Police Training and Equipment during Budget Crisis - Research Paper Example

Police Training and Equipment during Budget Crisis Affiliation with more information about affiliation, research grants, conflict of interest and how to contact Police Training and Equipment during Budget Crisis The ever increasing rate of crime is a major threat for nations across the globe in the modern day With the advent of technology the manifestation of crimes have attained new dimensions reflecting an increase in their numbers as well as diversity With an unprecedented increase in e Commerce and electronic banking crimes have also become rampant in the virtual world Thus most of the police organizations in the world have their separate units such as cyber cells to deal with the problem The prevailing situation in most of the nations is that the existing police force is barely adequate to handle the volume of crimes and therefore the menace of crime keeps increasing This is especially so in the case of countries such as US and UK which confront the threats of a large number of illegal immigrants criminal gangs drug syndicates weapon smugglers terrorists groups etc These criminals, with their free availability of funding and other resources, operate with the help of modern technology and sophisticated gadgets. On the other hand, due to paucity of funds, the training and provision of equipment for police forces remain sidetracked on many occasions. Compromising on the training and equipment of the police forces can impact negatively on their performance and morale especially when they have to confront highly trained, motivated and well equipped criminals. Therefore, the budgetary constraints of government should not be taken as an excuse for cutting down on the cost of police training and provision of equipment. In order to analyze this issue, this study will evaluate the existing literature on the topic and data available on police budget and how budgetary cuts affect police training and provision of equipment. In the current scenario fighting terrorism is a most complex and challenging concern for the law enforcement agencies in US as various terrorist organizations are being funded by foreign nations that have plenty of resources Besides the members of such groups who are blind believers in religious faith become committed followers that are ready to sacrifice their lives for the cause they believe in They are also highly educated technology savvy and driven by fanatics to such an extent that they are prepared to go to any extend to unleash carnage in nations they believe are against the values they cherish Therefore, in order to combat criminals of this kind, the police needs to be appropriately trained and well equipped. However, due to budgetary constraints, police forces are not able to pay the required attention to these priorities and, thus, they compromise their efficiency. A 2010 survey by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) finds that budgetary cuts during the year have been much more than the previous year and 51% of the participating police organizations confirmed the fact that “between the 2009 and 2010 fiscal years” their “average dollar cut was 7 percent” and 59% of them indicated that the trend will continue for the coming year (Is the Economic Downturn Fundamentally Changing How We Police? 2010, p.1). The survey further points to a 3% decrease in sworn police officers and “1 percent drop in the number of civilian employees” (p.1). The Effects of Budgetary Cuts on Police Training: Training is a most significant aspect of policing, as the personnel need to remain fit and efficient to maintain the cutting edge of their operational efficiency The concept of training does not merely confine to a physical context but also extends to the emotional psychological and ethical framework of the officers The hazardous and stressful nature of the job entails a lot of pressure for the officers and they often have to confront a lot of challenging situations in every day work Thus, in order to keep them mentally and physically competent to stand up to their responsibilities continuous training is absolutely imperative and unavoidable Unfortunately, the budgetary constraints often force the police departments across the country to overlook this significant aspect. PERF’s survey claims that “two-thirds of the responding departments” agreed that they either had to discontinue or reduce their training programs while “more than half” has reported that they had to drop the plans for acquiring new technology and “26 percent” felt that there will be fewer officers available for duty in the coming year (p.2). Another constraint due to the cutbacks in budget is the depletion in the strength of officers and police departments become compelled to “cut back the number of training days per month for (their) SWAT teams” so as to send them on normal duties (p.17). A 2011 report by the Community Oriented Police Services (COPS) emphasizes that the “economic downturn has placed serious constraints on police budget and severely diminished the availability of resources” (The Impact of the Economic Downturn on American Police Agencies, 2011, p.35). In the absence of adequate resources, the police force will become handicapped and, therefore, such situations will hamper the efficiency and effectiveness of the police departments in tackling the crime situations in the country. Evidence suggests that after the Sept 11 terrorist attack in US, local agencies’ request for “assistance in high-tech/computer crime investigations” as well as “general training” has increased (The Impact of Terrorism on State Law Enforcement: Adjusting to New Roles and Conditions, 2005, p.11). This survey further finds that “state-level training and technical assistance for local agencies has increased since Sept 11” (p.12). This study also points to the 9/11 Commission’s emphasis on the need for “more training and work with federal agencies so that they can cooperate more effectively with those federal authorities in identifying terrorist suspects” (p.24). Another study supports the view that the “nature of the law enforcement profession requires frequent in-service training (Castberg, n.d., p.133). Thus, it transpires that rather than cutting budgets, there is an urgent need to provide more training to police personnel for countering the emerging challenges in the modern day as a result of increased terrorist threats and to meet the training needs. The Effects of Budgetary Cuts on Equipment: Resources such as weaponry, vehicles, technology and other electronic gadgets are the basic components that are essential for the attainment of operational efficiency in police forces. When the government places budgetary ceiling on the procurement of such resources, the police forces will not be able to avail the benefits deriving from such resources, in effectively executing their tasks. On the other hand, terrorists, who receive liberal funding for acquiring sophisticated weaponry and other devices, command an upper hand over the police forces, whose strike force becomes weaker due to the paucity of resources. PREF’s report also emphasizes a need for “shifting resources away from corrections-based policies to police-based policies” instead of reducing police resources (Is the Economic Downturn Fundamentally Changing How We Police? 2010, p.26). This shows that the police officers who have participated in the survey feel a dearth of resources for them to efficiently execute their tasks. In the present day, computers and internet technology offer a wide range of facilities that enable people to operate from remote locations and execute various tasks, without even having to be physically available at specific locations. Terrorists and other criminals take full advantage of the technology enabled gadgets to mount their operations. Thus, most of the times, police are unable to combat them because they always stay a step ahead, with their accessibility to the most advanced technology in the world, which police officers do not have. Most of the participants in the above survey by PREF understand that the challenges that police officers encounter require “resources” (p.35). In the absence of such resources, police in fact becomes ineffective in the execution of various responsibilities vested on them. On the other hand, “64%” of the COPS survey respondents have maintained that their agency had to “cut back on buying or upgrading major equipment” (The Impact of the Downturn on American Police Agencies, 2011, p.21). Shortfalls in equipment and technology will also have negative impacts on the morale of the police officers, when criminals outsmart them, by taking advantage of the technology and equipment available at their disposal. Conclusions/Recommendations: There is no denial of the fact that in order to effectively combat the menace of crime as well as terrorism, police forces need to stay ahead of criminals and terrorists not only in the context of resources but also in terms of their motivation, morale and sense of purpose. However, to achieve this objective, police officers need to have supporting resources as well as adequate and timely training to keep them physically fit and mentally alert. When the government cuts down police budgets, which are necessary to support their basic needs, their efficiency and competency will be compromised. Therefore, the government needs to explore new avenues for allocating ample funds to police organizations for their training and equipment. On the other hand, police departments should also implement policies and devise alternatives such as collaboration and cooperation for sharing resources with other organizations so as to optimize their utilization and to avoid extra onus on the already depleting public fiscal resources. The aspect of training, as stated earlier, is vital in organizations to sustain the physical as well as mental health of the employees as well as to build up their moral and motivation. In the absence of sufficient funds to impart training to their employees, police organizations may try an exchange program and thus, eliminate the need to bear any costs towards the training. Similarly, in-house training can be more actively implemented to balance the absence of external training due to lack of funding. Various departments may also consider identifying individual officers, who may have acquired certain skills personally either before joining the force or after enlisting. Similarly, they can also utilize the services of personnel with skills in the areas of shooting, yoga, acrobatics, tennis etc to systematically train the remaining personnel so that their physical fitness and mental alertness can be sustained. In this connection, there is also a need for police leadership to personally involve in the training process so that their expertise can be positively channelized into benefitting their personnel. Similarly, efforts can also be initiated to subscribe the services of in-house experts in investigative process and information technology to train others. The departments concerned, in this context, can identify potential candidates and then depute them to different units for certain specific periods of time to train their personnel. The integration of technology in the appropriate areas of police work may also help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of officers in investigating and solving crimes, learning about terrorists as well as understanding their modus operandi and prevent the possibility of attacks. A study, conducted by Kent Reichert of the University of Pennsylvania, contends that technology such as Geographic Information System (GIS) and Crime Mapping software is very “inexpensive and affordable for even small and budget-constrained police departments” (2001, p.2). The study further asserts that proper integration of information technology into policing work can enhance the capabilities and “effectiveness of law enforcement in fulfilling it complex mission” in the modern day (p.3). About a dozen years has passed since this study and IT and its possibilities now surpass human expectations. Thus, leadership in organization has to review the areas where cost effective modern technology can replace costly human resources and, thus, make better utilization of their limited budgets. Another study by Dr Marvin J Cetron and Owen Davies illustrates the capabilities of technology in supporting the policing system to render its personnel efficiency and effectiveness through various devices, which if used with discretion, can drastically reduce the deployment of manpower and thereby save costs. The most significant among their findings is the installation of “networks of video cameras,” and “nanotech sensors capable of detecting explosives, chemicals and biological weapons” different types of surveillance systems etc (Cetron & Davies, 2008, p.119). Besides, technology has also high utility in collection, analysis and interpretation of data and the appropriate software used for such purpose can save thousands of hours being spent by police personnel. Thus, by replacing human resources in such activities, large amounts of overheads can be saved, which can be channelized into core areas such as training, equipment and technology. Therefore, it transpires that with the proper use of technology and its integration into various operational areas, police forces across the country can avoid unnecessary human resources engagement and achieve better efficiency in a cost effective manner. The paucity of resources, to a certain extent, can be tackled through sharing of resources among organizations. Similarly, different departments can devise a system of deploying the resources of one unit, where the resource is not essential, in other units where a dire need exists for it, depending on the prevalent crime situation in the areas of their operation. Agencies can combine their “efforts and resources through consolidation, shared services, and regionalization” (The Impact of the Economic Downturn on American Police Agencies, 2011, p.35). Besides, by adopting a strategy of collection and assimilation of real time crime data through new technology will facilitate the “effective management and strategic deployment of resources to focus on specific problems as they develop” (p.35). By combining and sharing resources and facilitating real time data, organizations can eliminate the possibility of keeping resources idle in one place when it is essential in another place. This will facilitate optimum utility of the resource besides fulfilling the needs of specific units where resources are lacking. The Glendale Police 2009 Staffing Study, while acknowledging the potential increase in criminal activities that necessitate enhanced requirement of resources for police forces suggests the “realignment of resources into more efficient operations” with a focus on actions that enable “more significant returns” (Glendale Police Staffing Study, 2009, p.13). Therefore, through combining the resources and cooperating in the sectors of training and technology, the police departments in the country can save costs as well as train the maximum number of personnel from own sources. Reference List Cetron, M. J. & Davies, O. (2008). 55 Trends Now Shaping the Future of Policing. The Proteus Trends Series. Retrieved from Castberg, A. D. The Effective Administration of Police and Prosecution in the United States. (n.d.). Retrieved from Glendale Police Staffing Study. (2009). City of Glendale, Arizona. Retrieved from Is the Economic Downturn Fundamentally Changing How We Police? (2010). Critical Issues in Policing Series. Police Executive Research Forum. Retrieved from Reichert, K. (2001). Use of Information Technology by Law Enforcement. University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved from The Impact of the Economic Downturn on American Police Agencies. (2011). Community Oriented Policing Services. US Department of Justice. Retrieved from The Impact of Terrorism on State Law Enforcement: Adjusting to New Roles and Changing Conditions. (2005). The Council of State Governments and Eastern Kentucky University. Retrieved from Read More