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In policing, effective communication is a police officer’s most important tool in their toolbox
Law enforcement and communication
Barriers to effective communication in law enforcement
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Recommended: In policing, effective communication is a police officer’s most important tool in their toolbox
“Communication is an important factor in effective policing. Police work in the streets and communication with the public are critical in law enforcement. Police officers encounter a wide range of people of all races, cultures, ages, ethnicities and backgrounds, and they need to effectively communicate with them all.” (www.ehow.com) When looking up the definition for effective communication it is said that it is a common sharing of information and ideas of not only oral and non-verbal information as well as written. Law enforcement has a crucial objective and that is to protect and serve the community for which they have taken an oath for. It is as major achievement for law enforcement to have effective communication in their community. It is important that the law enforcement officers understands what us going on in a situation and that the officer is understood by all involved. …show more content…
An officer must be able to express their thoughts, ideas, attitudes and feelings verbally and nonverbally in a positive manner to become trusted by the citizens. Communication is a two-way street so the officers who demonstrate that they can effectively communicate with the citizens and build their trust than the communication from the community is just has important.
Problems that may cause police officers to have ineffective communications would be when officers are indirect and they cannot seem to get their point across. They come across as having no interest in what the person may be going though. If it seems to the person that the officer is unreceptive than the citizen becomes angered and might want to retaliate. Also communication could be lost if the officer’s message is not directly stated or if their message is
After reading this article so many thoughts go through my head. Officers are humans just like an individual who does not wear that uniform. Police officers go duty each and everyday not knowing what to expect and worried about if they are going to make it back home to their families. Communication in law enforcement is a very important fact when dealing with civilians. It is important that Police officers build relationships with individuals in the community, because it will help those in the community to have more trust and confidence in those who are to protect and serve.
Communication also consist of verbal and non-verbal communication. Verbal communication is continuous and basically can be perform by saying or communicating with other person in front of you and non-verbal communication is used when someone cannot speak therefore hand gestures, body movement, and any other ways which would be easier to convey your message to the person. (University of western Sydney 2010) effective communication is essential for police in order to enhance public confident. Police must keep in mind that not everyone is fluent in English, therefore must speak in clear plain English. Communication needs to be complete and style is also extremely important in this respect and must avoid jargon and technical terms so everyone in the public understands the message. (Wunch, hol
There is a saying “actions speak louder than words” and pertaining to their mission statements it really does. In order for the Police departments to build trust within their communities it starts with them being true to their word; and their word being their mission statement and what they will do for the community. This statement can’t be just a saying they use to make the community feel comfortable because than they start to look untrustworthy and the community will start to doubt them. “Law enforcement officers have accepted a position of visible authority within their communities and are held to a tremendously high standard of honesty, integrity, equity, and professionalism” (U.S Department of justice. N/A) and with this comes the responsibility to uphold their word regardless of how they may
Stating the problem and asking for suggestions about how the problem can be solved. When there is a problem, we should follow the proper protocol to get the problem resolved. The breakdown in communication between the police officers and city management caused an unnecessary conflict because city management acted out of fear and the mayor possibly losing an election due to the overtime pay the police officers were receiving, which was mandatory because of the promise made by the mayor to lower crime by increasing police patrols in high-crime
The Officers are tasked with the responsibility to bring together both governmental and private resources in order to achieve positive results. They are often encouraged to spend a significant amount of time and energy raising and preserving individual interactions with residents, businesses, schools, and community organizations.
"A policeman’s first obligation is to be responsible to the needs of the community he serves…The problem is that the atmosphere does not yet exist in which an honest police officer can act without fear of ridicule or reprisal from fellow officers. We create an atmosphere in which the honest officer fears the dishonest officer, and not the other way around.", -Frank Serpico.
Law enforcement officers are trained to protect and provide a service to the community where they work. Without an organizational structure within the department, there would be no checks and balances. Every officer must know the functions of law enforcement to do their job effectively in the community and how to keep an open line of communication within and outside the policing agency. Preventing crime ensures the public safety while offering the presence of police in high or low populated areas. Preserving the peace gives the community a feeling of safety. Providing a service is not limited by the community where the officers service nor by the people who need help. This paper will examine the organizational structure of policing agencies, communication patterns within and outside of the agency, identifying existing issues with the police and community and how this issue can be resolved.
Because of the growing diversity law enforcement and criminal justice professionals also face language barriers and different cultures.In order to do their jobs effectively and safely, sworn and civilian law enforcement personnel must be able to communicate with the people they serve.In this regard, law enforcement
are to be treated with kindness, respect, politeness, and love that is a police officer 's duty.
Since we live in this day and age, officers have to be careful how they present themselves, therefore communication skills and character are crucial. Being with the Milan police officers, I was able to improve my professional communication skills. Not only do officers have huge responsibilities, they also have to be aware of how they carry themselves. As a police officer, you want people to be able to talk to you, and you should be able to understand the emotion behind what they are saying, which is when character comes into play. When dealing with the people of the community, you really have to know how to talk to people, no matter what the situation.
The police must be active members in their community to understand the people they are protecting and how they can be proactive in the crime prevention in that given community. For the second question in the survey I stated that it is the public’s job to obey the law and make the police’s job easier and not more difficult. Once again, I was close minded in my answer. The public is tasked with policing the police; however, it does not mean they are making the police’s job more difficult, it is just about holding them accountable for their actions. Police require a wide set of characteristics, if they want to be successful during the application process and enjoy a long career in public safety. When asked in the survey at the start of this course, I answered that an officer requires the ability to treat all people fairly in all situations. This is a phenomenal quality for a police officer to have, but it is just one of many that an officer must possess. Adaptability was the first the trait that stood out me, when reading the modules, because it is essential for a new and old officer to continue to grow and adapt.
Good communication is essential to how well police officers interact with the public because it influences how the public responds to officers. Listening, speaking, writing and focusing on what others say are all ways officers can affect the way the public views them. A lack of these vital communications skills results in poor understanding, an officer not knowing how to proceed, and people who need police assistance giving up. Officers must also consider how communication might affect a community’s reaction. It is obvious that these traits are very important for optimal police work. Experiences show that people react more calmly and cooperatively when police officers treat them well. Therefore, good communication is needed in order to make the jobs of police officers easier and more positive.
Oral and written communication have equal merits, one needs to be proficient in both disciplines, however I believe that oral communication is the most important. Given the need for effective communication in a professional law enforcement setting one needs to be able to convey ones thoughts accurately in order to elicit the desired response.
As in all aspects of personal and professional life, having effective communication is a key element of success. Effective communication can benefit your relationships with people. By conveying your message and integrating them as a member of the team and not just a subordinate leads to better production. By effectively communicating you can clearly define job responsibilities and expectations. The better you are able to communicate the less likely organizational turnover of personnel will occur. Supervisors and leaders in the professional workplace find that the most important factor in advancement and retain ability is effective communication. Senior level executives and human resources managers are stressing the importance of communication and providing more training for mid-level management. Emphasis is placed on communication being clear by being transmitted strongly.
written reports. Good police work is maintained completely by an officer 's ability to present