The Future of Policing - Essay Example

The relevance of crime mapping and crime pattern analysis to modern police work The face οf policing has undergone change since the terrorist attack οf September 11, 2001 better known as 9/11. Previous to 9/11 policing focused more on protecting and serving the community by responding to crime and protecting a community from future crimes. Since the 9/11 terrorist attack extreme awareness οf terrorism has been a central focus for police. Police officers are the closest law enforcement available dealing directly with the community and in most cases could be the first to spot terrorist activity. Therefore, the future οf policing will continue to change however, as the future οf policing changes so does the issues which can arise for individual police officers, police management and issues relating to the community. Terrorism is the issue on everyone's mind these days. Terrorism is a global disorder which American’s have been fighting, and probably will be fighting for many years to come. Terrorism can be hard to define because throughout history the definition people use to define terrorism has changed as terrorism has changed. One may think terrorism has come to an end however, just when terrorism stop’s being a focal point terrorism will return. Terrorism is something most people are going to be combating for many years to come. As soon as people feel the chances οf a terrorist attack are over most people become comfortable and let down on terrorist defence. Americans have been lucky with few terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. However, other countries such as Iraq have not been so fortunate. Therefore, Americans should feel a sense οf freedom and pride in knowing terrorism has not been a continuous problem for the United States. Future policing rely mainly on the type οf society being policed—the social, economic and political realities and in more-developed countries, the technological sophistication οf the populace.(Stephens, 2005) The key to policing in the future is to be able to work with the communities hand in hand. As an individual police officer, it would benefit the officer and the department as a whole if neighbourhoods and businesses would join in the efforts to monitor their communities. What is an individual police officer’s role in the future οf policing and terrorism? The job οf a police officer is complex along with demanding and dangerous. Police officer’s may handle situations ranging from a routine traffic stop to a pursuit where an individual is armed and dangerous, a police officer relies on current technology and equipment which is an essential tool οf his or her trade. In the twentieth century the advancement οf technology proved to be effective in both control and perpetration οf crime due to the rapid acceleration. Police officers are provided with technology that is constantly being defended by the offensive creations and implementations by the criminal element in society. To protect the communities every body is going to have to participate in keeping our homeland safe. There are several advances in today’s technology, which likely will cause issues that causes an affect with policing. Technology is also going to be a key factor in policing against terrorism. With the internet reaching across the globe and a person’s ability to access almost any information, the internet may be deemed as one οf the biggest threats in aiding terrorism. Police officers are going to have to receive precise training to be able to keep up with the terrorists Police management is an essential part οf a well-working counter- terrorism strategy. In the future terrorist attacks could tear the United States apart. Good police management is one way to ensure terrorist attacks will not escalate out οf control. If a police department is not well-managed and prepared for a terrorist attack the police could lose control οf the situation. If the police lose control οf a terrorist situation the affects could be loss οf life as well as, hostile take over. The United States will always be subject to a terrorist attack therefore, police management must be prepared for future attacks. Police management can offer clear directives, organized tactics and planned efforts οf action. Further, police management can prepare police for counter-terrorism efforts by training, drilling and testing police officers on the ability to contain and control terrorist situations. Police management can also prepare for future issues by planning to be first responders. Considering, police officer’s are active within the community and constantly in community surroundings they will in most cases be able to target terrorist activity first. Therefore, police management is necessary in preparing police officers on how to respond and the way those officers should respond. The directives given by police management before, during and after a terrorist situation can be the defining point οf success or failure. Further, issues which can arise for police management is damage to the critical infrastructure and command post these types οf problems can cause further devastation. Predicting every possible problem which could go wrong and pointing out possible solutions in a proactive manner guides police officer’s with the skills necessary to defuse a situation rather than add confusion. Police management should pay close attention to hostage situations when focusing on terrorism. Again, preparing for the un-predictable and mapping out every possible situation which could go wrong will prepare police officer’s to defuse a hostile situation. Further, training should be continuous within the police department and an on going focus point to ensure fresh, crisp ideas and solutions. Due to the recent events terrorism caused on September 11, 2001, the United States and the citizen’s οf the United States are more susceptible to another attack, which worries citizens throughout the country; because citizen’s feel the next attack may even contain a biological toxin or a chemical toxic, which have both been proven to be very harmful and deadly. The community does not only predict that these types οf attacks will possible happen, but they also worry about the affects from such attacks; as well as protection strategies that’s needed in order to survive such attacks. Agents οf a chemical substance are known as a liquid that usually aerosolized, which can cause immediate effect as well a delay in reaction. Many chemicals can have an unusual smell and discoloration. Biological agents can appear differently which most effects can be delayed by days instead οf hours. Due to the effects οf toxins, like botulin toxin it mostly occurs in less than a day. Biological agents which are considered to be living, like anthrax or plaque, the symptoms normally takes 2- 5 days to appear. If these types οf chemical or biological attacks ever occurs, the people in these communities throughout America, should be aware about some οf the signs that may alert them that there has been a possible chemical or biological attack in the area; the signs will come in handy, in order to save their life or the lives οf others. These signs includes, Depletes οf a greasy film or surfaces, unusual numbers οf animals that are dead or dying within the are, unusual liquid sprays or vapors, smells that can not be explained (smell οf bitter almonds, peach pits, newly mown hay, or green grass), victims that display a symptom like nausea, having a difficult time breathing, convulsions, disoriented and a pattern οf illness which are not consistent with a natural disease (Responding to a Biological or Chemical Threat 2004), these signs are very helpful; they should be incorporated into our everyday life. Some οf strategies which may help protect and save the lives οf people in a community faced with such a chemical or biological attack may include first evacuating the area if possible, while doing so the people in the community must remember the victims airways must be protected at all times if possible and is considered to be the single most important thing in order to survive such an attack. In most cases, in the absence οf a handy gas mask, the only sure method οf protecting the airway would be for the citizens to get as far away from the source οf the agent as possible, also during the vacating process, citizens would need to cover their mouth and nose with any moderate means οf protection, whether they use a handkerchief, the sleeve οf their coat, or another garment provided. Once everyone has been evacuated, the area should be monitored, and citizens should be checked any type οf exposure, for those citizens that were exposed, regardless οf the origin, they should seek treatment immediately even if no symptoms appear right away, and never return to the exposed area until told to do so ( Emergency Response to Chemical/Biological Terrorist incidents). In today’s society these types οf plan and protection strategies is a must for citizens in communities to know all across our country, because every since 9/11, terrorist now know that war is possible to take place inside the United StatesIn many cases police officer’s are relied upon to be the first responders οf a terrorist attack. Therefore, every issue which can arise regarding terrorism should have a planned solution. Although, speculating the un-certain can prove to be a challenging task mapping out what could happen and how to react can combat terrorism. Planning and organizing counter terrorism efforts can not be developed without proper management within the police department. Further, when efforts are taken to predict issues management has the upper hand in training police to respond appropriately. Therefore, a well organized management will produce clear directives and procedures to aid police in protecting the community. The introduction οf the motorcar and the more significant innovation; personal radios, provided greater mobility and independence from fixed points and the fixed beat system (Ackroyd et al., 1992). In 1968, in all the police forces in Glamorgan, police on the beat were issued with blue and white panda cars and were able to respond more rapidly which demoted foot patrol to an old fashioned era. The new increased mobility police officers could now patrol an area up to 6 times as large as could be managed by other officers on foot (South Wales Police, 2006). This was οf great importance at a period when the costs οf policing were rising, and with the expansion οf specialist police functions, a manpower shortage and the adoption οf motorised policing provided great technological support (Ackroyd et al., 1992) The change was so fundamental that within a few years specific community based police officers were brought in to rebuild the bonds between the public and police, which many perceived this method οf unit beat policing (patrol cars with radios responding to emergency calls) had broken (Ackroyd et al., 1992). The motorcar also became a popular consumer good and people started using the break the law. Specialist traffic enforcement units were created which suggests that the motorcar contributed to the development οf the police organisational structure (Soulliere, 1999). Motorcar technology development continued apace and in 1974 Visual Average Speed Computer and Recorder (VASCAR) units were fitted to patrol cars (South Wales Police, 2006). DNA is another innovation οf the 20th century that has transformed the fight against crime. The National DNA Database in the UK was established in 1995. There are currently approximately 2 million DNA profiles taken from samples οf the public, οf which 180,000 DNA profiles were obtained from samples at a crime scene. When a suspects DNA is taken with a buccal swab it is then sent off to the forensics laboratory where DNA profiling is carried out. The suspects profile produced has a 40% chance οf matching a crime sample DNA profile from the database. In an average month matches are obtained linking suspects to 15 murders, 31 rapes and 770 motor vehicle crimes (Home Office, 2003). There are many well-known instances where DNA has led to the arrests οf serious criminals and the National DNA Database (NDD) plays a pivotal role in solving old crimes. An example is οf John Wood who was arrested for stealing groceries in 2001. A routine DNA sample was taken from Mr Wood and was found to match that οf a crime scene sample off οf the NDD. Wood has turned out to be responsible for an unsolved sex attack on 2 girls in 1988. DNA also helps police to tackle more common crimes such as vehicle crime and by identifying and detecting repeating offenders through their DNA evidence therefore this technology can help police reduce crime (Home Office, 2003). Two innovations that have greatly assisted in modern policing have just been described but I will now discuss the one I consider and reviewed literature suggests having had the greatest impact on modern policing overall: communications. The year 1910 witnessed the first use οf wireless radio to catch a criminal. Doctor Crippen had murdered his wife and was aboard the liner Montrose crossing the Atlantic Ocean when the liner captain received a message from Scotland Yard. When the ship docked in Canada Inspector Drew οf Scotland Yard who travelled by a faster ship was waiting and arrested Crippen and Ethel Le Neve who he had fled with (Police 999, 2006). The first communication system used a one-way radio. With this device officers on patrol could receive calls from the station but weren't able to communicate back. Two-way radios were introduced only at the end οf the 1930's in the United States. All patrol cars in the Chicago Police Department were issued with a transmitter-receiver system in 1942. Patrol officers were able to receive and transmit messages to the station. The impact οf these first communications was ceasing the traditional isolation οf police officers and thus increasing their level οf safety. This in turn caused police officers to be more accountable and led to the first centralisation in its most basic state (Soulliere, 1999). References Ackroyd, S., Harper, R., Hughes, J. A., Shapiro, D., Soothill, K., (1992). New Technology and Practical Police Work. Buckingham: Open University Press. Emergency Response to Chemical/Biological Terrorist Incidents; Retrieved August 27, 2007, from http://www.emergency.com/cbw/esn1.htm Home Office. (2003). DNA 21st Century Crime Fighting Tool [online]. Available: http://www.homeofficegov.uk/documents/dnacrimeightingtool.pdf?view=binary (16 December, 2005). Lynch, L., McBride, B., Thibault, E. Proactive Police Management. 6th Edition. Prentice Hall. Retrieved from, http://worldaroundyou.com/item/12214/catid/3 Responding to a Biological or Chemical Threat: A practical Guide 2004; Retrieved August 27, 2007, from www.state.gov/m/ds Soulliere, N. (1999). Police and Technology: Historical Review and Current Status [online]. Available: http://www.cpc.gc.ca/research/NS_e.htm. (10 December, 2005). South Wales Police Archive. (2000). The Transport Revolution οf the 1960's [online].Available:http://www.southwales.police.uk/fe/master.asp?n1=8&n2=253&n3=944 Stephens, G. (04, April 2005). Policing the Future: Law Enforcement’s New Challenges. Retrieved November 28, 2007, from http://policefuturists.org/pdf/M-A2005Futurist_Stephens.pdfhttp:// Read More