Worth a Look: 6 Ways Policemen Can Regain Credibility With The American Public
One would have to live under a rock to not see the turmoil surrounding the policing business these days. Â We’ve never been on the top of the Christmas card list, but there is a loud bunch of people inking us into the naughty list with a fat pen (pressing hard, making 5 copies).
There are endless discussions to be had on the issues, to many too approach at once.
I found this piece on a unique blog, anonymouscop.com. Â The author offers 6 ways the police can regain credibility with the American public. Â Some cops may have differing opinions about the 6 offerings, but there is no doubt that these are from the heart, and from the road. The prophetic and brave assertion is that as a group, we have to look in the mirror, determine what we are doing wrong and fix it. I agree. We have to own what is ours to own, and make it better.
You’ll be glad you took the time to read this:
What do you think of these suggestions? Â What would you add? Â As the author suggested, what can be done to close the gap between the police and the community?
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Dawn Pappalardo
Some good points… Some bad points
Larry Marx
Deputy Chief at West Valley City
This is a great article and well worth reading. I really like all six tips. Thanks for sharing.
Bill McPherson
Secretary at Nebraska Association of Emergency Management
I retired from Law Enforcement 19 years ago. When I took the oath the first time, I believed what I was saying and tried to live up to it. Sometimes trouble jumped off too quickly and things got out of hand. In our society today we are inundated with the media image of the sneering disdainful shaved headed storm trooper that the public has come to fear. I believe most Officers still believe they are on the job to serve and protect. It is the task of the Police Administration to return those on the edge to those service centered values we held dear in the 70s 80s and into the early 90s. To the list I would add: 1. study the force continuum and learn to use your best weapon, your brain. 2. Get out of that cruiser and meet the public. You have legs, use them. A hand shake will go a long way when trouble happens and you need an ally. 3. Smile, a lot. We in Public Service need to remember whose money we are using and benefiting from. Be thankful you are an Officer in the GREATEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
James Helton
Retired Fire Horse
Most of the anti-police hype today is originating from a news media set on sensational reporting without regards for the damage it may cause.
George Rose CET
Deputy Director of Emergency Management / Massachusetts Middlesex County Deputy Sheriff
The Norman Rockwell picture at the end of article speaks volume! Community Policing is a lost art! Police Officers should become part of the community fabric. Till this day I remember the officer who patrolled my neighborhood when I was a kid many years ago.
I truly believe people working in public safety need to look at the taxpayers as customers.
Pete Ticali
Director, Emergency Management & Preparedness Training at New York State Chaplains Task Force
Hi, I read your title and never read anything else. Nor do I wish to. If you assume police need to do anything to be more credible, I sincerely suggest you need to explain why you are not disabled. The only thing police can do, is somehow help to legislate that idiots cannot be elected, and that ALL laws 8n place need to be inforced. Wake up dude! We are a country of laws. Unless you want to live without laws; you had better in force the ones in place….No, you do not get to choose which one’s are politically expedient!
Clayton Spangenberg
VP/COO at SLS Enterprises, Inc
I think this “blog” writer is working from a flawed premise: That the police NEED to REGAIN credibility. That assumption is just plain wrong!
James Barth
Crime Prevention Practioner / State of Florida
Great article
David Lyons, MBA
Author of PoliceBusinessAdvisor.com
I think the author started a good conversation, we should all be looking at the things we can change now. Please stay safe.
James Barth
Crime Prevention Practioner / State of Florida
I agree David.
James Davenport
32 YEAR Advance Certified, Decorated Police/Motorcycle Officer, Detective, Corporal, Sergeant, Lecturer, former U.S.M.C.
I think most of us look at things we can change about ourselves all the time. It’s a very good article, but I’m still trying to understand why I have to change. Do you know how many changes cops with over 30 years on the job have seen? There is no in-service training, sensitivity training, etc. for the rioters, looters, ultra-liberals. There are sheriff’s, chiefs of police, mayors and city managers, etc. that run the departments and they have their own ways of doing things and often, their own agenda. Then you have various civil leaders, i.e. NAACP, ACLU, victim’s family and friends, looters, etc. who also have their own ideas and agenda. I do not believe you will be able to find people who will be able to identify, study and agree on an iron-clad policy to cover these incidents. There will always be variables; politics, hate, race, outrage, age, history of problems in the area and opportunists being driven by bus, into areas they seek to loot and destroy. I’m not being cynical, I’m a realist.
Bob Fisher
Law Enforcement
For hundreds of years, we have been the “peacekeeps” of the World. !! What has changed?? Our society / families base seems to have shifted. Our parents/families
Need to step in and get involved more….to reset our “values of old.” We need to go
Back and educate our base/ foundation, to make people realize we too, are just
Ordinary people trying to correct all the “wrongs” that are occurring in society today. We are the ” friends, not the enemy.” (Retired Illinois State Police).
Brian Vinson
Operations Manager at TRC Engineering Services
Interesting that this article seems to support the thoughts of those who seem to not have read it.
I think our society has stopped valuing respect, and that it is this very deficit that is inspiring a good bit of the cop / anti-cop cross talk.
If we respect the police as our duly assigned enforcers of the law, and they respect the citizens as those they are sworn serve and protect, and we all respect the law and its overarching rationale or preservation of social order, we’d not have need of articles such as this.
Believe me, I’m not a Utopian. I don’t think it will ever be “perfect” for everyone – but a little mutual respect would start putting us back on the right footing.
Edward Kolar
Seeking Emergency Management Position
I will state up front that I am not in LE but have experience with them having worked with in a high crime area ER, and in other areas. Having said that, I do not feel that police overall have lost their credibility. As with any group there are those that abuse their authority and need to be transferred, retrained, and/or removed. When the public or officer is directly threatened response needs to quick and equal to the threat. This is where the training comes into play. And the general public needs to realize that it is not the time to grab the s’more and sing Kumbaya! Or start a witch hunt. And that includes senior public officials, political appointees, or special interest groups that can do more damage than good. If anyone, they should worry about their credibility. But when same “officials” condemn violent protest action with a wink and nod, they only create more confrontations.
There are laws in place for a reason, and most of these situations stem from someone not complying with those laws or the police that are enforcing them because they think they are different, special, or just don’t give a damn. I don’t care what your background is, where you grew up, race, belief , etc., you can’t have it both ways. Without law, and the subsequent enforcement of it, you have chaos. Every riot has proved that.
Ronald Beggs
Lieutenant at Dearborn Police Department
All good points. Something that I’m certainly trying to be more cognizant of and to better communicate to my fellow officers is the idea of “lawful but awful” or the understanding that just because we can do it doesn’t necessarily mean we should do it. I’ve seen a trend that often times when arrests are made for ‘contempt of cop” crimes, especially as the sole charge, that uses of force are often the consequence rather than a thoughtful de-escalation when possible. These types of incidents can lead to a lessening of police credibility. Thanks for the article.
James Davenport
32 YEAR Advance Certified, Decorated Police/Motorcycle Officer, Detective, Corporal, Sergeant, Lecturer, former U.S.M.C.
Does anyone remember reading MAD magazine and the bizarre parodies? If this discussion weren’t so serious, one could easily make light of it. I am involved with about half dozen of these discussions on linked in. I have an A.A. Degree and probably enough credits to equal a B.A., but never actually finished. I always liked the street and spent 28 years being educated there. My point is that we’re all engaged in these thought-filled “heady” discussions, in think tanks, trying to identify the root problem and solve this ongoing dispute between the police and the public. Of course, we’re the public too, but not treated that way. I believe the majority of people like us, but they’re not loud and brash and don’t throw Molotov cocktails. As a young Marine, I caught all the same shit that everyone from the Viet Nam era caught: “baby killer,” loser, etc. So, instead of educating the public, the Corps put us in Affirmative Action type classes that would help US understand the public! Fast forward JIM 38 years later and it’s the SAME SHIT! I’m supposed to be re-trained and procedure is supposed to be changed so that WE can better understand the public! Police will still respond to calls, try to save peoples lives, protect lives and property and die in the line of duty. Our discussions are educated while the bad guys continue to post hate mail, check bus schedules for the next demonstration point, post how and where to buy guns and post their wish list of stores they wish to loot and steal from in the nest OIS. Does anyone else see the twisted irony in all of this?
Brian Whitbread
O/A he makes valid points. However, the public needs to take more responsibility and accountability toward our value system before any change can occur.
Tom Peine
Public Information Officer
Though I don’t share all of the views expressed in the article, the author has a lot of valid points. As a department we constantly work to improve how citizens we serve can communicate with us. Deputies learn from their early days in the academy how important a good relationship with the community is and how much we depend on it when investigating crimes.
Clayton Spangenberg
VP/COO at SLS Enterprises, Inc
Edward – Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton come to mind as agitators, doing more harm than good. They are quick to lead their mass “congregations” in protests as we have seen in recent months. However, they are LOATHE to do it in Chicago or other places where blacks murder more blacks than whites (including cops) do, and black on black crime is rampant.
I agree with all points thus far, especially Bill McPherson’s comments. Something has happened to much of the younger generation cops. Although they do wish to “Protect and Serve”, some have developed the “Us vs. Them” theory. Common sense 101 isn’t taught in our higher learning institutions. It isn’t taught in the home either. You’ve got to get out and meet the public. Just like a politician, “Door to door, store to store, meet and greet, grip and grin.” We as police officers have to be friendly and firm with the public. Treat people just like you’d want to be treated. You can take most people to jail with some degree of dignity and it works. Try it sometime!
David Lyons, MBA
There is a difference in the approach between younger officers and veterans; just looking at the responses to this you can see a pretty clear line of disagreement. Our biggest asset should be our ability to communicate.
Eddie Patrick
Lieutenant, Mobile Police Department
I can’t endorse this article, at all. The title was my first indication that he is not in touch with the public or the police. The police have not lost the credibility of the public, despite a small group of revolutionists claiming otherwise. They are being aided significantly by some politicians, athletes and mostly the main stream media. However, they are not representative of the vast majority of the public. I won’t waste time pointing out the flaws of almost every point he makes. I can agree with a small portion of some of his points, but overall the article is lacking substance. Who really thinks that not wearing sunglasses is going to change anyone’s opinion of the police?
Law enforcement has not lost credibility at all. Active and retired LE officers have said herein better than I. We have increasingly become a society of wimps — silently passing on standing up for principles out of fear of offending one group or another. The murder of two NYC police officers is the direct result of the few who believe the adverse consequences of anarchy in the name of “outrage” are acceptable.
Todd Osborn, MSM, PMP, CHS-III
Proactive Emergency Preparedness Professional looking for Opportunities in Michigan.
Top Contributor
I am in full agreement with David Lyons. In todays world perception is reality. This is why the media and social networks wield such power. One basic element is to punish those officers that break the rules. This is not an easy task as LEO are being overwhelmed with illegal immigration, open borders and drug gangs/cartels. As Americans we hold dear that noone is above the law. yet our system now shows otherwise. Money and position equals a different legal status. Perjury and corruption often go unpunished and cameras, ticket quotas do not help. Given our country’s current leadership climate (President, Atty General and an ineffective house/congress, and governors, mayors serving time for corruption) all contribute to a negative perception. If the average officer is not the enemy, then do not treat the average law abiding citizen as a threat.
Jeffrey C King USA (Ret), A.A.S, NREMT-P
Experienced Paramedic/Infantryman/PSD Operator seeking new opportunities.
I think these thoughts were plausible during the same time the Norman Rockwell at the bottom of the page was painted. As an Iraqi war veteran who see the coming storm more clearly than some and as a medic that has worked some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in America, I can tell you the world has changed. The community no longer has any interest in the friendly cop, they have declared themselves at war and police do not need to do anything to regain credibility. The police and all emergency response workers must maintain their warrior mindset, stay in the fight and be prepared for the world as it is, not e world as it once was or as they wish it still could be. The question is what will the violent, hateful and ungrateful public do to regain credibility with he police?
Todd Osborn, MSM, PMP, CHS-III
Proactive Emergency Preparedness Professional looking for Opportunities in Michigan.
Top Contributor
Why is it that some people must start their input by demeaning others and glorifying themselves? Newsflash; many of us served in the armed forces and have also been in hazardous areas. If you really believe that public servants need to be soldiers then LEOs will be hunted to extinction. It’s the mindset that police and responders are somehow above everyone else that causes the problems in the first place. They are public servants not storm troopers. There are areas/situations that need to be handled tactically, however to state that police/first responders should be soldiers is foolish. To take the position that a free society should pay homage to organizations established to serve them is appalling. If this is your approach the job I recommend another field.
Merry Christmas!
Will Brown
—
The good thing is, it is easy to identify those that are toxic to the profession. The only question is, do we have the courage and fortitude to root them out.
Morgan G.
Disaster Action Team Coordinator SWID ARC
Merry Christmas, here’s food for thought. I lock my doors to keep honest people honest, I arm my weapons to help stupid people make better decisions. My role in an emergency is not enforcing the law or fighting the fire, or rescuing the wounded. I deal with the aftermath. I say this because I was taught to respect the uniform. All of the LEO’s I know only have one job, enforce law. And I will support them in that, same with the fireman or EMT’s. I once went to school that had a poster which read “it’s not who you are, it’s what you wear.” The LEOs don’t need to regain their respect, the media and hate mongers that spread fear in the communities they take their money from need to be respectful. I lost a brother to the pressures of the community he had served diligently as an LEO. They have a job to do, let them do it however or with whatever tactical gear they deem sufficient for this violent world. There will always be a bad apple in the group, always. Be prepared for them.
Dr. Brook Henderson
Online Adjunct Instructor at American Public University System
OMG! The article is a rant against the government. Is that supposed to be an apology for the police or is it intended to deflect attention away from them? I was aghast at this article. It surely did not elevate the police in my estimation. It may have eroded something
Pete Ticali
Director, Emergency Management & Preparedness Training at New York State Chaplains Task Force
Just what the world needs.. another literate A hole with zero experience. .. it is very possible that all police forces have a percent or two of less than perfect members, but the stats speak for themselves. We don’t need better police. We need people and provocateurs to realize we are a country of laws, and or no one else (Mayors, phoney religious figures and even political advocates, be they union leaders or city council members ) are above the law. This started with trumped up charges and is going to end as a full fledged race war…EVEN THOUGH ITS NOT ABOUT RACE, AND IT WILL SET BACK MILLIONS OF HARDWORKING CITIZENS (MOSTLY MINORITY). We do not have a race problem. We have race baiting professionals using decent people to pursue their agendas.
Michael A Wilkerson
Detail-orientated, organized, dependable professional
Pete T. Like the way you think sir
Michael Ikechukwu Diogu,ADMIN MANAGER/ CSO.
At Interra Networks Ltd.
This piece is absolutely insightful, indeed. The need to do some self-audit by members of the police force is imperative. Well done! Well Done!!
Joshua Ball, MPA
Law enforcement, AVSEC, Aviation, Firefighting, Information Technology
Interesting read. Not sure I agree with most as a solution but definitely think studying the Constitution is critical. Crazy things like stop wearing sunglasses is a bogus solution for a real problem.
Heidi Hiatt
Utility Data Entry Clerk at City of Kirkland
David, thank you for posting this. Two of its bullet points jumped out at me. One is the Constitution. Besides the public’s concern about constitutional rights violations in general, there is widespread concern that police officers will be increasingly utilized to confiscate firearms from law abiding people.
Some sheriffs have openly said they’re not going to go there, like Lewis County, WA saying they’re going to hang back on a strict new law we passed here. But I’ve had several discussions lately with people wondering if cops will or won’t walk from their jobs if told to do certain things like this, and the dangers it causes for LEOs.
Second, as a former LEO spouse and civilian law enforcement employee, I can attest to the work regular shift/work off-duty/take a second job/spend/spend/drink/owe habits of some officers. It’s a vicious cycle and it’s how some process their stress. There is some training out there for LEOs on this topic and it’s a subject that deserves far more attention.
David Lyons, MBA
Sorry for the delay in seeing these comments. @Josh, the sunglasses suggestion is aimed at breaking down small communication barriers. It is not a high dollar item, but eye contact is important to a lot of people. In my agency, we banned mirrored sunglasses years ago for that reason.
@Heidi, the concerns over local police being used to grate against the constitution are talked about frequently. I have always told friends of mine not to count on seeing the police (as in, not the Feds) going door to door. I agree firmly on the need for emotional support programs in the job; they have been absent for years.
Bruce Levinson
Vigilance
a day is not ENOUGH. .a week. I know im right.
Heidi Hiatt
Utility Data Entry Clerk at City of Kirkland
I’m a longtime municipal employee and have heard complaints about city employees refusing to take off sunglasses in general, not just about the cops.
David, did you read Serpico’s piece in Politico a couple months ago? It’s similarly thought-provoking whether or not you agree with him on each point. Irritates me that he still gets death threats more than 40 years later. http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/10/the-police-are-still-out-of-control-112160.html#.VKmdjCvF-oE I referenced it in a recent blog post about why it’s so important to maintain integrity in the Peachtree City, GA police chief investigation.
David Lyons, MBA
Author of PoliceBusinessAdvisor.com
I will have to check that article out today. Most of the smart LEO CEOs these days are openly advocating to clean their departments of the people in their agencies that are not adding value to the services in the community, which is a very good thing and over-due. Those actions may not address every perception problem we see today but it will move us closer to a higher degree of professionalism.
Robert Dunn
Police officer at Thomasville Police Department
There are some valid points in this article. I agree on the studying the constitution first and foremost. That’s not for just cops however. Second, I agree on a decreased workload. I, myself am a workaholic. I know it and it’s a hard habit to break. I agree somewhat with the drug cop topic. I however know that with drugs, comes money, comes violence, comes guns, comes burglary and thefts. Drugs really are a catch all. I also understand that a regular beat cop can’t by himself afford to spend all of his allotted patrol time on just this. As for sunglasses, I disagree. I wear sunglasses because I have sensitive eyes and for no other reason. There are many people out there that like to bring things small things up like sunglasses, gloves and other things that supposedly look intimidating. They are needed for safety. Safety should come always come first when it comes to law enforcement. I could care less about what looks intimidating for the one most important point in your article, “Most people don’t need us”.
David Rice, MA CJ
Patrol Sergeant
David, There is a lot of truth in what you say. However, even if an agency has done all it can do to build relationships with the community that work can be torn down by the actions or inactions of other agencies. A very strong argument can be made that the police department in Ferguson had a poor relationship with the community it serves. An even stronger argument can be made that the racist policing policies of the Bloomberg Administration eroded the good will NYPD earned after 9/11. However, many police department which have worked hard to build relationships with their communities are now under attack. Examples would be the San Francisco and Berkley.
David Lyons, MBA
Author of PoliceBusinessAdvisor.com
I agree David; looking at the industry as a whole, our actions impact more than just the towns we are in. Not much room for error!
Joshua Ball, MPA
Law enforcement, AVSEC, Aviation, Firefighting, Information Technology
I will agree with Robert. I have to wear sunglasses on cloudy days to due to sensitive eyes. I also wear gloves after one to many exposures to bodily fluids. I think education is the number one way to bridge the gaps. Educating officers on the Constitution and on their own community but also educating the community on law enforcement. Huge proponent of citizens police academies. Sadly, the majority of the people getting face time with the media do not seem to be a minority of people. The media is loving this ratings builder.
Heidi Hiatt
Utility Data Entry Clerk at City of Kirkland
I think where that sunglasses comment was going was that there are things officers can do to make people more at ease and might consider if its not a necessity or safety issue. An officer I used to work with would call out stereotypical elements of coworkers’ dress, reminding people that you don’t have to wear Blades or sport a particular kind of mustache to be taken seriously. He had it right in that the public is often more likely to relate to an officer as a fellow human being if they come across as an individual rather than a stereotype and aren’t giving off the vibe that they’re hiding behind some element of their dress (think about Bad Cop in the LEGO movie and his mirrored sunglasses– somebody was playing on a stereotype there). I completely understand why some people have to wear sunglasses or Transitions lenses and acknowledge that could be a safety issue.
Joshua, you’re spot on that the police can do more to educate the public and officers could be better educated on certain topics. Thank you. Love it! It needs to be a partnership as much as it can rather than an us vs. them issue. Citizens academies are great, but they maybe reach 30 to 100 citizens of tens to hundreds of thousands in a given city in a year. Most government agencies have their own TV channels and could be featuring segments, without compromising police tactics or safety, about why the police do what they do. They could also be putting blurbs in their newsletters.
I’ve been pushing for PSA-type education of the public for years on certain topics on major channels and stations, like traffic laws (go freeway speed when you’re getting on the freeway.. signal BEFORE you turn… parallel park the direction of traffic, not against it… and for the love of Pete, unless you have space to make the left turn, don’t do it and then sit there blocking the intersection because your time is more important).
David Lyons, MBA
Author of PoliceBusinessAdvisor.com
Josh I firmly believe that most of the media outlets have been completely irresponsible in the last several months. They have little or no interest in advancing the quality of life in the communities that they report on.
David Lyons, MBA
Author of PoliceBusinessAdvisor.com
Heidi is spot on. We as an industry should be running up front on the messages we want to deliver. With all of the internet and social media options available, we are running out of excuses.
Heidi Hiatt
Utility Data Entry Clerk at City of Kirkland
David, I agree that the MSM is playing a dangerous game. Their ratings-driven fervor to highlight certain divides in this country can deliberately pull divisive and profiteering personalities into the mix so that civil unrest is more likely. Now is not the time in history to be turning Americans against each other. Now is not the time to be fanning the flames instead of getting people to work together to lessen those fires. There are bigger threats in this world that we need to stand united against, and far more constructive ways to heal what needs to be healed.
Joshua Ball, MPA
Law enforcement, AVSEC, Aviation, Firefighting, Information Technology
Law enforcement definitely needs to learn how to capitalize on media relations.
Heidi Hiatt
Utility Data Entry Clerk at City of Kirkland
Top Contributor
It seems that a lot of departments simply ooze guarded info. about current cases when they need to have a much broader ongoing dialogue or feature with/in the media. The city I work for does a pretty good job of that and a lot of people are complimentary about their policing because they are open and accessible. That way the police aren’t lowering the drawbridge and sending a town crier out once in a while, but there’s no moat to begin with.
David Magnusson
Chief of Police at City of Havelock Police Department
The point made with the Constitution is perfect. The United States Constitution should be every law enforcement officers’ “Bible”. They should carry a a small copy with them and re-read it from time to time. I am always learning things that flat out astound me in regards to the foresight exhibited by the founding fathers. You can never go wrong stickling strictly to what lies inside those hallowed pages.
I do disagree with “Dethroning the drug cop.” Keeping one’s eyes out for real victims, dictates that the “drug cop” is a very important part of police work. Now let me preface that with I, too, am all for getting the drug users help and not have to push them through the court system. I agree it is an illness. I include alcoholism in this as well.
However, the victims of the narcotics trade are often the hardworking person who come home to find their house broken into, their lawn mower stolen from a shed, or their car ransacked in some parking lot. Drugs a victimless crime? Hardly! If the “drug cop” on his beat, goes after the user, gets him/her out of that area or off the street (up to and including getting him/herhelp) the property crimes will go down ( in that area).
The “drug cop” also keeps the narcotic seller from getting his “feet planted”. If a good, knowledgeable, tenacious and professional cop is consistently hitting the dope areas, in conjunction with larger operations, the violence that usally takes place in those areas, will subside. I say this, because if you don’t do it, if the dopers feel they can act without consequence, the area will get much worse than it already is. But what’s worse is that the law abiding citizens will resent the police for not doing anything to stop the violence. Keep in mind that narcotics is the fuel that drives the crime engine in most cities.
“Keeping your eye open for real victims”, and “that guy who is robbing people Downtown” may very well bring you back to a person who has a drug problem and needs help. But once he/she breaks into someone’s house or holds them up at gunpoint, putting fear and terror into their victims, I tend to emphathize with what I consider the “real victims.”
Yes we have a drug problem in this country, The churches, medical facilities, and businesses can move mountains to assist in this crisis. But aren’t we all making the assumption that everyone wants help with their problem? or is it only after they get caught victimizing someone that they seek help? I would venture to say with great confidence that the vast majority of people fighting drug addiction or alcoholism are not putting guns in people’s faces,holding them up. They are battling horrible demons and I feel that more need be done to help them.
Certainly the vice units can do more with their in-depth investigations. But I submit to you, when a citizen of a high crime area, closes his/her eyes and thinks of a hard working cop who has helped or tried to help with the issues surrounding their neighborhood, I guarantee they are thinking of a uniformed police officer. Ask any resident of high crime areas their opinion of cops (and yes, there are some) who “may see something going on (such as a drug sale in progress) and keep on driving as though they saw nothing.
Police officers MUST be professional, respectful, inclusive with the community at all costs and at all times. Furthermore they must deal with ALL the issues of their beat/zone. If the drugs are allowed to run rampant (with no patrol answer to them) you are not entering into “the Broken Windows” territory (To use an often used criminal justice study). There are no windows. The entire building has been stolen.
“Winning the Hearts and Minds of the Population!” It really is that simple. It starts with addressing every issue that casues victimization to someone else.
Robert C. Crouse
Associate Director Southern Police Institute, Retired
Policing is not and should not be a business. Building community credibillity is something earned and is not given in time of extreme stess.
What happened in Furguson cold have happened everywhere a agency is not prepared. One of the key elements of being prepared is trust building wihin the community. A local law enforcement agency should seek balance — in racial make up of an agency the appropriate balance is one that matches the make-up of the community.
Strickly based on the observation of the unfoding operations several things seemed strage to me:
1) The “witness” was a participant in a strong arm robbery;
2) The”witness” becomes a person that should have been taken the prosecutor for potential criminal charges;
3) There is no standing based on the point — the Ofiicer did not know these two were potential offenders – he did not have to know the two assalaints knew;
4) It did not apeare that the local police had the training and experience in mass disorder and civial disobediance; and
5) Officer Wilson became the victim and was always the victim.