Assessing the Contributions of Police to Society
Police officers in America have the extraordinary task of maintaining order, enforcing the law, and providing services to residents of the community. Accomplishing these tasks within the limited authority allowed to them by the law is quite an achievement. The contributions that police make to society are not always measurable, but it is the presence of police that consistently provides citizens with a sense of safety, making for a more orderly and less fearful community.
In the United States, the powers and duties of police officers are specifically defined by law. These restrictions are in place because of the constitutional emphasis on ensuring due process and individual liberty. A police officer cannot invade the privacy of an individual based on mere suspicion of wrongdoing, but must convince a judge that there is probable cause for a warrant to be issued (Cole, 2004, p. 121). Physical force that can be used on a suspect is also limited, though often subject to the officer’s discretion. In carrying out his duty, the officer must always remember he is accountable to his superiors, and ultimately, the community.
With these limitations in mind, an officer still has many duties that must be carried out consistently every day. The modern community-policing model instructs an officer to keep order and provide services for the community. There is still the aspect of “fighting crime,” but not nearly as it was prior to the 1970’s. Why solve a crime when you can prevent it? Statistically, the sheer number of police officers on the streets has little effect on the actual crime rate (Cole, 2004, p. 142). Rather, the contribution of police is found in the relationship that police have with the community.
A communicative relationship with police makes citizens more open to keep police updated about potential problems before they become crimes. Police are also able to provide help to citizens in need, relay medical assistance, and maintain quality of life in the city by arresting panhandlers or loiterers. Neighborhood disorder creates fear, gangs, prostitution, and drunks. Police rely on citizens to inform them of problems, and it is this attention to detail that reduces fear and disorder in the community-policing model. Closer contact with citizens provides the community with the feeling of safety, promoting trust between the citizens and police.
The professional model of policing has been criticized because it creates an “us versus them” mentality that is harmful for both the police offers and the community. The police are constantly on the search for suspicious characters and act more like a military in the “fight on crime” rather than a servants and protectors of the community. Police become over-suspicious and citizens become less likely to report crimes or trust that the police can help them if they have been victimized.
The community-policing model is doubly effective in the United States because of the extreme fragmentation of the law enforcement. “When observers compare the American police system to how law enforcement is organized in other countries, one key difference becomes immediately noticeable: American policing is a highly fragmented, decentralized enterprise” (Doerner, 2000, p. 2). While federal law enforcement does exist, the most basic unit of policing is at the local level – municipal, county, and state police are able to address the needs of their individual citizens at a unique level. A national police force similar to that of many European nations would be unable to gain the trust of a community in the same manner.
Policing strategies have evolved over time and will certainly continue to do so, so long as the government has the best interests of the people at heart. The professional model of policing has given way to the community model, a more preventative and communicative approach to preventing crime. “Community policing did not just magically appear as a panacea for society’s ills. It has been centuries in its evolution, and may, indeed, be merely a stepping stone to yet another form of policing in the future” (Miller, 2001, p. 3).
References
Cole, George F. and Christopher E. Smith. (2004). The American System of Criminal
Justice. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
Doerner, William G. and M. L. Dantzker. (2000). Contemporary Police Organization
and Management. Wobern, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann Publishing.
Miller, Linda S. (2001). The Police in the Community: Strategies for the 21st Century.
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
