Foundations of the Development and Functions of Police - Assignment Example

Foundations of the Development and Functions of Police THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTIONS OF POLICE Major Characteristics of the political and reform eras of policing in America. In the nineteenth century, policing was characterised by a lot of political influences. Politicians could use the policing institution to reward their supporters. The composition of the police force could, therefore, tell who was in power. Religious and ethnic groups formed a basis for being taken to the office as an officer. Corruption was a major crisis in the policing sector, and people could join the police force at a fee of just 300 dollars. There was no training or police academy at that time, and recruitment standards did not exist; this gave room for anyone to join the force. Job security was not guaranteed for anyone as anyone could be at will and a replacement found immediately. Policing was termed as ineffective since communication and transport services were not up to code. Most of the officers engaged in corruption and misconduct and bribes were offered to the public for them not to apply the law. During the political era, location of people complained of difficulty in contacting the police for help. There were constant complaints of police harassment, and they did not enjoy support from the resident. Due to high turnover in the force police had become unpopular in the country (Walker 1977). The reform era of policing was brought about by government reforms and growth of the progressive political establishment which sought to improve the livelihoods of the citizens. The changes made involved removal of police from political control to a more standardized bureaucratic system. The police supervision improved, and no misconduct could pass through the system unnoticed. There was an emphasis on statistics and police effectives was measured on the number of arrests made, number of a tickets issued and other police based activities. Emphasis on quality community relationships was discarded as police had to deal with more pressing matters of narcotic control, increased crime and arrest of criminals. Conversely, special police forces were formed to deal with specialised problems such as SWAT, vice and narcotics. Reforms from the political era helped to eliminate corruption from the police force. The primary reason the police existed was to prevent crime and their efficiency was measured by the absence of criminal activity. The reform era also saw the establishment of police academies where police were trained, and only qualified candidates were recruited to the force (Palmiotto, 1999). Skills and knowledge that are to police trainees during their academy training The law enforcement academies serve as training grounds for recruits into the police force. They include various background checks such as equipment training and use of firearm training, driving skills, medical requirements, and legal training. The police academy teaches new recruits on police ethic and codes of conduct. These are important as it guide the police to what actions they are supposed to take in ground situations. Codes of conduct also ensure that there is no corruption and misconduct from the force. Any deviance from the code of conduct and ethic is termed as an offence to the profession and is punishable by law. Trainees also undergo legal training that entails fundamental law training. It is used to familiarise them with the laws of the country. Police trainees are taught to identify instances of crime and criminal related activity. Legal training helps to know citizens rights in case of an arrest and criminal procedure. Law enforcement process is where the officers are trained to use a firearm, officer survival, terrorism, vehicle pullovers, crime in progress and even patrol and observation. All this activities are very useful in daily activities as they tackle an issue that might arise during patrol. Investigation interviews and interrogations are as police work might from time to time require these skills. Handling of hazardous material is also taught to ensure that officers are well prepared to handle illegal substance or even materials that may impose a threat to civilian life. In addition to these skills police recruits are also taught administrative skills (Annell, Lindfors, & Sverke, 2015). Community policing versus problem-solving Community oriented policing (Coop) refers to all activities that police engage proactive approach to address matters of public safety. Community policing acts as a partnership between the police and the general community. The community involves the media in publicizing matters that are of concern and solutions that should be in place. Community-based policing recognises the fact police officers cant solve issues of public safety alone and therefore partnership is required o ensure protection of the public. COOP makes sure that the most practical information is available to police officers. Officers are then encouraged to identify problems and develop innovative responses. Results are so as to assess the effectiveness of the responses (Trojanowicz, & Bucqueroux, 1990). Problem-solving policing emphasizes the use of assessment and analysis to address crime and disorder problems. The police are proactive in identifying issues or problems that could be so as to solve the crime and its roots. According to problem-solving strategy police, have to deal with a wide array of problems in order to fight crime and disorder. These problems include social issues and physical disorders. There four steps to be in the implementation of this strategy. These steps include scanning development of a response and lastly assessment. Unlike community-based policing the community is not involved in this approach. The police have to conduct it on their own. In summary in problem-oriented policing police deal with a wide range of issues that are not necessarily criminal in nature. Police who have the greatest insight into the community problems are the opportunity to design solutions for the community. Police are permitted to use a wide range of methods to address recurring issues.POP recognises that the traditional methods of policing which is arrest and prosecution does not ultimately solve problems. The community acknowledges the effectiveness of police and their intervention in non-criminal issues and their effectives in solving problems. Crucial elements of implementation and evaluation procedure of community policing and problem-oriented solving. In the implementation of community policing, there are several factors that need to be into consideration. There are six main elements that are useful for community policing. There should be a belief in a broad policing function that is beyond law enforcement this ensures that police provide other services that are not necessarily crime related. The police are also challenged to accept that they rely on citizens in more than one way. There is a recognition that police work is complex and requires general knowledge, discretion and skills. The Police authority should be devolved to lower levels to respond to neighbourhood problems. The police should be to serving multiple aims from helping citizens in problem management to reducing fear and crime. The problem-solving strategy follows a series of steps in implementation; these steps are as discussed below. Scanning refers to identification and prioritisation of problems and incorporation of community input. Analysis refers to the study of information on offenders, crime locations and victims of criminal activities. The response involves an implementation of strategies that address the problems at hand. Assessment and evaluation of the plan are so as to measure its level of relevance in solving a particular problem. The police organisational structure is a major factor affecting implementation and effectiveness of community policing. Community cooperation is a culture that needs to be as it might significantly influence the success of the system. If the community is not willing to give information then, the system is a failure. Community-based policing and problem-solving dont involve a single set of tactics but is a collection of strategies that share a common set of principles about the role of police in society. Qualities and abilities of detectives Detectives are investigators and usually solve crime including historical ones. Some of the qualities of a detective are as in the following paragraphs Intelligence and reasoning ability It refers to the capacity for logic communication planning creativity and problem-solving. A detective should pose these essential skills as they enable him to solve crime-related problems easily. Curiosity and imagination It is the desire to learn and know more about people and things that dont concern you. A detectives curiosity helps to get information that would have otherwise been hidden from an average person. Imagination will help to reconstruct what happened at a crime scene. Observation and memory Observatory skills of a detective are essential to any investigative work. Criminals will usually leave clues unknowingly, and it is only an observative eye that will see the details. Memory enables be used to record patterns of crime that may have a correlation Knowledge of life and people A good detective should have experience of life and people and should be aware of happenings that take place in a given locale. It will enable him to have clues to what may have happened in a certain area where crime is. Honesty The detective should be honest to stay away from bribes as they damage the professional image of detectives as a whole. Conclusion The policing sector has made a lot of reforms to eliminate corruption and issues arising from police recruitment. Police academies ensure that only qualified candidates are. The introduction of community-based policing and problem-oriented policing has contributed to the solving of crimes and underlying problems that lead to crime. References Walker, S. (1977). A critical history of police reform: the emergence of professionalism. Lexington, Mass, Lexington Books. Palmiotto, M. (1999). Community policing: a policing strategy for the 21st century. Gaithersburg, Md, Aspen. Annell, S., Lindfors, P., & Sverke, M. (2015). Police selection–implications during training and early career. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 38(2). Trojanowicz, R. C., & Bucqueroux, B. (1990). Community policing: A contemporary perspective. Cincinnati, OH: Anderson Publishing Company. Santos, R. B. (2014). The Effectiveness of Crime Analysis for Crime Reduction Cure or Diagnosis? Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 30(2), 147-168. Read More