Running head: DEBATE POSITION PAPER POLICE AND CRIME REDUCTION PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1 DEBATE POSITION PAPER POLICE AND CRIME REDUCTION PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 7
Debate Position Paper Police and Crime ReductionDebate Position Paper Police and Crime ReductionIntroductionI spent my youth growing up in Queens, New York about a half hour from Manhattan. We lived in what I would classify as an upper-middle-class neighborhood. The bulk of the residents were of Jewish faith with post war seniors, their children and relatives. The majority was small, local business owners with small mom-and-pop type stores and a significant number commuted to New York City performing various lines of work. During ...view middle of the document...
Perhaps the greatest policing paradigm shift resulting from the terrorist's attacks was the creation and implementation of intelligence-led policing and homeland security. Communities nationwide immediately let out a sigh of relief, began to reduce their fear of crime, and entertained the idea of trusting law enforcement officials once again.Intelligence-Based PolicingUnfortunately, intelligence-based policing directly resulted from the 9/11 tragedies. Consequently, the community policing model was expanded upon to include advanced interagency communication and intelligence sharing strategies. Tactics and methodologies utilized within the community policing model were basically expanded upon and revamped to meet the changing needs of America. Canter asserts that globalization has also increased our nation's vulnerability to terrorist threats. The federal government has responded to this weakness with additional and ongoing expansions of the department of homeland security. Intelligence-led policing may prove most beneficial in deterring terrorism when utilized in combination with local, state and federal agencies. Commitment to citizen safety must exist within every level of public administration.Community Policing, Problem-Oriented Policing and COMPSTATCommunity policing is proactive in nature and requires participation of the citizens within specific jurisdictions. Riots which took place in the 1960's have led to increased foot patrols and interaction between officer and civilian. This type of police patrol strives to form a trusting relationship between officers and their designated communities (Hancock & Sharp, 2004). Communication between these two forces may offer an increased chance at offender apprehension and further supports feelings of public safety. This model strives to appease members of the community and relies on their information and trust to ultimately be successful. However, citizens must not misunderstand the objectives of community policing by taking the law into their own hands. This may result in unnecessary injuries including death to the perpetrator, victim, and witnesses. Police personnel have extensive training in maintaining safety and order. Community members are not qualified or legally allowed to perform duties specifically designed for law enforcement officers.Problem-oriented policing is reactive in nature and occurs as a direct result of commission of a particular crime at a rate which is higher than average for the area and population. According to Hancock and Sharp three key elements describe problem-oriented policing: problems must be defined specifically, outside sources must be utilized to collect information regarding the specified problem, and broad solutions must be searched for. Problems occur locally and nationwide. This approach of policing may be implemented across many arenas. Public fear of crime and crime reduction are top priorities of this method. These priorities directly affect lo...
