Critical Issues in Policing

Policing Issues

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Policing or law enforcing is a job which is ranked among the most dangerous jobs (Loveday, Leishman & Savage, 1999). That is due to the job description and the difficult environment in which the employees or police work in. As a police officer or a legal enforcer, one is supposed to get to the crime scene as soon as possible and better still, before the crime takes place. Most of the time, the police job it involves getting into a dangerous situation, one which only needs the right skills accompanied with the right gear and weapons for one to operate effectively and efficiently. The police should have the right technology to tackle the situations which present themselves. The police also face the dangers of getting into loggerheads with the public while performing their duty. There have been many cases of the public beating up and even killing the police. While carrying the policing task, the police create more enemies than friends. The enemies may be the criminals who perceive the police to be a hindrance to their criminal operations.

Despite the police being well trained and protected from the dangers present in their work, there are instances when their safety is compromised. The infrastructure used by the police department is important in ensuring an effective work is executed by the law enforcers (Ross, 2012). The training undertaken by the police is also important as it may increase the chances of the police effectively carrying out their duties. The criminals may at times prove difficult or risky to deal with, especially when they have more sophisticated weapons and technology which could likely outsmart the ones used by the police in the crime scene. Many police men and law enforcers have died in the line of duty, a factor which should be reversed. They should not die while safeguarding the public.

In their operations they are supposed to capture the crime doers and render the society free from criminal activity. While protecting the public, they are also supposed to take care not to harm the suspect. The less than lethal weapons are developed to the advantage of the police operations and the public at large. The use of lethal weapons by the police could lead to stray bullets which could injure the police and the public as well. Their development has enabled effective and efficient police operations that are enabled with the ability to act swiftly when attacked by criminals engaging in criminal activities. Even more effective weapons should be developed owing to the benefits of such weapons being used by the police. In reality, a little more lethal weapon is used by almost all police agencies. That is because the criminals often present violence and they could harm the police if the lethal weapons are not used. To some extent, the lethal weapons are necessary (Ross, 2012).

The technology used by the law enforcers while they undertake their duty is of great importance to ensure effectiveness and efficiency. The more advanced the technology used by the police, the better the law enforcers will be able to combat criminal activities (Loveday, Leishman & Savage, 1999). Owing to that importance, the National Institute of justice sponsors a number of researches which are aimed at developing the most effective technology to be used by the police. The current and most effective technology that has helped the police combat crime effectively are the Global positioning system and body armors and less projectile weapons. For instance, the global positioning system technology has improved the communication among the police thereby making the police operations more effective. With a poor communication system, the police will likely risk their lives as those of the public since the criminal activities will thrive. The advanced body armor is also another technology which has proven effective in protecting the lives of the police and the public at large. The technology enables the police to get to the crime scenes and stop the criminal activities; while they are guaranteed of their safety.

Homeland security and law enforcement relationships are yet another important issue in policing. The policing powers are mainly got from the state, societal and territorial levels. Corporation among the stakeholders is important for policing to be effectively carried out. The criminal activities which are noticed in the society should be reported with immediate effect by the people in the community. The police departments on the other hand should cooperate and work effectively with the public. They should device ways to teach the public about the suspicious criminal behaviors and the response which should be taken on such observation. Protecting operators of such criminal activities could jeopardize the entire objectives of the police and law enforcement. The partnership among the various stakeholders in relation to policing should be made effective. There should be improvement on the communication and sharing of information among the various partners. There should be enhancement of the federal resources aimed at facilitating the partnership. That could be through training and giving grants among other effective means.

The police health benefits are also a policing issue which should not be taken for granted. The police, just like any other humans are faced with health problems among other economic strains. In addition to that, they are exposed to very risky situations which expose them to hazards. For them to perform their task effectively and to the benefit of the public, their health cover should be more detailed than that given to other less risky workers in different jobs or departments. There financial security too should be guaranteed since they may collaborate with the criminals. Their financial problems should be checked and better financial benefits accorded to them. As such, they will resist temptations which could lead them to collaborating with the criminals.

The issues of Policing are vital and are crucial to the economic development and wellbeing of the society. The best technology should be supported and improved so as to come up with the best weapons and methods of combating the criminal activities; which are constantly changing. The police should undergo intense training and the selection process should be free of corruption, nepotism and other vices. The negative vices may jeopardize the entire policing process. Homeland security and community policing, which are important to the security of public and police should be observed and encouraged. Research should be constantly carried out to enable continuous improvement of the efficiency with which the police carry out their task.

Reference

Loveday, B., Leishman, F., & Savage, S. P. (1999). Core issues in policing. Harlow: Longman.

Ross, J. I. (2012). Policing issues: Challenges and controversies. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.