Community policing connotes to the building of efficient ties between the community and the police. By enhancement of community policing, myriad benefits would be achieved. In the early 1960s and 1970s community policing was a major setback. The mentioned setback got prompted by several factors, thereby, necessitating the development of community policing. Initially, there existed hostility. The mentioned hostility aimed at the police by the community. The communities increasingly treated the police with contempt (Brogden & Nijhar, 2103). The mentioned hostility led to constrained relationship between the police and the community. Due to the increased hostility towards the police, insecurity became a wanting issue. For this reason community, policing was principally established.
Prevalently, there existed bad police officers. The specified factor imposed suffering to the community. The suffering got elicited by the increased police harassment. The police greatly exercised violence towards the harmless community. Moreover, the police were too rude to the community. The mentioned discourteous treatment evoked fear to the community towards the police. Additionally, the highlighted police officers were extremely corrupt. The said corruption imposed forced collaboration of the community with them. Corrupt police officers compelled the community to abide by their demands (Gaines & LeRoy, 2006). Consequently, the ties between the police and the community were significantly undermined. Therefore, in order to bring the ties closer together, community policing program got initiated.
The police and citizen had divergent ways on how crime could get mitigated. In order to control and regulate the heightened levels of insecurity, there was a need for community policing. Community, together with the police gathered relevant information that would collectively be initiated to curb the insecurity menace. Additionally, there existed varied response strategies to an insecurity situation. Consequently, cooperation of the community with the police prompted the establishment of Human Relations training. The mentioned organization aided in improving the ties between the police and community. Additionally, another significant factor that led to the establishment of community policing was due to lack of confidence (Manning, 2003). Specifically, the community had not confidence in the police. The mentioned confidence lacked due to the harassment of police. Therefore, to assist in regaining confidence towards the police, community policing program initiation took place.
Notably, poor communication on the side of the police was a prompting factor. Lack of the mentioned communication often placed the community in a state of oblivion. Devoid of information in the community caused increased damages in the event of an enemy attack. The damages were due to the unpreparedness of the communities. Also, during socialization, particular parents warned their families against the police. The warning, thereby, inflicted fear of the families towards the police. Categorically, the communication barrier factor prompted another factor; distrust of the community on the police. In order to enhance the communication of the police coupled with the regaining of their public trust, community policing got established.
Similarly, a significant number of police officers coupled with the Human Relations Movement argued that it was of no logic in the only enforcing law and order. Also, the suggested movement and police agitated for an association of the community and the police. The groups, therefore, campaigned for the introduction of community policing (Palmiotto, 2000). Increased awareness and unity would be the result of free association between the police and community. However, it was unfortunate that some experienced police officers hardly wanted to associate with the community. The mentioned character of some police experts led to neglect of the communities. Accordingly, by neglecting the communities myriad challenges of insecurity got experienced.
References
Brogden, M., & Nijhar, P. (2013). Community Policing. USA: Routledge.
Gaines, L., & LeRoy, M. (2006). Criminal Justice in Action: The Core (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson-Wadsworth.
Manning, P. (2003). Policing Contingencies. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Palmiotto, M. J. (2000). Community Policing: A Policing Strategy of the 21st Century. USA: Jones & Bartlett
