Community Policing

1647 Words4 Pages

Law enforcement is an ever-evolving job. Over the last several decades, community policing has become a rudimentary principle for police departments all over the United States. Community policing is an idea that encourages law enforcement agencies to be proactive and foster partnerships with the communities they serve. This is done, so they can address crime and other issues. This essay will look into the four key dimensions of community policing that guide how police departments can effectively implement this philosophy. Those dimensions are the philosophical dimension, strategic dimension, tactical dimension, and organizational dimension (Cordner, 2023). We will also look at the case of Strategic Planning in Spokane, Washington, and provide …show more content…

This started when Terry Mangan became the Chief of Police. He did not have any plans on how the department would move to community policing, so he sought to create an environment where different ideas and projects could be presented at the table (Ipl.org., 2023). Chief Mangan showed a strong commitment to making change and introducing community policing. Chief Mangan took a proactive approach to changing the Spokane Police Department by applying a comprehensive strategic planning process that involved community members, learning and developing their vision and goals and sharing them. He also aligned department resources and other priorities to support community policing. Chief Mangan also highlighted the importance of data-driven decision-making, performance, and accountability. This was to ensure that the department was achieving admirable results in their effort to build trust with the community and decrease crime. This approach to community policing and organizational change was successful in many ways. Under his leadership, the Spokane Police Department showed major improvements in crime rates, community engagement with police services, and overall officer morale. By communicating with community members over planning and implementation of new strategies, Chief Mangan …show more content…

Police work is a key function for the production and maintenance of public order, but it can also discriminate, exclude, and violate civil liberties and human rights (Egbert, & Leese, 2020). While these activities are important parts of police work, they represent only a small fraction of the complicated responsibilities police officers are tasked with on a daily basis. Police work is surrounded by a variety of roles and functions. This includes prevention of crime, traffic enforcement, community engagement and community policing, victim services, crisis intervention, and social service services. The portrayal of police work in popular culture has shed both positive and negative results. Police officers are portrayed in television series, books, and movies. On one hand, the fictional depictions of police officers are heroic, courageous, and noble individuals, as well as hold the ability to help brighten the image of law enforcement and inspire others to have respect for the profession. These portrayals in this fictional setting have also raised awareness of the challenging obstacles and dangerous situations police officers are put in during the line of duty. This is an appreciation for their dedication and sacrifice.

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