Citizen Involvement With the Law Enforcement Agency - Essay Example

? Citizen Involvement with their Law Enforcement Agency of the Law of the Concerned March 5, In the currenttimes, community participation is often considered to be a panacea for all socio-political problems and issues. There is no denying the fact that when the institutions and especially the law enforcement bodies and organizations tend to fail in the carrying out of their responsibilities or do not have the man power and the resources to leverage their efficiency and reach, citizen involvement could indeed turn out to be a viable leverage and a potential force multiplier. Citizen involvement in the law enforcement agencies is something that is in a way well ingrained in the American law enforcement mechanisms (Marx & Archer, 1971, p. 52). In the nascent era of American civilization, whenever the citizens felt that there is a lot of crime that threatens their well being, their property, there sense of peace and the values and norms they cherished as individuals and groups, varied types of initiatives used to be engaged in that involved a close collaboration with the law enforcement agencies (Marx & Archer, 1971, p. 52). In the 9/11 scenario, when the law enforcement agencies are hard pressed in terms of time, resources and personnel, soliciting citizen involvement could turn out to be a viable way out of this crunch. Introduction There is no denying the fact that citizen involvement in the law enforcement agencies tend to involve a range of possibilities and ambiguities as to the role that the citizens play in law enforcement. The biggest premise that supports such line of reasoning is the belief that citizens may be more than happy to engage with the law enforcement agencies. Such discussion tend to take it for granted that it is possible for the citizens and the neighbourhoods and the law enforcement agencies to work in close tandem and coordination to deal with law enforcement issues and problems. Such forums also talk about the possible way that the law enforcement agencies could help in the development of the neighbourhoods. Yet, the reality is that much research and surveys do tend to convey the fact that soliciting citizens’ involvement in the law and order problems is something that is easier said than done. Well, both the sides that are the neighbourhoods and the law enforcement agencies happen to be responsible for this lacuna. While, on the one side if citizens feel scared and threatened by the possibility of engaging in law and order issues, the law and order agencies also sometimes evince a scarce initiative to organize and retain active community participation in their day to day affairs. However, in the last few decades a belief has emerged amongst the law and orders agencies that the onus of crime prevention happens to a large extent being dependent on the communities and the law and order bodies are mostly required to play an ancillary role in the task of maintaining social harmony and peace. Hence, in the current times when the law and order agencies are hard pressed for personnel and resources, citizen involvement could indeed emerge to a potential game changer. Citizen Involvement It goes without saying that citizens can play a pivotal role in the working of law enforcement agencies in a variety of ways. The citizens could supplement and assist the law enforcement agencies in the carrying out of their duties, without putting any unnecessary burden on the budgetary resources (Wadington, 1999). Citizens can assist organizations in a variety of ways that includes, resident policing of communities, citizen surveillance of neighbourhoods aimed at reporting any suspicious activities to the law enforcement agencies, citizen patrols aimed at bolstering the neighbourhood confidence, citizen initiatives aimed at prying on and reporting about specific types of criminal activities, clerical or supportive administrative chores, extending support to the victims of crime, as reserves, computer programming, translation services, and support extended during special events (Ayling, 2007). In a way citizens regularly participate in the activities of law enforcement agencies when they solicit the protection of these agencies in a context aimed at the security of the citizens’ safety and peace. The participation of citizens in the law enforcement activities not only leads to the saving of many resources, but it also bolsters the capacity and ability of the law enforcement agencies to be aptly responsive to public security needs and thereby improve the overall quality of life in the neighbourhoods and communities (Ayling, 2007). The thing that needs to be understood is that citizen involvement in no way intends to replace the personnel employed in the law enforcement agencies. Rather, citizen involvement could play an important role in enhancing and supplementing the existing programs and functions, so as to allow the law enforcement personnel to work to the best of their ability (Greenberg, 1984). Citizen volunteers could extend manifold advantages to the state agencies engaged in law enforcement, policing and emergency services. The citizens act as force multipliers to enhance the sway and scope of the activities and programs that already exist, they can maximize the resources available to law enforcement agencies, and above all they help creating a spirit of understanding and cooperation amongst the law enforcement agencies and communities and neighbourhoods. Investing in citizen participation programs allows the law enforcement agencies to extend the services and programs that could not have been possible owing to dearth of resources and personnel (Ayling, 2007). In that context, it does need to be noted that the senior administrators responsible for the administration and management of law enforcement agencies should look to it that the appropriate steps are taken to enhance the capacity and role that could be played by the citizens in the activities of law enforcement agencies (Flynn, 1993). Certainly, it is true that citizen participation and involvement seems a good idea on the paper, however most of the law enforcement agencies know that assuring citizen participation is not an easy endeavour (Kenney & McNamara, 1999). Owing to a variety of reasons, many a time citizens tend to be hesitant in engaging with law enforcement agencies. Hence the concerned agencies need to consider and possibly ameliorate the issues and problems that mitigate citizen involvement. Impediments to Citizen Involvement Many a times residents happen to be sceptical of the initiatives taken by the law enforcement agencies, especially more so when they have firsthand experience of engaging with law enforcement agencies and they do experienced a situation when the law enforcement agencies though promising much at start, actually backed off from the promises made by them over the course of time. Seeking citizen involvement is a task that requires much credibility and trust, and the law enforcement agencies should make it a point to never make false promises to the citizens who get involved in their activities. The other thing is that many victims of crime may have had a very bad experience with the law enforcement agencies and they tend to doubt their credibility and words. Such, victims if properly managed could turn out to be an immense strength multiplier. Citizen involvement could also turn out to be problematic, if the law enforcement agencies initiate some program in communities that are ethnically and racially diverse. In such communities the residents may be highly divided along racial, ethnic and economic lines and such mutual suspicion and distrust may make the citizens desist from engaging with law enforcement agencies. In such circumstances there always exists the risk that the activities and actions of the law enforcement agencies may get politicized and partisan, leading to an eventual breakdown of mutual trust and cooperation. Hence, one thing that the law enforcement agencies need to understand is that citizen involvement is something that needs to be won and earned and not to be assumed. So the law enforcement agencies need to be sensitive to the safety and security related concerns of the neighbourhoods and communities. Besides, once the citizens evince an inclination to get involved, the law enforcement personnel should make it a point that they citizen volunteers are aptly trained to avoid any mishap in the future. The other thing is that it is really difficult to solicit the citizen involvement at an individual or group level. So the law enforcement should work in tandem with the civic organizations that are already functional in the selected neighbourhoods and communities. Conclusion Citizen involvement in the activities of the law enforcement agencies are not something new in America, but are an approach that have a firm grounding in the American history. In the current times marred by the scarcity of personnel and resources, seeking the involvement of citizens could indeed turn out to be a force multiplier. Citizen volunteers are never intended to replace the paid law enforcement personnel. They are actually expected to help the law enforcement agencies in a variety of ways, thereby releasing the scarce resources and time which the professionals could invest in tasks and activities that require their attention on a priority basis. However, there exist many impediments to citizen involvement and citizen involvement is something that needs to be earned and not taken for granted by the law enforcement agencies. References Ayling, J. (2007). Force Multiplier: People as a Policing Resource. International Journal Of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 31(1), pp. 73-100. Flynn, D. (1993). Citizen Advisory Committees. The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 62(12), pp. 8-10. Greenberg, MA. Auxiliary Police. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Kenney, D.J., & McNamara, R.P. (1999). Police and Policing. Westport, CT: Praeger. Marx, G.T., & Archer, D. (1971). Citizen Involvement in the Law Enforcement Process: The Case of Community Police Patrols. American Behavioural Scientist, 15(1), pp. 52-72. Wadington, P.A.J. (1999). Policing Citizens. London: UCL Press. Read More