Plan for Gang Violence in Abbotsford, BC, Canada: Application of Community Policing Model - Research Paper Example

COMMUNITY POLICING Contents Part – I Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………...2 2. Literature Review……………….……………………………………………………………………..33. International Perspectives on community policing……………………………………...4 4. Arguments and Discussion…………………………………………………………………………5 5. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………...6 Part – II: POP Plan for Gang Violence in Abbotsford, BC, Canada Application of Community Policing Model……………………………………………………………7 References………………………………………………………………………................................................10 1. Introduction Community policing is one of the most recent dispositions in the Canadian police systems. Models of policing have evolved drastically since past several decades, mainly on account of the strong influence of sociopolitical factors on the Canadian law enforcement. During the first three eras of policing the police were controlled by the politicians for obtaining votes, the second era saw the establishment of a more professional and efficient structure of crime prevention, which freed the officers from the control of politicians but at the same time, also removed them from serving the communities. The third and the present era, however, brought about a revolutionary change in the manner in which communities sought crime control and marked the beginning of establishment of a symbiotic relationship between the police and the common citizens1. The term community policing has been defined in different ways by different authors. While some authors define the term as a substantial positive change in the quantity and quality of police contacts, or a means of promoting and enhancing community problem solving strategies, yet others define it as decentralization of police bureaucracy2. Friedman (1992) defines community policing as “a policy and a strategy aimed at achieving more effective and efficient crime control, reduced fear of crime, improved quality of life, improved police services and police legitimacy, through a proactive reliance on community resources that seeks to change crime - causing conditions. It assumed the need for greater accountability of police, greater public share in decision - making and greater concern for civil rights and liberties3”. 2. Literature Review There has been a rapid advancement in terms of research on the aspect of community policing particularly in the wake of increased federal funding and the growth of criminal justice education in Canada. The concept of community policing is aimed at solving problems through seeking active participation of communities and problem solving is one of the most recent and effective methods which aims at not only addressing issues related to crime but also maintaining the quality of social life in communities. According to researchers, problem oriented policing plans were found to be effective in dealing with crimes and addressing social disorder issues such as store robberies, alcohol abuse, prostitution, etc4. In yet another study it was observed that Problem Oriented Policing – a model of community policing developed by Herman Goldstein, was an effective approach of dealing with crime and succeeded in addressing a host of community issues with respect to crime most effectively5. Other studies document the fact that simple community policing strategies such as door to door contacts help in establishing positive relationships with the community members resulting in increased involvement in fighting crime. 3. International Perspectives on Community Policing A brief study of the manner in which community policing is implemented across different countries might help in understanding the concept in a much better perspective, and hence is discussed hereunder: Community policing in Canada was very well received both by the communities as well as the police force, and was perceived as one of the most efficient methods of dealing with crime. Canadian communities actively seek increased participation of communities in decision making on matters related to crime control and work along side the police. Zone policing is actively implemented in urban and metropolitan areas in Canada which keeps tabs on the day to day operations of the communities. It is this positive harmony between communities and the Canadian police force that has led to a significant impact on crime as well as drastically changed public perceptions regarding role of administration in crime control6. Community Policing in Australia on the other hand, which was largely inspired from the American neighborhood watch program achieved considerable success since it was able to achieve active participation from enthusiastic members and a perfect co-ordination with the police departments and safety houses. The police worked in co-ordination with the communities and strived to derive solutions for problems faced by the particular areas7. However, the Japanese model of community policing is by far, regarded as the most successful models. The Japanese police laid more emphasis on achieving and developing better co-ordination between the police and the citizens as well as providing services to the people since the police aimed at gaining the trust, co-operation and assistance of the people in order to achieve effective crime control measures. The Japanese police are believed to carry out their duties in a much more responsible manner and hence have managed to gain the trust and support of the people in communities served by them. Moreover, the apparent fact that under the Japanese policing system the police is accountable to the community rather than to the government has contributed to its significant success8. 4. Arguments and Discussion Community policing is probably one of the most controversial and widely debated issues in the context of criminal justice in present times. Widespread disagreements and arguments, both in favor of as well as against the concept, have been raised regarding the nature, philosophy and implementation aspects of community policing which further complicates the matter since such criticisms and arguments come from its proponents as well as opponents from a wide spectrum of community which includes politicians, general public, communities and corporate organizations. On one hand there is a wide spectrum of society which has shared grave concern regarding the quantity of measures taken with regard to crime control by concerned authorities and on the other hand police departments and administrators largely remain unconvinced over the ability and effectiveness of community policing as a valid means of crime prevention. The advocates of community policing strongly believe that “in order to adequately address neighborhood crime and disorder, effective policing has to address the social and economic conditions of the community and seek to transform the cultures that produce crime and conflict”9. While the opponents of community policing maintain that in order to avoid the social disorder of the community both police and the citizens need to work in co-ordination with one another. Fostering symbiotic relationships between police and community is the only way to achieve effective crime control. Skeptics claim that community policing might lead to over vigilance and profiling of minorities in the community and hence might compromise and contradict the very premise of the concept itself – that of protection of communities from crime. [Total word count: 1226] Part – II Problem oriented policing is rapidly gaining widespread acceptance across communities in North America and particularly in Canada. Such a model offers a daring perspective of solving problems faced by communities by attempting to eliminate them right from the source. This section deals with the application of community policing model, and discusses major issues related to the increasing gang violence in Abbotsford, (British Columbia, Canada) as well as the manner in which such incidences of violence can be prevented and controlled through effective implementation of problem oriented policing models. Nature of the Problem Incidences of gang violence have been repeatedly reported across Canada10. According to reports gang violence has been on a rise in the British Columbian community of Abbotsford which is now regarded as the gang capital of Canada11. Also, according to reports by APD (Abbotsford Police Department) the size of problems related to gang violence has doubled in the past five years and the police have yet, not been able to keep pace in controlling or preventing such occurrences12. From the various newspaper articles and other media, reviewed13, the problem of gang violence continues to come to the forefront and hence has been chosen as an ideal topic for discussing the implementation of a problem oriented policing model to address the issue. Objective To reduce or eliminate incidences of gang violence in and around Abbotsford, through aggressive and vigilant monitoring including review of bail status of offenders, night patrol, installing surveillance devices for improved monitoring, establishing better relationships with the communities for enhanced support, and socially isolating the offenders by denying them access to social amenities like restaurants, gyms and car rental facilities etc. POP (Problem Oriented Policing) Approach The concept of problem solving is based on the belief that “crime and disorder can be reduced in small geographic areas by carefully studying the characteristics of problems in the area, and then applying the appropriate resources” and “individuals make choices based on the opportunities presented by the immediate physical and social characteristics of an area. By manipulating these factors, people will be less inclined to act in an offensive manner”14. In order to achieve the goals listed above, the police must devise methods of targeting areas which have reported incidences of frequent malfunction of law and order situations, and aim for implementation of proactive measures by working closely with the local authorities. To eliminate the problem from the root, prevention strategies can be developed and implemented in phases beginning with targeting vulnerable subjects such as youth and teens who are likely to be associated with such gangs, where the focus is on imparting education and generating awareness about the probable risks associated with such delinquent behavior. Secondly, authorities must try to resolve critical social issues such as lack of proper housing facilities, discrimination, poverty etc which are considered as high risk factors that could drive individuals towards crime. Problem Oriented Policing – The SARA Model: The tools which could be used for addressing the issue include CAPRA, DPR, SARA etc. SARA, or, ‘Scanning Analysis Response and Assessment’ is an effective problem solving approach devised by Eck and Spelman (1987)15. Scanning refers to identifying problem areas by use of basic data and electronic maps. The problem could include a range of issues faced by the community and need not be restricted to one particular type of incident for instance it could mean to include gang wars involving youth, drug abuse, violence involving firearms, sexual assaults, as well as thefts. Analysis refers to gaining a comprehensive understanding of the problems faced for which the officers involved are required to collect detailed information about the offenders as well as victims, from various sources such as schools, and neighborhoods in order to gain better understanding of the problem. Response requires close association and involvement with the community in order to help resolve problem areas for instance in cases where teens are reported to repeatedly attack victims in poorly lit streets, the appropriate response would involve providing adequate lighting facilities in such dark alleys, or implementing preventive measures such as deploying foot / car patrol in such neighborhoods. Assessment refers to analyzing the success or failure of the methods adopted. However it is essential to note that success does not necessarily imply a permanent solution to a problem or total eradication of the crime but it may mean achieving substantial reduction in the frequency of such crimes. In order to attain complete eradication of any crime, the community has to work hand in hand with the police at all times. [Total word count: 881] References Steverson, L. A., (2008). Policing America: A Reference Handbook, ABC - CLIO Publication, Pp.58 Rosenbaum, D. P., Lurigio, A. J., (1994). An Inside Look at Community Policing Reform: Definitions, Organizational Changes and Evaluation Findings, Crime and Delinquency, Vol. 40, No. 3 Friedmann, R. R., (1992). Community policing: Comparative Perspectives and Prospects, New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf,Pp. 4. Kelling, G, L., Pate, A., Dieckman, D., and Brown, C. E., (1974). The Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment: A Technical Report. Washington, D.C.: Police Foundation. pp.iii, 533–535. Kansas City Police Department (1980). Response Time Analysis: Volume II, Part I—Crime Analysis. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. Pp.iii. Eck, J. E., Spelman, W., (1987). Problem Solving: Problem-Oriented Policing in Newport News. Washington, D.C.: Police Executive Research Forum. Pp.81,99. Friedmann, R. R., (1992). Community Policing: Comparative Perspectives and Prospects, New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf,Pp. 99 - 109 Bayley, D., The state of the art in community policing: an international perspective, in Vernon, J., and McKillop, S., (eds), The police and the community: proceedings of a conference held on 23-25 October 1990. Barak, G., (2007). Battleground: Criminal Justice, Greenwood Publishing Group, PP. 84 - 87 Eck, J. E. and Spelman, W. (1987) Solving Problems: Problem Oriented Policing in Newport News. Washington: Police Executive Research Forum. Global TV (2009). Gangland Fears Rise in Fraser Valley, viewed: March 15, 2009 from: PeachArch News (2009). Standing Up to Gangs, viewed: March 15, 2009 from: Abby News (2009). Abbotsford forum tackles gang crime, viewed: March 15, 2009 from: Abby News (2009). Gang Violence Tops Agenda for van Dongen, viewed: March 15, 2009 from: Read More