The overall purpose and meaning of this article is to send the message that police officers can play a unique part in disrupting the disorder process. If police officers focus on less serious crime and disorder of a neighborhood then serious crimes like felonies will not be able to surface as much. This is because the community will participate more and become more social, and they will develop their own set of rules. A main section of this article that I want to point out is the idea that foot patrol decreases crime rate. In the article it states that police officers didn’t like the idea of foot patrol too much but because they did it relationships with the community was formed and people were less afraid to go outside.
By dealing with the offenders through communication and education, we set ourselves apart from the local law enforcement. This not only allows for a more peaceful resolution, but it also reduces the amount of money the residents would have collect in order to pay the salary of the off duty officer we would need to patrol the community. Residents discovered that by rotating duties and shifts, everyone who wants to participate in the program has a chance to. Working together we are stronger than if we took it upon ourselves individually to confront the issues of crime we have in the community. Research has proven that by taking an active role in protecting our assets we have a better appreciation of not only the property we have, but the property of our community as a whole.
This may just be a “sense” of safety, but officers like to think their partner has their back. In truth is could be safer to fight crime individually, because two police officers may seem to evoke the individuals with which they are involved with. Having two people looking out for the situation is extremely beneficial. If one officer is occupied with a task, her partner can be keeping a watchful eye on the surroundings and the circumstances that have a potential of arising. When all these factors are grouped together it appears that police partners would be more productive, writing more citations, and completing more arrests.
Proactive patrol has been known to deter crime in areas where criminal activity is high. Providing proactive patrol can deter criminals from actually committing the crime but it does not always deter the crime from happening in the first place. Creating the awareness in a community there are police nearby does help deter the crime from taking place. In order for a police organization to be successful it would take both patrols to reach this goal. One without the other in my eyes would not work.
The objective for law enforcement administrators is to make out the most excellent approach to deal with the increasingly shifting crime troubles in the population they provide assistance for, and to relate the fitting idea in the shape of efficient plans (Community Policing, n.d). Community oriented policing, problem oriented policing and zero tolerance policing are popular policing methods being utilized today. These policies have their pros and cons but they also have some similarities and seem to be of equal importance. The common similarity they all share is that they are all attempting to diminish crime and provide a safe environment for community members. It would be difficult to have one solitary plan or technique to aid in dealing with community issues therefore communities may find it necessary to seek out multiple methods of policing to satisfy their inhabitants.
“Professional Courtesy in Policing" Ethics, or moral conduct, are of major importance in the Criminal Justice Field. If the police force condoned unethical behavior, there would be very little, if any, justice being served. But what is unethical behavior and how do we judge moral conduct? Just as we all see this world through different eyes, we come to decisions through different life experiences. Due to the uniquely stressful work environment, Law Enforcement have created an occupational subculture with its own informal code of ethics.
If someone has been in a lot of trouble with the law, they probably aren’t going to have very many good things to say about police officers. Where as if somebody is related to or close to a police officer, they might have a better perception. Police-community relations are very important for the police and for the community. The community needs to be able to trust the police and vice-versa. If an individual has a bad experience with a cop, they are going to tell everybody they know and therefore those people might form negative perceptions based off of that.
Community partnerships is another method used by police in order to ensure a good relationship with members of the general public. The way this is done is through a process of consultation and mobilization. Consultaion works by providing citizens with information about crime and what can be done to prevent it. Also this gives citizens the chance to voice their concerns about crime and tell the police what they think about the job they are doing. Mobilization works by giving members of the community a chance to actively deter crime by being involved with such programs as Neighborhood Watch, Operation ID, or Crime Stoppers.
Police officers have a duty to serve and protect and that type of job description can only affect the community in a positive way. We see the way that people can affect their community in the reading by Psychology Professor Howard Gardner et al, “Good Work in Difficult Times.” This essay describes people who do good work and it not only shares the value systems of people who do good work but it shares how that carries over into the community. Additionally, this reading discusses standards, by which professionals ought to adhere too. Being a police officer does not come without challenges that can cause problems with community relations. One of the many challenges, both past and present, facing police departments is police corruption.
This paper while not cover the ethics behind lethal force, but will discuss the steps, and progressions leading up to that point. Non-lethal force is very common for a police officer to use in their career. A law enforcement agency must carefully choose the various devices, and techniques it will authorize for the protection of its officers and the public. In making policy decisions in this area, an agency should consider existing court decisions and litigation trends. Use of force is a very important part of an officer’s ability to keep themselves and the public safe, but is also very controversial.