1.
The three policing strategies that are found to be most important are community policing, problem oriented policing and evidence based policing. Community policing involves the establishment of partnership with the community by the police officers. This strategy will allow the police officers to develop a constructive relationship with the community members that will allow them to reach out in helping them solve their problems about crimes and not merely to respond to the calls for service (Albrecht and Das, 2011). The process will result in the decentralization of the police organization that will result in a more responsive criminal justice system that is more sensitive to the needs of the community while helping its members to participate in problem solving. Consequently, public trust will develop which is beneficial to the morale of the police authorities. Community policing emphasizes the three elements of citizen involvement, problem solving and decentralization of the police organization.
Community policing implements the policy adapting strategies based on the local situations and customs. It emphasizes transparency, coordination and trust between the community and the police authorities. Stevens and Yach (1995) point out that the community is the heart of effective policing where the close and positive relationship between the police and the society is an essential pre-condition to effective policing. They explained that police neglect in consulting and obtaining the cooperation of the local communities may result in unrest and probable riot within the community. Thus, this shows the continuum between good community relations and public peace. The strategy is also more effective as it helps rebuild the trust of minority communities to the police. Community policing also establishes a systematic means of addressing crime prevention within the local community level. This is an effective policing strategy because the police authorities have the partnership with the community members who know better about the existing problems in their locality.
Problem oriented policing is also effective in making innovative strategies in policing because it makes the problem the basic unit of the police work. It uses the approach of dealing with the conditions that cause the problem instead of simply responding when the problem occurs, thus it also has the effects of redefining the way the police do their job. Instead of being merely responsive when their duty calls, the police officers are required to apply analytical skills and implement a systematic and routinary processes to solve problems. Its benefits consist of expanding the role of the police officers where they are also required to exercise good judgment and analytical decision making process. Peak (2013) noted the benefits of problem solving approach in addressing community problems using the SARA model (scanning, analysis, response and assessment) utilized in problem oriented policing. The model is used for reducing recurrent problems that cause harm within the community. By using the model the police authorities will be able to eliminate conditions that facilitate crimes. Numerous researches support the success of using the problem oriented policing and gained tremendous acceptance in many police organizations.
The strategy requires police to shift from reactive incident-driven tactics to proactive crime prevention strategies. It can be noted that many community problems may not involve crimes. By utilizing the problem oriented approach in police, the police officers will be able to handle problems within their own discretionary measures that will help in reducing or preventing its occurrence. Most of the time, community problems may not be resolved by arrests and prosecutions. By immersing the police officers to the community and requiring them to apply analytical skills in solving community problems, they will be more effective in bringing peace and order in the community with their role not mainly confined to making arrests and responding to crimes. This approach will also reinforce police accountability in the decision making process. Problem oriented policing is most effective when it is implemented alongside the community policing strategy because both approaches are complementary to one another for more effective policing in today’s changing world.
Evidence based policing is another innovative approach for more effective policing strategies that address the evolving environment within the communities. Policy decisions must be based on sound evidence and high quality information that are derived from various sources of knowledge and researches (Williamson, 2008). Evidence based policing provides a scientific information and knowledge on what works best. It also determines which practices and strategies in policing accomplish the objectives of the police organization and which is most cost effective. The approach yields better efficiency because decisions will be based on testing hypotheses and empirical research findings (Sherman, 2013). When police administration and policies are supported with research evidence, the police find more meaning and integrity on their police work.
The use of evidence based researches link police work to better outcomes. This is because statistical reports and scientific evidence demonstrate what works best in policing. According to Bueermann (2012), the evaluation of on-going police operations is important because it links research-based strategies in improving safety outcomes of the public and to implement a response driven approach based on smart crime control response. The use of evidence based practice allows the development, implementation and evaluation of proactive crime fighting strategies. The effectiveness of this approach in policing strategy is leveraged from both types of research on what works best and the evaluation of the outcomes of applying the research finding into practice. The use of scientific research thus promotes better implementation of effective strategies that works better in keeping the communities safe. The use of evidence based policing provides a framework consisting of sound scientific concepts that result in the development of coherent approach that helps policing strategies more effective and efficient.
2.
What makes policing interesting is the fact that there are different roles and responsibilities that police officers need to do. Policing is not solely confined to what the police officers need to do, but it also extends to implementing policies and strategies that will make policing more effective and efficient. Policing used to be a crime busting concept to me. I always see police officers as authorities in making arrests and bringing peace and order within the community. However, I view policing as a different concept as one with a broader and more complex responsibilities not solely limited to arresting criminals. Policing extends to the implementation of different strategies that will work best in bringing peace and order to the community, as well as in helping problems that are not mainly criminal in nature.
According to Waddington (1999), the traditional image of policing is one where police officers protect the people from lawlessness. Police officers are also viewed as patrolling within the localities, making apprehension and preventing crimes from being committed. This traditional concept about policing is what I have in mind. However, I soon learned that policing involves a more complex and broader process where police officers are required to adopt the best policing strategies to address the innovative changes on how crimes and problems within the community evolve. What makes policing more interesting is the role mandated from the police officers to explore their analytical skills and intelligence and apply them to different situations. Community problems are not solely confined to crimes and police officers have to extend their role from crime busting authorities to one that can help the community members solve other existing problems. This makes the role of police officers more interesting because of the accountability that is attached in every decision making process they make.
Perhaps one of the greatest challenges in policing is determining the best approach in combating crimes and solving community problems that constantly evolve and change. This imposes a significant challenge on what policing strategies will work best and how to approach the problems more effectively. Administrative policies in policing are also challenged in making continuous researches on the best policing strategies to apply based on individual communities that have different needs and demands. Addressing the constantly changing demands from policing strategies makes policing highly interesting. Utilizing evidence based researches and practices offer policing a good leverage in defining the best approach to meet these challenging demands from police organizations. I have learned that policing and police administration is not an inflexible system. The approach in policing consists of flexible measures that are supported by the best practices in the field of policing using research methodology, testing hypothesis and application of the research findings to practice.
Another interesting learning about policing is the immersion of the police officers to the community. This changes my traditional view of police officers staying mainly in the police cars patrolling the area of their jurisdiction and making pursuit or arrests to criminals. Police officers are now making efforts to gain public trust and establish coordinated efforts and rapport with the community members who are now considered as their partners in eradicating crimes and bringing peace and order. Their roles now extend to becoming more involved in helping community problems that do not necessarily involve crimes. With community policing becoming the modern perspective of police roles, I have learned that the responsibility in crime prevention now depends upon the cooperation between the community members and the police authorities. Community policing is more significant in the current conditions because police authorities alone cannot prevent crimes and public cooperation becomes an indispensable part of policing (Ferreira, 1996).
Policing is traditionally viewed as doing criminal investigations without the emphasis of using evidence based researches. I have learned that crimes are broad and complex and the existing conditions on criminality vary among localities. It is therefore important to use scientific researches, intelligence gathering, statistics and other quality information that are based on the best practices that are considered to produce better outcomes in policing. The evidence based policing is a new innovation in policing that is new to me. I realize the importance of researches in police organizations, especially in determining the best way of responding to crimes and disorders. Using evidence based research will provide important information on the effective policies that work best in law enforcement.
Policing strategies are important aspect of police administration. Each community has its own unique problems that require special strategies that will work best in providing the solution. It is important to realize that policing is more complex that does not only require the police officers to be deployed on the streets to combat and prevent crimes only. Policing requires a broader application of the extent of police roles and the need for public or community support. My learning emphasized the need for decentralization among the law enforcers finding out that police alone cannot solve crimes. Crimes arise out of the lack of social control and the law enforcement agencies need the help of the community members in crime control and prevention. It is not sufficient for the law enforcers to be diffused in the community and obtain community members’ cooperation, however. Researches, intelligence gathering and problem oriented approaches are also critical for a more comprehensive strategy for the efficient response of the criminal justice system to the call of peace and order in the community. This involves the application of standard practices that work best according to the unique condition existing within a local community. Changes in the social system that promotes crime and disorders require more innovative and proactive policing strategies to make the response of the law enforcers more relevant, efficient and effective.
3.
I have made significant realizations regarding my own concept about policing. I used to believe that policing only requires responding to crimes and law enforcement. But I realize that becoming a police officer carries the serious responsibility of being accountable to one’s actions and decisions based on the demands of the needs of the community. Police officers are not only bound to their call of duty in enforcing the law and in responding to crimes. They are also called to exercise their own discretions in helping solve community problems through means that are not often defined in the police handbooks. Police officers are mandated by their duty to assist the community members solve problems, which are not all crime related.
Taking these into account, I realize within myself that becoming a police officer does not merely involve doing police works like making arrests, prevent crimes, patrolling and doing criminal investigations. It requires the exercise of good judgment and understanding the application of research work to find the most efficient strategies that best work under certain conditions and situations. Not all crimes can be solved by the police authorities alone. An effective criminal justice system is one consisting of cooperation between the law enforcement agencies and the community members. This made me realize how valuable the participations of the community members in effective policing. Law enforcers need public support and cooperation in order to become more vigilant in crime prevention. The assistance of community members are essential in recognizing community problems and addressing the most effective solution to them. An important realization that I have therefore is the assumption that policing is a challenging and very complex process that requires intelligence, skills, knowledge, research ability, experience and sound decision making on what works best to the criminal justice system and to the community in general. It requires flexibility in the approach to law enforcement and determining solutions to community problems.
References:
Albrecht, J.F. and Das, D.K. (2011). Effective Crime Reduction Strategies: International Perspectives. Florida: CRC Press.
Bueermann,J. (2012). Being Smart on Crime With Evidence-based Policing. National Institute of Justice. 269.
Ferreira, B.R. (1996). The use and effectiveness of community policing in a democracy. Slovenia: College of Police and Security Studies.
Peak, K.J. (2013).Encyclopedia of Community Policing and Problem Solving. Singapore: Sage Publication.
Sherman, L.W. (2013). The Rise of Evidence-Based Policing: Targeting, Testing, and Tracking. Chicago: University of Chicago.
Stevens, P. and Yach, D.M. (1995). Community Policing in Action: A Practitioner's Guide. Cape Town: Creda Press.
Waddington, P.J. (1999). Policing Citizens: Authority and Rights. London: UCL Press.
Williamson, T. (2008). The Handbook of Knowledge Based Policing: Current Conceptions and Future Directions. England: John Wiley & Sons.
