Changing The Role Of Policing In The 21st Century

Police Practices and Operations Paper

Introduction

The nature of policing from the local, state, and federal are changing in the 21st century. As crime has evolved and gotten more sophisticated so as law enforcement. Especially in a post 9/11 world of emerging threats of terrorism, law enforcement had to adapt and overcome. They had to change their underlying model of how they operate in the communities they serve. The law enforcement in the past 2 years have been embracing new technology to be more proficient at reducing crime and being more responsive to the needs of the community the operate in as well. This paper will focus on new operational methods that police agencies are using in the 21st century. Also cover the current trends that

A system that can be flexible and tailored to the communities they operate in. Public Safety and law enforcement needs vary within the USA from rural police agencies to big city police departments like the NYPD. The solution that arose is COPPS which is short for Community Policing and Problem Solving model (COPPS) ("The Traditional, Bureaucratic Policing Model And The Contemporary Model Of The Community Policing Era", 2013). This model took a decentralized approach where police offices were put in store fronts and shopping centers to have a more visible approach than the standard precinct model. This allowed to deliver police services to a broader population and increase visibility to the community ("The Traditional, Bureaucratic Policing Model And The Contemporary Model Of The Community Policing Era", 2013). This also allowed more proactive policing strategies that could leverage technology and the latest cutting edge techniques, more on that later. Another added benefit is that local police that adopted this model were seen as a viable partner with the neighborhood or community which could establish trust and better relations. This leads to better intelligence and tips that helps reduce the overall crime. Even within the police agency this forced administrators to change their leadership style from a dictatorial style

Using the same social media platform as a way to keep a finger on the pulse of the community which can prevent riots in distressed communities. Another powerful tool is body cameras or ‘cop cams’ which has already changed the dynamic of policing in communities. This adds an extra layer of accountability in police/public interactions. Be a boon to large metro police departments in recent wake of victim shootings by police. May offer a clear cut perspective in shooting victim cases that are questionable at best (Stanley, 2015). Reduce the number of wrongful death lawsuits which can drain the coffers of police departments that could be spent on better training and equipment for law enforcement (Stanley, 2015). Aid the police officer in searches and routine traffic stops where the body camera is an impartial witness (Stanley, 2015). As computing gone mobile so will policing where the leveraging of smart mobile devices from tablets, IPads, and smartphones (Peet, 2013). Policing will become app based with databases, search warrants, or issuing a simple citation can be done from one’s fingertips. This will help untether police from their patrol cruisers and help them better interact with the community at large. If technology in whatever form isn’t abused can be a powerful measure to radically change how small and large police