in high-risk environments. Thus, police officers need to have access to the necessary weapons and equipment that can enhance their performance. For this reason, the state and local governments should invest in police training programs. These unique features include modern technologies, TTPs, emotional refutation, and social skills. Recently, there has been an increase in cyberattacks that have cost private firms billions. These cases have happened while the law enforcement agencies were unprepared; there has been an insignificant investment in the field of cybernetics. However, this problem can be resolved through increased intensive training of officers in this field to enhance their alertness. Besides, police officers should also have access to modern weapons and equipment such as body-worn cameras, rifles, and computers. The presence of this equipment will keep the police at par with the changes in technology and criminal events. Apart from technical training, police departments should invest in interpersonal techniques. More importantly, the officers need to learn how to control their emotions and remain calm when they encounter a threat. With these requirements in place, there is an urgent need to invest in police departments to enhance the capabilities and performance of officers.

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