This week's objectives focused on police culture, community policing, corruption, and ethical dilemmas faced by law enforcement. Police have been hit with a number of public image issues of late and our print, television, and social media have provided an endless source of negative publicity which has (justifiably or not), tainted the public persona of law enforcement.
Your essay assignment this week will consist of two parts:
Part one is to identify a recent event in law enforcement that has negatively impacted a community's view of police. You are tasked with coming up with specific law enforcement strategies that would help restore that community's confidence in police. Your reading assignments provided a wide range of ideas and potential solutions to assist you in your essay to include Problem Oriented Policing, Community Policing, and the "Broken Window's" theory.
Part two is to identify a recent event in law enforcement that shows the police exhibiting professional or community-based policing that has had a positive impact on a community's view of police. It is important to understand that the majority of police officers are not corrupt and enter the field because they want to help people. Compare the approach taken by law enforcement in each situation.
Police culture, community policing, corruption, and ethical dilemmas
Full Answer Section
Part 1: A recent event in law enforcement that has negatively impacted a community's view of police
One recent event in law enforcement that has negatively impacted a community's view of police is the shooting of Daunte Wright by a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Wright was a 20-year-old Black man who was shot and killed by a white police officer, Kim Potter, during a traffic stop on April 11, 2021. Potter claimed that she meant to use her Taser, but instead shot Wright with her gun. Wright's death sparked protests in Brooklyn Center and across the United States.
The shooting of Daunte Wright has had a negative impact on the community's view of police because it has raised concerns about police brutality and racial profiling. The community feels that the police are not held accountable for their actions, and that they are more likely to use excessive force against Black people. This event has further eroded the trust between the community and the police.
Specific law enforcement strategies that would help restore that community's confidence in police
There are a number of law enforcement strategies that could help restore the community's confidence in police. These include:
- Problem-oriented policing: This approach focuses on addressing the root causes of crime, rather than simply responding to individual incidents. This could involve working with the community to identify and address issues such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of opportunity.
- Community policing: This approach emphasizes building relationships between the police and the community. This could involve things like holding community meetings, attending neighborhood events, and working with community groups.
- The "Broken Windows" theory: This theory argues that visible signs of crime, such as graffiti and abandoned buildings, can lead to an increase in crime. This approach focuses on addressing these visible signs of crime in order to prevent more serious crime from occurring.