Comparison Of Homeland Security And The Implementation Of Community Policing

Community policing could possibly be called the new orthodoxy of law enforcement in the United States. It has become an increasingly popular alternative to what many police administrators recognized as the failure of traditional policing to deal effectively with street crime, especially crimes of

“Community policing is, in essence, a collaboration between the police and the community that identifies and solves community problems” (U.S. Department of Justice, 1994, p. vii). Throughout the years, community policing has become a more popular strategy to help law enforcement officials control and deter crime; however, some areas across the United States has had problems in the past with communities and law enforcement working together to ensure a secure and safe environment. Although it is an officer’s duty to maintain order, keep the peace, and solve problems within the area he or she

The third and present day era of policing is Community Policing. Community policing is an organization-wide philosophy and management approach that promotes community, government and police partnerships; proactive problem solving; and community engagement to address the causes of crime, fear of crime and other community issues (Hess, Wrobleski pg. 10). Community policing goes beyond the traditional policing from the previous eras. Officers are assigned to designated areas, in which they get to know the citizens of the neighborhoods they are assigned. They use a more effective means of patrol such as foot patrol, and bicycle patrol. They do not just patrol around in vehicles, and respond to service calls. This goes back to one of Peel’s principles, “Police must secure the willing co-operation of the public in voluntary observance of the law to be able to secure and maintain the respect of the public. The police must obtain a more involved relationship with the citizen of a community in order for the community to help the police with their patrolling to deter crime.

The Community Policing era has been one of the contemporary police activities in the last 30 years. It is more of a decentralized approach to reducing crime by involving the same officer in the same community on a long term basis, so residents will develop trust and then provide information and assistance to the officer. Community Policing does not replace motorized patrol or other police tactics but instead compliments them with community partnership and problem solving (Bailey, 2011).

Policing has changed since 9/11. They wanted different ways to detect terrorist actions and criminal acts. So community policing was implemented. The government has provided money and has been supportive in agencies efforts to participate in community policing. “For example, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), a branch of the Department of Justice, provide funding to local police agencies to hire 100,000 new community policing officers in the 1990s” (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000 as cited in Chappell, 2009, 6).

Law Enforcement officers have one of the most critical jobs in the United States. Their lives are always on the line and they are of high regards. This means they cannot fail! The results of their jobs do not only depend on their actions but also on the people. What this means is the community has a huge role when it comes to solving crime. Though many people may not believe it, they are the key to a successful crime prevention community. The people of the United States don’t really understand both the positive and negative effects that community policing actually brings. Some may say it is very dangerous based on their experiences. Others may say it’s the best way to do away with crime. Today the two will be compared and put to test by true officers serving our country. The facts will be stated and questions will be answered. Let’s take a look at what community policing is really all about!

Although many may find community policing and problem-oriented policing to fall in the same category, there is (surprisingly) a difference between the two. For one, community policing has many definitions. For some, it means instituting foot and bicycle patrols and doing acts pertaining to the ideal bond between police officers and their community. While for others it means maintaining order and cleaning up neighborhoods in desperate need of repair (Dunham & Alpert, 2005). However, an idyllic definition of community policing is altering the traditional definition of crime control to community problem-solving and promising to transform the way police do their job. Within the past two decades, there has been much research on community

Community relation issues across the nation have been increasing and causing many conflicts between law enforcement and communities. There has been so much disorder between communities and law enforcements not agreeing on how situation have been handled. Both the community and law enforcements having different perspectives on making decisions without ever looking at the others side and acknowledging each other’s reasoning behind their actions. Racism, responsibility and morals are some of many terms that are yet to be sorted out within all these communities that have on going conflicts. The relationships between a community and its law enforcement is important, although it is the police job to enforce, it is also the communities job to enforce all day and everyday (Russell).

Community policing is one method that police forces use to enhance public safety. According to the textbook Race and Crime, “It [community policing] was touted as having benefits over the traditional policing strategy because it is a proactive approach that

There has been much less consideration in the role of state and local government, which play a major role in preventing and responding to a terrorist attack. Community policing and other federal agencies can share many strategies such as transforming the agencies to take on new mission should be part of the homeland security strategy because fighting local crimes is the more effective approach in dealing fear and social disorder. When law enforcement are being trained toward a national role in homeland

As communities and public safety agencies prepare their communities to deal with possible terrorism, community policing models are effectively drawn upon for a better enforcement of preparedness. Efforts by federal and state governments are mindful of the production for events of the 1960 's Civil Defense but as a result of 9/11, there has been more action for cities and towns to develop response plans for any type of local terrorist incidents. The safety of the public is most important and falls into the hands of government agencies. Community policing encourages community input and involvement.

In the recent times, a lot of attention has been put into diverting the role of law and leadership enforcement to life and property protection from a large number of external and internal dangers. Homeland security strategy mentions that, on the neighborhood level, data and information gathering, coordination with state and government organizations, foundation insurance, and upgraded advancement of police-group connections will encourage aversion, furthermore, help reaction to potential terrorist attacks. On the other hand, the oddity of ideas under the Homeland Security worldview can be at any rate somewhat followed to the model of community policing (Stewart & Morris, 2009). In reality, it can be securely contended that for policing, homeland security obligations arrived all of a sudden as a solitary substitute to the strength of community policing.

Does Community Policing allow the police to keep homeland security a priority? Different police chiefs believe differently on this. Chiefs with 4 year degrees from departments that use community policing at higher levels also believe that community policing can improve homeland security.Oliver(2006) Priorities diverted from community to homeland security which lead the federal government to fund homeland with 41 billion(2004) Congressional Budget Office, compared with community policing budget 400 million(Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, 2004). The funding was less than half for community policing than it was before 2001, which Violent Crime Control Act gave 8.8 billion for. Many believe that police get a lot of intelligence from the relationship they have with communities that could prevent a terrorist attack(Henry 2002). The investment in community policing could contribute to strong information for Homeland security to work with and be workable with each other(Murray 2005). Well others argue that community policing can work along with homeland security because they have different strategies and objectives (De Guzman 2002). Pelfrey(2005) believes adapting homeland security with community policing is best because it allows the community be involved and gain trust. International Association of Chiefs of Police deem necessary for the success of homeland security is to have community policing. 9-11 also brought positive reactions to community policing since many citizens support grew after the attack for the police and there presence in the community(Fridell, 2004).After 9-11 (Ortiz, Hendrick, Suggie(2007) showed that there was an increase in community policing efforts especially in Arab

Community policing as a concept is mainly about allowing the community a voice in determining the priorities law enforcement. Allen & Sawhney (2015) defines community police as collaborative effort between police and the community they serve to customize the delivery of police services (p. 307). In order to utilize the community policing approach, it is important for agencies to have a strong bond and trust with the community they serve. Without this trust, creative policing innovations fall short. Despite what shortcomings the approach to policing may have for law enforcement, the popularity of community led or community based policing is on the rise in America. American law enforcement as an industry faces a never-ending public relations crisis, especially during the onset of tough on crime approaches prevalent in of the last forty years. Within the two decades, community police strategies based on bringing key stakeholders together to

Approaches of both community policing and traditional policing models differ in a variety of ways. The characteristics of the policing models are quite different from each other, and community based policing was considered laughable when suggested for the new approach in the early 1970s. Due to community policing’s new operating beliefs, new and unfamiliar expected officer behaviors, and that officers were being held legally responsible for their actions and inactions; the idea and implementation wasn’t widely accepted until 1980’s. Traditional policing was primarily dominated by rampant corruption and lawlessness that affected all levels of the police administration; therefore citizens had little trust if any, in the police officers of the time.