Is Community Policing The Solution To High Crime Rate?

Is Community Policing The Solution To High Crime Rate?

Community policing is a law enforcement strategy that includes solving societal problems through collaboration between law enforcement officers and community members. The use of community policing in crime prevention has gained popularity in many societies because of the approach’s effectiveness in reducing crime rates. Statistics indicate that community policing positively impacts crime reduction in most communities in various parts of the world. For example, Marcus (2022) argues that a study conducted in New York indicated a 5.3% reduction in felony crimes after the introduction of community policing between 2013 and 2015. Another study by the Berkeley Police Department at the University of California indicated a 12% decrease in violent crimes and a 24% decrease in property crime in the university after the introduction of community policing in 2015 (Marcus, 2022). Therefore, community policing should be encouraged because it helps maintain order in society and increases community confidence in the police, leading to a reduced crime rate.

Community policing requires police officers and community members to meet various responsibilities. One of the responsibilities of community members in community policing is informing police officers about the criminal activities in the community. According to Ekici et al. (2022), community policing includes service provision, maintaining order, and crime control, which require voluntary sharing of information from the public, regular meetings with community leaders, neighborhood watch programs, and citizen police training. These activities focus on the priorities of the policing programs and require the active participation of the community members in reporting crimes and collaborating with the police officers to identify the hideouts used by criminals to hide from law enforcement officers. Community members are also responsible for sharing ideas the police can use to prevent and reduce crime. Ekici et al. (2022) argue that the success of community policing is founded on decentralized decision-making and increasing accountability among citizens. Therefore, it is vital to encourage the community members to share their ideas on crime prevention and implement them to maintain a good relationship that fosters collaboration.

Law enforcement officers play a vital role in community policing by fulfilling various responsibilities. One of the responsibilities is educating the community about their role in crime prevention. Devine (2019) argues that police officers are supposed to maintain proper interaction with community members to avoid creating mistrust, which could limit positive interactions that support community policing. Therefore, law enforcement officers and agencies must educate the public on maintaining a good relationship between law enforcement agencies and community members to implement community policing effectively. The second responsibility of police officers in community policing is responding to the community members’ calls when they need police services. Community members develop more confidence in police officers when they respond to their emergency and distress calls within the shortest time and act diligently to get justice, thus encouraging them to share information that can be used to enhance the effectiveness of community policing. Police officers are also responsible for updating the community members on what is being done to prevent crime and deliver justice for crime victims. According to Ekici et al. (2022), communication is essential in promoting a good relationship between the public and law enforcement officers. Therefore, police officers should ensure that relevant information is regularly shared with the community through the proper channels to promote transparency.

The relationship between community policing and the reduced crime rate has been explored in various studies. According to Morgan (2015), community policing increases the public’s trust in the police and satisfaction with the services they offer, thus encouraging the public to share information that the police officers then use to identify crime and criminals in the community, thus preventing and reducing crimes. Increasing the public’s willingness to report crimes also increases the number of reported and investigated crimes, thus increasing the crime reduction and prevention rate. According to Przeszlowski & Crichlow (2018), community policing increases cohesion among community members, reducing disorder in the community and crime. It also increases the positive encounters among police officers, thus motivating them to fight crime as a way of giving back to the community. Roycroft & Brine (2021) argue that neighborhood policing is effective in reducing crime and improving the public’s confidence in law enforcement agencies, thus reducing and preventing crime because the public is willing to collaborate in identifying and reporting crimes and criminals in the community. Community policing also enables the public to participate in making decisions about the measures that should be taken to address criminal activities, thus reducing and preventing crime.

Although community policing is essential in reducing crime rates in society, various concerns have been raised about its effectiveness. One of the concerns is its role in increasing the vulnerability of police officers to attacks because they are limited to a small area size. According to Rodgers & Asquith (2022), community policing police officers deployed to conduct patrols within the community may be assaulted by criminals and defiant community members, leading to a high risk of harm. Another concern is that community policing threatens the security of community members who collaborate with police officers in crime prevention. Most communities do not have proper measures to protect individuals cooperating with law enforcement officers, thus exposing them to harm and putting their lives and families in danger. Another concern is that the public may provide false or misleading information. According to Palmiotto (2011), police experience challenges implementing community policing programs when the public does not cooperate to find information about gangs, drugs, and prostitution. Sometimes, an individual may be paid or threatened to provide false or misleading information, making it hard for law enforcement officers to identify and catch the criminals in the community.

The concerns about the effectiveness of community policing in reducing and preventing crime can be addressed by fostering a good relationship between the parties involved in the community policing programs. A good relationship between the police and the public can be guaranteed by establishing and maintaining mutual trust and providing protective measures for police officers and community members engaging in the community policing program. It is also important to consider building police officers’ capacity to support crime prevention, create a decision-making framework, increase community engagement and information sharing, and implement performance measurement and evaluation processes. According to Morgan (2015), the capacity of police officers to support crime prevention can be increased by focusing on increasing their understanding of the crimes in the local community based on the trends in criminal activities, the nature of local crimes, the factors contributing to the crimes and the strategies that have been implemented in fighting the crimes. Police officers also need professional development opportunities to increase their competencies in community policing and law enforcement practices.

Creating a decision-making framework is essential in ensuring that the right decisions are made in implementing community policing programs to avoid negligence which could threaten the lives of law enforcement officers and community members and create loopholes for false and misleading information. Morgan (2015) argues that one of the things that should be considered when developing the decision-making framework is the person responsible or with authority to make decisions. It is important to include community leaders in community policing programs leadership to make decisions to promote a good relationship between them and law enforcement officers for effective community policing. The second consideration is the basis on which decisions contribute to the community policing initiatives to prevent conflict among the parties involved in the community policing programs. The third consideration is determining how community policing programs benefit law enforcement officers by encouraging them to participate. The fourth consideration is the priorities for the local law enforcement officers to prevent contradictions that could impact their willingness to engage in community policing programs. The fifth one is the possible resource implications for the police and the available resources to help the police fully commit to the program. The sixth one is existing evidence of the effectiveness of the proposed program. These considerations should be observed throughout the decision-making process to implement community policing programs successfully.

Performance measurement and evaluation are essential in determining whether the community policing program is effective and identifying factors limiting its effectiveness. Ensuring that the program’s performance levels meet the expectations of community members and law enforcement officers is essential. Therefore, it is vital to establish the mechanisms that will be used to measure the effectiveness of the collaboration between the community and law enforcement officers in crime prevention through community policing and make necessary improvements based on the performance measurement results. It is also important to negotiate with the local community leaders and the law enforcement leaders to ensure that the needs of both parties are met and reflected in the community policing programs’ objectives and the evaluation of the programs. Performance measurement is also vital in gaining support from the community based on the effectiveness of community policing programs in crime prevention and reduction.

In conclusion, community policing is the most effective way to prevent and reduce crime because it relies on community members who understand the areas with high crime rates, the types of crimes in the community, and the people involved. However, various concerns need to be addressed to increase its effectiveness. The main concerns include the threat it poses to law enforcement officers and community members’ safety and the likelihood of receiving false and misleading information from community members. The most effective way to address these concerns is by creating a good relationship between community members and law enforcement officers. It is also vital to build police officers’ capacity to support crime prevention, develop a decision-making framework, increase community engagement and information sharing, and implement performance measurement and evaluation processes. Community policing policymakers should also ensure that all parties’ needs are met to encourage collaboration.

References

Devine, J. (2019). Community policing: implementing community policing in our communities [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. The University of Alaska.

Ekici, N., Akdogan, H., Kelly, R., & Gultekin, S. (2022). A meta-analysis of the impact of community policing on crime reduction. Journal of Community Safety and Well-Being, 7(3), 111-121. https://doi.org/10.35502/jcswb.244

Marcus. (2022, November 17). Community policing: Lower the crime rate in your jurisdiction. Everbridge. https://www.everbridge.com/blog/community-policing-lower-the-crime-rate-in-your-jurisdiction/

Morgan, A. (2015). Police and crime prevention: Partnering with the community (111). AIC Reports Research and Public Policy Series. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281117199_Police_and_crime_prevention_Partnering_with_the_community

Palmiotto, M. J. (2011). Community policing: A police-citizen partnership. Routledge.

Przeszlowski, K. S., & Crichlow, V. J. (2018). An exploratory assessment of community-oriented policing implementation, social disorganization and crime in America. Social Sciences, 7(3), 35. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci7030035

Rodgers, J., & Asquith, N. (2022). Safety and security in remote, rural, and Regional Policing. International Journal of Rural Criminology, 7(1), 96–123. https://doi.org/10.18061/ijrc.v7i1.9103

Roycroft, M., & Brine, L. (2021). Community Policing. In Modern police leadership: Operational effectiveness at every level. Essay, Palgrave Macmillan.

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

---

WKPLACE 11
4.0

Touchstone 4: Revise a Persuasive Proposal
ASSIGNMENT: Review the in-text comments and summary feedback you received on your Touchstone 3 draft to enhance your writing. You will then submit a revision of your Touchstone 3 draft that reflects the evaluator’s feedback. Make sure to include a copy of your Touchstone 3 draft below the reflection questions for this unit.

As this assignment builds on Touchstone 3: Draft a Project Proposal, Touchstone must be graded before you can submit your final research essay.

Sample Touchstone 4
A. Assignment Guidelines
DIRECTIONS: When finalizing your persuasive proposal, you will need to use prior feedback to edit and revise your draft. The final version should be cohesive and have sources integrated throughout. It is also important to proofread and check for grammar and spelling errors.

Keep in mind: Refer to the list below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.

Editing and Revising
❒ Have you significantly revised the essay by adjusting areas like organization, focus, and clarity?
❒ Have you made comprehensive edits to word choice, sentence variety, and style?
❒ Have your edits and revisions addressed the feedback provided by your evaluator?
Cohesion and Source Integration
❒ Is the information presented in a logical order that is easy for the reader to follow?
❒ Have you included smooth transitions between sentences and paragraphs?
❒ Have you introduced your sources clearly and in a way that demonstrates their validity to the reader?
Conventions and Proofreading
❒ Have you double-checked for correct formatting, grammar, punctuation, spelling, and capitalization?
❒ Have you ensured that any quoted material is represented accurately?
B. Reflection Questions Guidelines
DIRECTIONS: Below your assignment, include answers to all of the following reflection questions.

How much time did you spend revising your draft? What revision strategies did you use and which worked best for you? (2-3 sentences)
List three concrete revisions that you made and explain how you made them. What problem did you fix with each of these revisions? Issues may be unity, cohesion, rhetorical appeals, content, or any other areas on which you received constructive feedback. (4-5 sentences)
What did you learn about your writing process or yourself as a writer? How has your understanding of the research process changed as a result of taking this course? (2-3 sentences)
Keep in mind: Refer to the list below throughout the reflection process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.

❒ Have you answered all reflection questions thoughtfully and included insights, observations, and/or examples in all responses?
❒ Are your answers included on a separate page below the composition?
C. Rubric
Advanced (100%) Proficient (85%) Acceptable (75%) Needs Improvement (50%) Non-Performance (0%)
Revising (40 points)
Demonstrate comprehensive “re-visioning” of the composition.
There is evidence of comprehensive re-visioning of the draft composition, including adjustments to organization, focus, clarity, and/or unity where needed or appropriate. There is evidence of significant re-visioning of the draft composition, including adjustments to organization, focus, clarity, and/or unity where needed or appropriate. There is evidence of some re-visioning of the draft composition, including adjustments to organization, focus, clarity, and/or unity where needed or appropriate; however, a few areas need some additional revision. There is little evidence of re-visioning of the draft composition, such that multiple areas in need of changes were unaltered. Revisions are absent or did not address the issues in the essay.
Editing (40 points)
Demonstrate comprehensive sentence-level edits throughout the composition.
There is evidence of comprehensive edits to the draft composition, including adjustments to word choice, sentence completeness, sentence variety, and/or style where needed or appropriate. There is evidence of substantial edits to the draft composition, including adjustments to word choice, sentence completeness, sentence variety, and/or style where needed or appropriate. There is evidence of some edits to the draft composition, including adjustments to word choice, sentence completeness, sentence variety, and/or style where needed/appropriate; however, some issues were overlooked. There is little evidence of edits made to the draft composition, such that many errors remain. Edits are absent or did not address the issues in the essay.
Source Integration (20 points)
Integrate source material appropriately and effectively.
Introduces sources smoothly and effectively through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Uses APA formatting for references with 2 or fewer errors. Primarily introduces sources effectively through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Uses APA formatting for references with 3-4 errors. Introduces some sources effectively through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary, but more variety could be used. Uses APA formatting for references with 5-6 errors. It relies too heavily on one method of source integration (direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary) and does not thoughtfully apply source integration techniques.Uses APA formatting for references with considerable 7+ errors. Shows no attempt to integrate source material into the composition or relies on quoted source material for over half of the composition.Do not use APA formatting for references.
Cohesion (20 points)
Establish and maintain a logical flow.
Sequences ideas and paragraphs logically and uses smooth transitions (within and between paragraphs) such that the reader can easily follow the progression of ideas. Sequences ideas and paragraphs logically and uses transitions (within and between paragraphs) such that the reader can easily follow the progression of ideas. Primarily, it sequences ideas and paragraphs logically and uses sufficient transitions (within and between paragraphs) so that the reader can generally follow the progression of ideas. The progression of ideas is often difficult to follow due to poor sequencing, ineffective transitions, and/or insufficient transitions. The progression of ideas is consistently difficult to follow due to poor sequencing and lack of transitions.
Conventions and Proofreading (20 points)
Demonstrate command of standard English grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, and usage.
There are few, if any, negligible errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. There are occasional minor errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. There are some significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. There are frequent significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage. There are consistent significant errors in grammar, punctuation, spelling, capitalization, formatting, and usage.
Reflection (10 points)
Answer reflection questions thoroughly and thoughtfully.
Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; consistently includes insights, observations, and/or examples in all responses, following or exceeding response length guidelines. Demonstrates thoughtful reflection; includes multiple insights, observations, and/or examples, following response length guidelines. Primarily demonstrates thoughtful reflection, but some responses are lacking in detail or insight; primarily follows response length guidelines. Shows limited reflection; the majority of responses are lacking in detail or insight, with some questions left unanswered or falling short of response length guidelines. No reflection responses are present.
D. Requirements
The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded:

Composition must be 6-8 pages (approximately 1500-2000 words).
Double-space the composition and use one-inch margins.
Use a readable 12-point font.
All writing must be appropriate for an academic context.
Composition must be original and written for this assignment.
Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Submission must include your name, the name of the course, the date, and the title of your composition.
Submission must include your graded Touchstone 3 assignment.
Include all of the assignment components in a single file.
Acceptable file formats include .doc and .docx.