In dealing with the community on a daily basis, officers may experience difficult situations that may lead to stress.
Therefore, it is understood that a degree of stress should be placed on aspiring officers to measure and evaluate their resolve, courage, approach, tactics, restraint, ethics, and common sense. These new officers must go into the community under the supervision of a field training officer to exercise independent action and demonstrate the ability to deal with a myriad of problems (Champion 135).
With proper training, officers are provided with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to be successful in a community.
In the future, community policing has hopes for bright ideas and stronger communities. However, in order for these hopes to become a reality community police officers need to make changes as the society changes.
An effort has been made to highlight some issues viewed as central to our ability to police such as changing society. It is vital that law enforcement administrators understand that:
*Powerful dynamics are transfiguring virtually every facet of American Society
*The forces that are recasting social institutions will also alter law enforcement
organizations
*As society’s values change, so will those of law enforcement personnel
*To deal effectively with diversity, the process of change must be understood
*The role and goals of policing must be clearly and concisely articulated. (www.totse.com/files/FA019?futofpol.htm)
In order for community policing to continue to survive, a strong commitment to the officers and the citizens must be met. The officers must be willing to inform, communicate, and use various problem-solving skills in order to provide the right assistance. The community must put forth the effort and determination to want change. They must also be able to listen and provide the information and ideas to better their community. Without the efforts of the officers and the community, community policing will not exist in the future.
In the past decades, new models of policing have emerged. Community policing was formed out of these new models of policing. When community policing was formed, interaction with citizens was rare. As time progressed, citizens and officers now work together to shape a better community. Community policing allows an officer to become familiar with the citizens needs and concerns. It allows them to interact with the community on a daily and face-to-face basis instead of catching a glimpse of a patrol car riding through the community. While community police continue to handle and fight crimes in communities, the police and community work together to help improve the conditions in the community. In order to serve the community better, there are many different methods of community policing. Only with the support and understanding of the community, then community policing will be able to accomplish challenges and goals. Without that support, community policing will fall short. Community policing therefore requires that everyone in the community must become involved. In order to carry the message that community policing can be successful, it needs the support of the officers along with the community.
“About Community Policing.” 12 October 2000 .
Champion, Dean J. Policing In the Community. New Jersey: Upper
Saddle River, 1997
Lurigio, Arthur J. “An Inside Look At Community Policing Reform: Definitions,
Organizational Changes, and Evaluation Findings.” Crime & Delinquency July 1994: 230-232.
“Ten Principles of Community Policing.” 12 October 2000 .
Thayer, Ralph E. “Community Oriented Policing.” Journal Of Planning Literature 12.1 (1997) :
94.
“The Future of Policing.” 10 October 2000 .
Zhao, Jihong. “Community Policing: Where Are We Now?” Crime & Delinquency 43.3
(1997) : 346.