The Role of the Police in the Society - Research Paper Example

The Role of the Police in the Society It is a fact the world over that the role of police in the society is to curb the elements which spur rage and terror, to minimize the extent of disharmony amongst the people, to make sure law and order is under control, to wrest the state’s initiative and promulgation of its writ, to exert the basis of authority and to uphold the criminal justice system in the most apt way possible. Within the United States, the role of the police is such that it inculcates a sense of empathy with the public as it tells them that the police are there to protect and safeguard their interests in the most suitable manner that they could comprehend. Police has a definitive role to play within the midst of any country and it is for this reason that the police authorities are being respected for their work domains all around the world. The role of the police in the society is to make sure that its people are safe and secure, and that there is absolutely no disharmony and dissonance within the society. Police has had a broad mandate to make sure that peace is maintained no matter how tough its promulgation is. They need to prevent behaviors which could have long-lasting impressions and consequences on the part of the people at large. Similarly, they need to make sure that the law is enforced at all times, and that the power is used in cases where it is needed the most (Hughes, 2011). When the law gets violated, there is a dire need to understand that the role of police becomes magnanimous in the basic sense of the word. The identification of the suspect and apprehension of this individual is deemed as an exercise that comes directly under the realms of the police within any society of the world, and not just United States alone. Apart from ensuring that law remains supreme on its agenda, the police also have the responsibility to provide service to the community members. This could be in the form of first aid, in providing guidance to the ones who are disoriented, locating tourist information for travelers, as educators for offering advice and consultation on drug use and its policy, and so on and so forth. The traditional role of police within the United States is such that it undertakes all these tasks and many more so that the people at large are not unduly made to suffer and be on the receiving end at any moment in time (Garland, 2011). Proper understanding of the role of the police has made the people of America know that it exists to satisfy their concerns and to make sure that the relevant authorities are doing their jobs in a proper and adequate way. What is even more important is the fact that the role of the police has been expounded upon by these very authorities on a consistent basis so that the people know beforehand what to expect of them, and how these shall provide value for the sake of the community members. This discussion will now focus on the different styles of policing which are in use. These include the three different styles, namely the watchman, the legalistic and the service perspectives. Since the work of the police is broad in the basic sense of the word, and they have limited resources available at their disposal, the role of the police administrators and authorities are geared to develop certain policies which are there to prioritize and emphasize upon these activities and tasks in essence. The watchman style of policing focuses upon the maintenance of order which is found in different communities which have a declining industrial basis as well as a blue-collar and mixed population based on ethnicity and race (Mackenzie, 2011). This watchman form of policing is less proactive than the other two styles where one can see that certain offenses are overlooked when it comes to a mix of legal, cultural and social grounds. This is so done so as to make sure that the public order element is under wraps and that there are no predicaments in the light of the same. The charges of discrimination are a direct result under this style of policing. Also it is clear that the watchman policing style gives an indication that certain factions receive proper and better treatment than the others. The second style of policing is the legalistic policing which discusses the significant tangents of law enforcement and professionalism in entirety. The legalistic kind of policing is present mostly within the reform-minded urban landscapes which have mixed socioeconomic compositions. The officers under such style of policing are expected to arrest large numbers of people and cite them as and when needed (Wolf, 2000). These police officers want to manifest the basis of a uniform code of policing for the community members, without any biasness coming to the fore. This singular standard of conduct is for everyone, and not held in a variety for different groups and people within the same community or city. The third and last style of policing is the service policing which makes sure that the service functions within the policing are made use of to the best possible levels. This style of policing is most apparent within the suburban, middle class communities where people look for individual treatment rather than any other form of the same. Police works to good effect to service the people against the intruders entering into the community. The crimes are more apparent within such a style of policing because there is a uniform composition of the community. However, what is good about this aspect of policing is that the crimes are less frequent which allows the police to deal at length with the service domains as well as in controlling the traffic realms. The values of a community might just get affected by the style and role of policing for the sake of that community. This is because if a community is looking forward to receiving a service form of policing, then the service style is suited for its own needs. However if there are a large number of arrests due to law and order issues, then the aspect of legalistic policing might just do the trick. This is important to ascertain what kind of policing would in essence play the bridge between the people and the police authorities at the end of the day (Cohen, 2011). Once such understandings are reached upon, then only can one devise the ways and means through which policing can be studied and its different styles are implemented and executed in the most literal sense. It is also possible that all three styles of policing – watchman, legalistic and service are being used in combination with one another. However, what is significant here is a comprehension of the ways and means through which such policing mechanisms could be properly utilized for the overall wellness of the society at large. There could be individual police officers who would like to implement one of the three styles of policing, or two or even three at a single time. This would be irrespective of their supervisor or citizen demands. In the end, it would be fair to state that the role of policing is such that it brings wellness and serenity within the society. In order to be termed as a success within the community domains, it is imperative to think of policing in the light that it should be serviced for the sake of the people at large. All said and done, policing is any society of the world is indeed one of the most important elements and should be given due priority as it sets things right no matter how tough the circumstances are. References Cohen, I., 2011. Evidence-based solution to information sharing between law enforcement agencies. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 34(1) Garland, B., 2011. Stress and burnout in policing: does military experience matter? Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 34(1) Hughes, M., 2011. The challenges of informed citizen participation in change. Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, 5(1) Mackenzie, S., 2011. Measuring police impact on organized crime: Performance management and harm reduction. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 34(1) Wolf, R., 2000. Police and Society (2nd ed.). Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 23(4) Read More