The State of Community Policing
Law Enforcement officers have long been a source of much controversy and a much needed service in our communities. Law Enforcement officers have sworn an oath to keep us safe from harm and protect us from those who may want to deprive us of our basic liberties. Officers are to up hold our laws and in exchange we give them power to monitor our behaviors and correct us if we need correcting. However, are we supposed to be friends with Law Enforcement officers and know them on a first name basis if we have not committed a crime? Does community policing work and is it necessary for crime control?
From the dawn of Law Enforcement there have been two basic concepts in keeping people safe, be reactive, which means to respond to crime as it happens; or be proactive, which means to be involved in the community and educate individuals before crime happens. Many police departments across this great country are a little of both concepts, some maybe more reactive, while others are more proactive. These two types of policing depend on how large the city or town. Many smaller communities work well with the community policing aspect of law enforcement, while very large cities may want to incorporate community policing just do not have the man power or time.
In the 1930’s, a man by the name of August Vollmer had this to say about policing, “the policeman is no longer merely the suppressor of crime, but the social worker of the community as well. A well-educated highly motivated friendly appearing Public Service Officer, public welfare officer, human affairs officer, public safety officer, whatever name used --- should replace the repressing oriented and frightening policeman” (Vollmer, 1932). Until this era of time police strictly enforced the law and not much else, they did not become friends with their communities. Finally in the 1950’s everyone was community oriented and so were police. They walked a beat and got to know people on a first names basis. People
From the dawn of Law Enforcement there have been two basic concepts in keeping people safe, be reactive, which means to respond to crime as it happens; or be proactive, which means to be involved in the community and educate individuals before crime happens. Many police departments across this great country are a little of both concepts, some maybe more reactive, while others are more proactive. These two types of policing depend on how large the city or town. Many smaller communities work well with the community policing aspect of law enforcement, while very large cities may want to incorporate community policing just do not have the man power or time.
In the 1930’s, a man by the name of August Vollmer had this to say about policing, “the policeman is no longer merely the suppressor of crime, but the social worker of the community as well. A well-educated highly motivated friendly appearing Public Service Officer, public welfare officer, human affairs officer, public safety officer, whatever name used --- should replace the repressing oriented and frightening policeman” (Vollmer, 1932). Until this era of time police strictly enforced the law and not much else, they did not become friends with their communities. Finally in the 1950’s everyone was community oriented and so were police. They walked a beat and got to know people on a first names basis. People
Cited: COPS. (2010). Community Policing Defined. Retrieved from http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=36 Reed, C. R. (2003, October 16). Police Integrity. Retrieved from COPS: htt://www.cops.usdoj.gov Vollmer, A. (1932). The Wickersham Police Report. Criminal Law and Criminology, 716.