Trust And Legitimacy In Law Enforcement

Society in general have showed the distrust, protests and many questions for the like hood of the police profession. The reputation of the police profession is that of the 6 pillars of policing in the modern world as outlined by the President’s Task Force on the 21st Century Policing, which sought to recommend steps forward. Under the banners of ‘Building Trust and Legitimacy’, ‘Policy and Oversight’, ‘Technology and Social Media’, ‘Community Policing and Crime Reduction’, ‘Officer Training and Education’, and ‘Officer Safety and Wellness’ – here are concise definitions for each one and what they mean for American policing ("Final report of the resident’s task force on 21st century policing," 2015).

The field of police work is constantly being forced to develop and improve its protocols, procedures, and practices in an effort to keep pace with the ever-changing society in which it operates and criminal behavior it seeks to eradicate. While the history of policing has been marked by substantial changes throughout time, the work of modern-day police officers and officials demonstrate some of the most substantial adaptations to its surrounding environment that the field has ever seen. In order to understand where the future of policing is heading, it is important to first understand these current trends that are affecting the current landscape of the profession. By

Computerized communication within law enforcement has and will continue to improve law enforcement as the technology is implemented and utilized within these agencies. The utilization of such devices as mobile data terminals (MDT’s) has given the average patrol officer access to enormous amounts of information. Even in 1979, Computer and technology were said to “have the potential to aid in criminal justice activities through the rapid communication of accurate and complete information, and perhaps a more rational approach to decision-making” (Colton, 1979. P.19). Now in 2014, the computers and

Many statistics show the way police brutality has changed over the years. Police claim that brutality has risen 35% since September 11th 2001. Statistics show the in 1982, out of twelve thousand randomly selected citizens 13% had been victims of police brutality. Approximately 422 people that were sixteen years old or older claimed to have had contact with police in which force or threat was used on either side in 1999. In the years 2002 and 2003, 90% of the citizens shot by police were either African American or of Hispanic background(“Law”). The number of police officers killed by brutality from citizens jumped up 13% from 2010 to 2011(Bond).

Each year, the FBI provides research on law enforcement officers that have been killed or assaulted; many people know this as LEOKA. The goal of this data is to provide people with information through the UCR (uniform crime report) about law enforcement officers who have been feloniously and accidently killed, and also officers who have been assaulted in the line of duty. The uniform crime report presents this information through overviews and statistics about each of the victims, where they come from (the state they resided in), and also when and how they were killed. Throughout the years this has become an effective way to research and learn about this topic and understand why it is important to know about. Throughout this paper I am going to find patterns through different regions and states in the United States under all three of the topics LEOKA focuses on and find similarities and

Moving along, one of the biggest issues and trends facing law enforcement today and in the future is the use of technology. Today, police organizations have access to a wide range of technological tools, and they are continually advancing and improving. Some of these include records management systems, computer-aided dispatch, GPS technology, license plate readers, biometrics (facial recognition software, for example), crime mapping via geographical information systems, and less-than-lethal weapons (Tasers, beanbag rounds, tear gas,

This is very important when it comes to community relations and law enforcement. To implement this pillar, law enforcement agencies should start by learning to build trust and legitimacy within the communities. They can do this by partaking in community events or gatherings. They can be social with the citizens of the community and get to know the people of the community. This way the people will not see the officers as a threat to them when they are in the community. As stated in the article, Law enforcement agencies should implement a program that conducts annual community surveys. I agree with this program. This would allow officers to see how much the community has trust in them and see how little they trust law enforcement. In return, agencies can create programs that will help them gain the trust back and kept that trust within the community. Another thing that I agree within this pillar is that law enforcement officers should not be seen as a threat. They should be seen as almost as a heroic figure and an important figure in the eyes of the community. People should be able to trust police officers and have faith that they are going to help them and not strike fear in the people. This to me is the most important thing about law enforcement. The trust between officers and communities. If no one has trust in law enforcement, I believe that law enforcement would not

Police Departments are continuing to evolve to try to stay ahead if the criminal. Police technology is most influential changes relative to modern policing. Police agencies are using modern technology such as internet to convey information to the public, smart phones with the capacity to communicate with others from the field, and mobile computers to retrieve information, (Grant & Terry, 2012). Because police officers have mobile computers while in the field,

The use of excessive force by police officers is a topic that continues to make headlines and a study that needs to be done. Although much research has gone into this topic there still is no consensus on why the use of excessive force occurs. Some studies suggest lack of training and/or problems with organization policy/procedures. Law enforcement officers are authorized to use force when necessary, but when the level of force is excessive, however, the actions of the police come under scrutiny. The resulting effects can include; public outrage, scandal, negative reputation for not only the officer but the law enforcement community, and criminal considerations. Although there’s is no concrete definition of excessive force, police

Pillar two stresses that if police are to carry out their responsibilities according to established policies, those said policies must reflect the communities' values that the police serve in. In order to develop competent policies and practices to make use of the necessary resources aimed at crime prevention and reduction, law enforcement agencies need to be able to collaborate with community members, especially in communities and neighborhoods truly affected by crime. A step in the right direction would be to start improving relationships (between law enforcement and communities), increasing community engagement, and fostering cooperation.

Pillar five emphasis on the important of training and education needed of law enforcement officers. Everyday our nation become more advance. Law enforcement officer need to develop new way of training to carry out their mission properly. Officers needs to be well trained and educated to address the challenge such as international terrorism, evolving technologies, rising immigration, changing laws, new cultural mores, and a growing mental health crisis. To assist the training and educational needs of law enforcement office, law enforcement agencies should involve community members in the training process. They should provide leadership training to all personnel throughout their careers. Also the Federal Government should support the development

The criminal justice field is an ever evolving field. As today’s technology changes so does the way the criminal justice field interacts with that technology. As our society changes the technology that we use will also be altered to fit the situation. The barriers that come along can affect how the criminal justice field interprets what to do next. The basis of the criminal justice system is to protect and serve the community as a whole. Keeping up with the changes in society is a vital part of our

In recent years, society has heard cases of police brutality at an increasingly shocking rate, thus creating a sense of distrust among communities towards police officers and other authority figures. As the first line of defense against crimes such as home invasions or crimes against persons, police officers are expected to be an ally towards victims; however, it seems that society is now viewing officers as the perpetrators of crimes as opposed to the protectors. This has already posed an issue because community members are choosing not to seek police help when needed, and when they do decide to seek help, forgoing police assistance results in being uncertain of where else to go.

There is a perception of distrust between law enforcement and the community. This distrust stems directly from the dangerous words police use when communicating with the community. (Willis, 2015, p.) Simply choosing better words can help build relationships between law enforcement and the community. It is necessary for law enforcement to have trust with their community. There are many things that hinge on the police-community relationships, the ability of law enforcement to perform their duties, are the most important. Law enforcement must be willing to rely on the public to observe the law. They must always demonstrate absolute impartiality to the law.

Police use of force policies are used by all types of law enforcement officers. There is a concern for a balance of ethical decisions. There are mutual concerns for the rights and lives of civilians and the wellbeing and lives of officers. Upholding excessive stress-free standards for employed law enforcement is detrimental to police use of force mandates. Police organizations can reduce some of the scenarios that cause use of force outcomes. There is a need to find what process can identify potential issues prior to events or actions that cause criminal misconduct by law enforcement. Police training and development needs reassessment. There needs to be an administration of logic and reasoning prior to the use of any force, especially deadly force. Most of the police operations that incite these negative outcomes are avoidable with the implementation of proper training.