The Importance and Main Methods of Upholding Optimistic Police and Community Associations

Transparency is crucial to creating and upholding optimistic police and community associations. In the occasion of a crucial event or incident, police agencies must attempt to release all the information to the media about the given situation that they can, and as quickly as possible. If the police departments achieve such, the communities involved will not perceive such critical information is purposely being hidden and kept a secret from them. Meanwhile, it is also critical to emphasize the importance of realizing that the initial information to become public in the media after a significant incident is only introductory and always has the potential to change as additional evidence comes to light, and becomes readily available to the media.

The authority figures of the police agency should inform their communities and the mass media know that premature information could possibly not be accurate, and will correct the probable misinformation, if any, as quickly as they can. On a day-to-day level, police agencies should publicize on their websites and other advertisements that can be seen by a mass majority of the given society detailing their departments policies and restrictions on citizen complaints, use of force, and a variety of other debatable issues prevalent to that community. Such information needs to be easily available and accessible to all age groups in the community. Organizations have recommended that in order for an agency to accept and welcome a more transparent way of life, the law enforcement agencies need to make all department guidelines and policies obtainable for public evaluation and frequently post on the police department’s website information regarding summonses, arrests, stops, testified crime, and additional law enforcement statistics, accumulated by demographics. Police agencies could also contemplate looking for endorsement by other agencies as a technique of representing their obligation to excellence being upheld in law enforcement. Police departments could also establish both accountability and transparency through adopting mechanisms for outside oversight, like independent auditors or outside review panels for internal affair inquiries.

Officials need training on diversity, cultural competency, and implicit bias. Many human and civil rights activists and other executives also recommend officers at every level in the department receive such raining. Many urban and rural areas are assembled of various neighborhoods which are occupied of a variety of diverse racial and ethnic upbringings and cultures. It is crucial for law enforcement officers to be able to connect with these different groups. They also need to be able to understand the minority communities’ cultural norms and respect that they are possibly different than theirs. It is recommended that police departments and alike agencies provide recruit training as well as in-training on implicit bias and cultural responsiveness. Data has also shown that persons who have become more aware of their unspoken biases are more inspired to see things from a different perspective and implement unprejudiced behaviors.

It is crucial for officers to remain regularly visible in their communities and become comfortable with the residents they have sworn to serve. Discovering various chances to intermingle with a given police departments community members outside of enforcement circumstances potentially aids in the reduction of bias and prejudice on both the side of law enforcement and the side of the citizens. When the only interaction one has ever known with the police is having to report being a victim of a given crime, receiving a speeding ticket, being harassed or treated unfairly, then that negative experience is consistently associated when any law enforcement officer might approach. When a police agency familiarizes themselves with its community residents, that helps both assemblies cooperate in order to break down some individual hurdles and to also overcome the various stereotypes that have been placed on one another. Getting to know the residents police officers have sworn to protect also permits the officers to observe and adapt to which individuals in a given neighborhood and community remain actual honest and upstanding citizens separate from those individuals that tend to bend the rules and regulations more often. It is reported that it is most common for the individuals who follow the laws are also individuals who resent the idea of police officers being suspicious of all residents in a given neighborhood. In order to construct reciprocated trust among a community and their police, both parties have to start experiencing positive, personal exchanges of contact.

A police department should be identified and involved with their community themselves. All local officials should encourage the active involvement of the police officers to help maintain the peace in their community. Some positive exchanges of contact would consist of; athletic teams involving the police department, inviting citizens for ride-alongs, involvement in school and community activities and events, and even introducing a youth police academy to get young individuals in the door.

Law enforcement agencies should endorse and advertise policing as a positive occupation. They should make it a priority to make the effort on recruiting those individuals that are attracted and intrigued by the idea of becoming law enforcement officers grounded on a genuine understanding that the majority of a police officer’s time consists of dealing with and taking care of community concerns and requests. They should be aware that the actions of actually enforcing the laws consume a much smaller portion of a police officer’s time. Police departments need to increase the overall diversity level of their departments by promotional procedures and changing the standards of recruiting. The departments should correspondingly offer and require opportunities designed for professional growth and occupational advancement training. Some reports have persuaded it essential that the federal government, in addition to the state and native agencies, to provide an incentive for police officers achieving higher education through various student financial aid programs. Internal processes of a department regarding recruiting, promotions, and other matters should be transparent and fair. When an agency creates an environment that promotes internal fairness and respect, officers are more likely to demonstrate these qualities in their daily interactions with the community.