Trends In Policing

Crime control is perhaps one of the most important issues facing communities today. Although the law enforcement professionals are trained to investigate crime once it occurs, their central focus is on the prevention of crime altogether. With this in mind, researchers have noted that various trends in policing have emerged as a proactive role in patrol and community involvement. By doing so, police professionals are able to identify possible trends in the community before they become problematic for community members and taxpayers.

To illustrate how researching trends in police work can improve the outcomes for police professionals, one only needs to consider the process of community policing as an effective method for controlling crime. Although community policing paradigms are difficult to institute overall, the benefits that they afford communities cannot be overstated. In Ohio, for instance, proactive police work in the form of community policing has enabled community police departments to lower crime rates and reduce the overall costs of their operating budgets. What this suggests is that proactive community policing can have a number of benefits for the community and the police force. By working with the community to resolve problem issues before criminal activity occurs, the police and the community ensure a safer environment.

In response to the need for more community involvement in law enforcement, these five concerns should be implemented:

1. A wide acceptance of the philosophy of the program to foster community/police interactions. This ensures that every member is devoted to the group cause.
2. Develop guidelines to deter social dissonance based upon job description. It demonstrates the necessity to insure that every member has an equal place in the group project.
3. Have a wide variety of program sub-categories that examine and help all the facets of community problems. The community must understand that the police are concerned with all individuals.
4. Officers must be given the responsibility to take action and be empowered with the authority to make decisions; especially when using creative thinking. The reason for this is to stop bureaucratic entanglements and to make sure that each member is equally giving forth to the group.
5. There must be an active connection between all resources within a community and the police to ensure the best implementation of the program. With the use of every social organization within an area, one can achieve the maximum potential for success.
   
   

The secret to a secure relationship between the police and individuals is the social perspective of equality. These five strategies will build a smooth transition between those who protect and those who want to be protected. It will promote increased communication for both law enforcement and civilians; a valuable commodity when trying to decrease crime and make it safe in the community.