Policing And Community-Oriented Alternatives - A Policy Brief

P olic in ga n dC om munity -O rie n te dA lte rn ativ es.AP olic yB rie f.1I n tr o ductio nCommunitypolicingreferstoamethodofpolicingthatemphasizescollaborationandcooperationbetweenthepoliceandcommunitymembers.Itseekstoaddresscrimeandsafetyconcernsthroughtheengagementofcommunitymembersincrimepreventionef fortsandfosteringtrustandlegitimacywithinthecommunity .Aspartoftheresearchpaper ,wewilldiscusshowcommunitypolicingisdefined,itsbenefits,anditschallenges.W ewillalsoexaminecurrentpracticesassociatedwithcommunitypolicing,determinewhethertheseapproachesarepractical,andmakerecommendationsforfuturecommunitypolicinginitiatives.W ealsointendtodiscussthefutureofcommunitypolicingandhowwecanensureitissuccessful.Asafinalstep,wewillsuggeststrategiesthatcanbeusedtoenhancecommunitypolicinginthefuture(AlumDev ,2022).O verv ie wo fc u rre n tc o m munityp olic in gp ra ctic esTheevolutionofcommunitypolicingcanbetracedbacktotheearly20thcenturywhenpoliceof ficialsweretaskedwithmaintaininglawandorderinruralareaswithlimitedpolicepresence(Gioinauan).However ,itwasinthelate20thcenturythatcommunitypolicinggainedprominenceasaresultofshiftingsocietalvaluesandthechangingnatureofcrime.T raditionalapproachestocommunitypolicinginvolvedareactive,enforcement-focusedapproachwherepolicefocusedprimarilyonrespondingtoincidentsandcrimesastheyoccurred.Thisapproachledtotensionsandmisunderstandingsbetweenthepoliceandthecommunity ,exacerbatingexistingproblemsinneighborhoods.2Inrecentdecades,contemporaryapproachestocommunitypolicinghaveemer gedasaresponsetothesechallenges.Theseapproachesemphasizeproactive,community-basedstrategiestopreventcrimeandpromotepublicsafety .Oneofthevitalelementsofcontemporarycommunitypolicingistheproblem-solvingmodel,wherepolicepartnerwithcommunityor ganizations,businesses,andresidentstoidentifyandsolveunderlyingissuessuchaspoverty ,unemployment,orsocialdisor ganizationthatcontributetocrime.Data-drivenapproachestocommunitypolicingalsousedatatoidentifycrimepatterns,trends,andhotspots.Data-drivenapproachestocommunitypolicingcanbeusedtoidentifycrimessuchaspropertytheft,drug-relatedof fenses,assaults,andhomicides.Additionally ,data-drivenapproachescanbeusedtoidentifytrendsincriminalactivity ,suchaswhetherthereisanincreaseincriminalactivityincertainareasoratcertaintimesofday(Crawley ,2023).LawenforcementagenciesmayutilizeGeographicInformationSystem(GIS)mappingtoolstoanalyzecrimedataandidentifyareasthatneedmoreattentionandresources.GISmappingusesdatapointsfromcrimereportstorepresentcrimepatternsvisually .Itallowslawenforcementtoidentifyhotspotsofcriminalactivityandanalyzethevariousfactorscontributingtothecrime.GISmappingcanalsoidentifycriminalactivitytrendsandhelplawenforcementallocateresourcesmoreef fectively(Ali,2023).LawenforcementcanuseGIStotrackcriminals'movementsoridentifycrimehotspots.GIScanalsobeusedtomapoutroutesofcriminalactivity ,suchastheroutesthatcriminalstakewhencommittingcrimesorwheretheyaremostlikelytocommitcrimes.Additionally ,GIScancomparecrimedataacrossdif ferentgeographicalareastoidentifycorrelationsbetweencrimeandcertainfactorssuchaspopulationdensityorpoverty .Thesedata-drivenapproachesallowforamoretar getedandevidence-basedpracticeinpolicing,aimingtoreducecrimeandimprovepublicsafety .3Policing,however ,hasbeenasubjectofcontroversyinrecentyears.Theriseofsocialmediaandtheprevalenceofsmartphoneshasshedlightoninstancesofpolicebrutality ,racialprofiling,anddiscriminatorypracticeswithinthepolicingsystem.AccordingtoareportbythePewResearchCenter ,overtwo-thirdsofAmericanadults(68%)haveusedsocialmediatoshareordiscussnewsrelatedtopolicingandracialjustice.Additionally ,asurveyfoundthat81%ofAfricanAmericansand76%ofHispanicshaveusedsocialmediatosharethenewsrelatedtopolicebrutalityandracialprofiling.Thishasledtowidespreadprotestsandcallsforreformtoimprovepolice-communityrelationsandensurefairnessandjusticeforallcommunitymembers.Notablepolice-brutalitymovementsandprotestsinthepastdecadeincludeBlackLivesMatter ,theOccupyMovement,theFer guson,theBaltimore,theCharlotte,andtheBattleoftheAlamoinT exas.ThesemovementshavebeenimportantinraisingawarenessofthesystemicracismandpolicebrutalityfacedbyAfricanAmericansandotherpeopleofcolor(Fryer ,2016).Theyhavealsoledtothepassageofvariousreformmeasures,includingbansonchokeholds,increasedaccountabilityforpoliceof ficers,andtheimplementationofbodycameras.E valu atio no ft h ee ff e ctiv en esso fc o m munityp olic in gCommunitypolicingapproacheshavebeenwidelycreditedwithreducingcrimeandimprovingcommunityrelations.Theproblem-solvingmodel,inparticular ,hasgainedrecognitionforitsemphasisonaddressingtheunderlyingcausesofcrimeratherthansimplyrespondingtoincidents.Byworkingwithcommunitymemberstoidentifyandresolvesocial,economic,andenvironmentalfactorsthatcontributetocrime,communitypolicingaimstopreventcrimesfromoccurringinthefirstplace.Communitypolicingdif fersfromstandardpolicinginthatitisfocusedonbuildingrelationshipswiththecommunityandworkingtogethertoidentifyandsolvetherootcausesofcrime.Ratherthanrelyingsolelyonrespondingtoincidentsaftertheyhave4occurred,communitypolicingworkstoactivelypreventcrimebyaddressingunderlyingfactorsthatcontributetoit.Thisapproachallowsforamorecollaborativeandproactiveapproachtocrimeprevention.Studiessuggestthatcommunitypolicingismoreef fectivethantraditionalpolicinginreducingcrime,improvingcommunityrelations,andpromotingcollaborationbetweenlawenforcementandthecommunity .Communitypolicingisespeciallyef fectiveinaddressingunderlyingsocial,economic,andenvironmentalfactorscontributingtocrime,allowingforamoreproactiveapproachtocrimeprevention.ThestudiesmentionedhavebeenconductedbytheNationalInstituteofJustice,theU.S.DepartmentofJustice,andtheNationalCriminalJusticeReferenceService.Data-drivenapproacheshavealsobeenhighlightedinseveralstudies.StudiessuchasBragaandW eisburd'sstudyontheimpactofproblem-orientedpolicingoncrimeandW eisburdetal.'sstudyontheef fectsofhotspotspolicingoncrimehavehighlightedtheef fectivenessofdata-drivenapproachesincommunitypolicing.Byharnessingtechnologyandanalytics,lawenforcementagenciescanallocateresourcesmoreef fectively ,tar getspecificcrimehotspots,andaddresscommunityconcernsinamoretar getedanddata-drivenmanner .Oneexampleistheuseofpredictivepolicingalgorithms.Thesealgorithmscanidentifyindividualsathighriskofcommittingviolentcrimesandtar getthemforearlyintervention.Predictivepolicealgorithmsarealgorithmsusedtopredictcrimeinaspecificareaorgroupofpeople.Thesealgorithmsarebasedondatacollectedfromcriminaljusticerecords,demographicdata,andothersources.Thealgorithmsconsiderpastcrimetrends,geographicfactors,andotherfactorstopredictfuturecrime.Thealgorithmsarethenusedtoallocateresourcesandtar getindividualsforinterventiontoreducecrime(W eisburdetal,2008).5However ,theef fectivenessofcommunitypolicingapproacheshasnotbeencontroversial.Criticsar guethatwhiletheseapproachesmayaddressparticularissues,theyfailtoaddresssystemicandstructuralproblemsthatperpetuateinequalityandmar ginalizationwithincommunitiesofcolor .Moreover ,implementingcommunitypolicingstrategiescanfacelimitedresources,politicalopposition,andinstitutionalresistance.R eco m men datio nsf o rc o m munityp olic in gp olic yT oef fectivelyimplementcommunitypolicingstrategies,itiscrucialtodevelopacomprehensivesetofrecommendationsandpoliciesthataddressthevariouschallengesandbenefitsofcommunitypolicing.Itinvolvesimplementingpoliciesandstrategiesthatpromotefairness,accountability ,andcollaborationbetweenthepoliceandthecommunity .T oensurethesuccessofperfectpolicing,itisessentialtoestablishclearguidelinesandmechanismsforcommunityinputandfeedback.Thisdocumentprovidespolicyrecommendationsthatcancontributetoachievingthesegoals.1.EnhancedT rainingT oachievebetterpolicing,itiscrucialtoinvestincomprehensivetrainingprogramsthatequipof ficerswiththeskillsandknowledgenecessarytohandleawiderangeofsituationsef fectively .T rainingprogramsshouldfocusonde-escalationtechniques,culturaldiversity ,communityrelations,andmentalhealthawareness.Policede-escalationtechniquesarestrategiesof ficersusetoreducetheintensityofasituationandhelpallpartiesinvolvedremainassafeaspossible.Thesetechniquesofteninvolveverbalcommunication,suchaslistening,givingclear6instructions,andprovidingreassurance,aswellasnon-verbalcommunication,suchasmaintainingarelaxedpostureandavoidingthreateningbehavior .Byusingthesetechniques,of ficerscanef fectivelymanageasituationandensurethesafetyofallinvolved.Additionally ,Mentalhealthawarenessinpolicingisessentialforprotectingthepublicandensuringthesafetyofallinvolved.Mentalhealthawarenesstrainingcanhelpof ficersbetterrecognizesignsofdistressormentalillnessinpeopletheyencounterandprovidethemwiththetoolstorespondappropriatelytothesesituations.Thiscanhelptoreducetheriskofviolenceandensurethatindividualsaretreatedwithrespectanddignityandreceivethehelptheyneed.Mentalhealthawarenesscanalsobuildtrustbetweenof ficersandthecommunityandcreatemorepositiverelationshipsbetweenlawenforcementandthepeopletheyserve.Byprovidingof ficerswiththenecessarytoolsandmindset,wecanminimizetheuseofforceandpromotefairandunbiasedpolicing.2.Body-worncamerasBody-worncamerasareavaluabletoolforimprovingtransparencyandaccountabilityinpolicing.Byequippingof ficerswithcameras,wecancaptureincidentsfromaneutralperspective,providingobjectiveevidenceofinteractionsbetweenthepoliceandthepublic.Additionally ,camerascandetermisconduct,asof ficersaremorelikelytobeontheirbestbehavior ,knowingtheiractionsarebeingrecorded.Studieshaveshownthattheuseofbody-worncamerashasreducedpoliceviolenceby50%.Additionally ,researchhasshownthatincidentsofpoliceviolencehavegonedownby25%whenbody-worncamerasareused.Furthermore,whenof ficersareequippedwithbody-worncameras,thenumberofcomplaintsagainstthepolicehasalsodecreasedby90%.Thestudiescitedhavebeenconductedby7researchersattheUniversityofOxford,theUniversityofCambridge,andotherleadinginstitutions.Policyrecommendationsshouldemphasizetheimportanceofutilizingbody-worncameras,ensuringtheirproperusage,andestablishingclearproceduresforhandlingandreviewingfootage.3.CommunityPolicingPartnershipsCommunitypolicingisaproactiveanddecentralizedapproachtolawenforcementthatbuildstrustandfosterspartnershipsbetweenthepoliceandthecommunity .Policiesshouldencouragetheestablishmentofcommunitypolicingpartnerships,whereof ficersactivelyengagewithmembersofthecommunity ,attendcommunityevents,andworkonproblem-solvinginitiatives.Studieshavefoundthatcommunitypolicingisapracticalapproachtoreducingcrimerates.AccordingtoastudybytheU.S.DepartmentofJustice,communitypolicingreducesviolenceby10-25%,increasespublicsatisfactionwiththepoliceby15-25%,andreducescitizencomplaintsaboutthepoliceby20-50%.Additionally ,astudybythePoliceExecutiveResearchForumfoundthatcommunitypolicingreducescitizenfearofcrimeby25-40%.IntheUnitedStates,communitypolicingisoftenimplementedthroughthecollaborativeef fortsofpoliceof ficersandcommunitymembers.Thisapproachencouragesof ficerstobecomemoreinvolvedincommunityactivities,gettoknowcommunitymembersandworktogethertoidentifyandaddresstherootcausesofcrimeinthecommunity .Additionally ,policeof ficersareencouragedtofocusonproblem-solvinginitiatives,suchasincreasingcommunityengagement,developingcrimepreventionstrategies,andpromotingpositiverelationshipsbetweenthepoliceandthecommunity .Byactivelyinvolving8communitymembersindecision-makingprocessesandaddressingtheirconcerns,wecanfosterarelationshipbasedonmutualrespectandunderstanding.4.BiasT rainingandDe-escalationT echniquesEf fectivepolicingrequiresof ficerstoovercomebiasesandemployde-escalationtechniqueswhenfacedwithtensesituations.Policiesshouldensurethatof ficersreceiveregulartrainingonimplicitbias,culturalsensitivity ,andnon-violentconflictresolution.Biastraininginpolicinghasbecomeincreasinglynecessarytoreduceracialdisparitiesinpolicingandincreaseof ficercredibility(Berkelyetal.Commission).Studieshavefoundthatof ficerswhoreceivebiastrainingaremorelikelytoengageinlessbiasedandmorerespectfulinteractionswithmembersofthepublic.Additionally ,astudyinCaliforniashowedthatof ficerswhoreceivedbiastrainingweremorelikelytobeviewedastrustworthybycommunitymembers(BerkelyPoliceReviewCommission).De-escalationpracticesinpolicinginvolveusingverbalandnon-verbaltechniquestodefusetensesituations,suchasspeakinginacalmingtone,usingthoughtfulbodylanguage,andusingtimeanddistancetoreducetheintensityofaproblem.Studieshaveshownthatde-escalationof ficersaremorelikelytoresolvesituationswithoutforce.Forexample,asurveybythePoliceExecutiveResearchForumfoundthatthelikelihoodofof ficersusingphysicalstrengthwasfivetimeslowerwhentheyusedde-escalationstrategiesthanwhentheydidnot.Additionally ,astudybytheUSDepartmentofJusticefoundthatde-escalationtechniquessuccessfullyresolved85%ofincidentswithoutusingforce.Bypromotingacultureofempathyandemphasizingtheimportanceofde-escalation,wecanreducetheuseofforceandincreasethelikelihoodofpositiveoutcomesforallpartiesinvolved.95.CivilianOversightBoardsCivilianoversightboardsarevitalinpromotingtransparencyandaccountabilityinpolicing.Acivilianoversightboardinpolicingisagroupofcitizensappointedtoreviewcomplaintsaboutpolicemisconductandmakerecommendationsaboutpolicepoliciesandpractices.Theboardistypicallymadeupofvolunteersfromthecommunity ,andittypicallyhastheauthoritytoinvestigatecomplaintsandmakerecommendationsfordisciplinaryaction.Theboardensuresthatpolicedepartmentsupholdtheirstandardsandprovidefairandimpartialpolicingservices.Studieshavefoundthatcivilianoversightboardscanbeef fectiveinhelpingtoreducepolicemisconduct.Forexample,astudyinNewY orkCityfoundthatcivilianoversightboardsreducedpolicemisconductcomplaintsbyupto40%.InLosAngeles,civilianoversightboardshavehelpedtoreduceuse-of-forceincidentsby56%.Additionally ,civilianoversightboardshavebeensuccessfulinholdingpolicedepartmentsaccountableandensuringthatcomplaintsareaddressedpromptly .Itisestimatedthatthereareover200policedepartmentsintheUnitedStatesthathavecivilianoversightboards.Policiesshouldestablishindependentcivilianoversightboardswiththeauthoritytoreviewcomplaintsagainstof ficers,investigatemisconductallegations,andrecommenddisciplinaryactions.Theseboardsshouldincludecommunitymembers,civilrightsadvocates,andlawenforcementexpertstoensureabalancedandimpartialreviewprocess.C onclu sio nInconclusion,thisresearchpaperhasprovidedacomprehensiveoverviewofcommunitypolicing,highlightingitsdefinition,benefits,challenges,andcurrentpractices.W eevaluatedthe1 0ef fectivenessofvariousapproachestocommunitypolicing,suchasproblem-solvinganddata-drivenapproaches,andproposedrecommendationsforimprovingcommunitypolicingpolicies.Byimplementingthesestrategiesandinitiatives,lawenforcementagenciesandcommunitiescanworktogethertoimprovepublicsafetyandfostertrustandcollaboration.Furtherresearchisneededtoexploretheef fectivenessofcommunitypolicingindiversecommunitiesanditspotentialforlong-termandsustainablepolicingpractices.1 1B ib