Complaints against the Police - Essay Example

 Complaints against the Police Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary 3 2. Background of the Issue 4 3. Describing the Way to Improve Policies against Police Complaints 6 3.1 Method of Working 7 3.2 Partnership Engagement 7 3.3 Value for Money Considerations 8 3.4 Public and Media Concern or Interest 8 4. Identifying Potential Criticisms and Risks Exist for this Policy Related Issue and Determining Practical Obstacles 9 4.1 Building Coalition 10 4.2 Monitoring Police Activities 10 4.3 Promoting Open Records Law 11 4.4 Educating Public or Communities 11 5. The Proposal for Change 12 5.1 Justifying Rational of the Issue in the Current Situation 12 5.2 Evidence of Failure of Current Policy 13 5.2.1 Unreasonable Arrest and False Imprisonment 13 5.2.2 Malicious Prosecution 14 5.2.3 Use of Excessive Force 14 5.3 Recommending Strategic Measures and Priorities regarding Change in Policy 15 5.3.1 Making Safer Communities through Tackling and Investigating Crimes 15 5.3.2 Promoting Evidence based Policing Activities 15 5.3.3 Increasing Public Confidence and Faith 15 6. Describing the Timescales for Implementation and Evaluating Strategy for the Proposal 17 Timescale for Implementation Recommended Strategic priorities 17 Critical Evaluation 18 References 19 1. Executive Summary The essay explores the issue of increasing complaints against police officers across different locations of the world. In this regard, the discussion of the essay critically intends to assess the policies, strategies and priorities leading to compel police officers to commit different types of criminal acts while performing their roles and responsibilities. According to an in-depth understanding regarding the concern, the discussion of the essay identifies few major problems and risk factors leading to the issue of police brutality and corruption and different other illegal acts. With regard to the budding growth of the concern, the essay also tends to provide a proposal for change policy that leads to increase policing crimes. In this context, the proposal for change in policing policy includes a set of effective recommendations that can enable policy makers to reduce different potential issues. 2. Background of the Issue Acts of corruption, brutality and bribery by the people with legislative power have long been witnessed to radically weaken the public faith on the governments. However, the loss of public faith is often regarded to be acute when the legislative acts involve with the police. This is owing to the fact that public, irrespective of their locations relies upon the law enforcement officers in order to uphold legal commandments and ensure adequate protection of the communities and provide assistance when needed. With due regards to various law enforcement reports and analysis, police officers are often considered as the most visible governmental arm for the communities or the citizens. They are often considered to be a yardstick through, which they measure their appropriate authority. The illegal acts performed by the police officers often lead them, to be dishonoured not only by himself, but the practices also disgrace the entire legal environment along with the judicial system that he/she represents (Williams, 2002). Unfortunately to the growing concern of police officer complaints, there is a number of crucial factors that lead or enable them to commit unethical or illegal practices. In this regard, the organisational culture is often regarded as one of the major aspects that encourage police officers to commit different types of corruption related acts. Those acts often recognise to be practiced in the form of monetary bribes, misuse of their authorities, or concealing numerous criminal activities. In addition to the corruption related acts, the police officers irrespective of different geographical locations often involve violation of policies associated with human rights or numerous types of racial and ethnic discrimination related acts (Tiryakian, 2013). With regard to the various past research studies, it has been ascertained that the policing administrations are often found to be unsuccessful in terms of punishing travesties associated with the judicial system. The policing practices in different developed or developing nations inadvertently encourage wide range of corruption related activities that breed deception, discrimination and different other unethical acts. In this concern, citizens from different geographical nations have been fostering their conception by distrusting discriminative governing style of the police officers. In order to deal with the issue of emerging police complaints, numerous strategies and priorities have been undertaken by the governments from the global nations (Walker, 2007). The strategic policing priority of Scotland, provides a number of effective strategies that can enable policing practices to reduce different potential crimes. According to the strategic policing priority, fostering safety of the community by tackling and investigating crimes can be regarded as a major set of acts that can limit the frequency of criminal activities performed by the police officers. Moreover, demonstrating policing excellence and making continuous focus, on effectively responding towards the potential risks of threats in the policing activities have also reduce the number of discriminations in policing practices (Scottish Police Authority, 2014). In addition, Williams (2002), has also critically assessed that controlling measures and accountability regarding own job responsibilities is also a major set of factors leading to police officer complaints. In this regard, the formation of effective controlling measures and ensuring that the police officers are accountable to bind with their commitments can play a pivotal role to protect the police from different discrimination related issues (Williams, 2002). In addition, to the strategic priorities of different policing organisations, the increasing numbers of high profile cases across different parts of the world can also be considered to fuel the rising level of complaints against the police officers. For instance, the report published by Huffington post revealed that 99 percent of police brutality related complaints have been un-investigated across different areas in the Central New Jersey of the US. According to the post, it has been revealed that the a large number of high-profile cases regarding the misconduct of police officers have been recognising as a major concern over the recent past years. The citizens across the Ventral New Jersey have filed numerous complaints against the police officers due to their conduct of alleging brutality, biasness along with violation of human rights. In this regard, it is evident that the increasing numbers of police crimes by involving alleged brutality and illegal acts has become a major concern for societies, which must be changed (The Huffington Post, 2014). 3. Describing the Way to Improve Policies against Police Complaints In order to critically assess the current phenomena of emerging number of police complaints, the discussion includes major considerations, leading to influence police officers to commit different violation of Human Right Acts (Fielding, 2005). Few major considerations to be ascertained in this discussion include methods of working, partnership engagement, value for money consideration and public and/or media concern or interests. 3.1 Method of Working Method of performing required roles and responsibilities can be regarded as one of the primary concerns that encourages police officers to involve various types of unethical activities that further increases number of complaints. As mentioned earlier, the organisational culture of the policing organisations often lead police officers to commit illegal or unethical practices, while performing their assigned roles. Inadequate controlling measures and inefficient managing capabilities of the leaders often create major risks for the policing organisations to change behavioural traits of each police officer. In addition, working method in most of the policing organisations involves providing substantial authority, which further insists police officers to take negative advantage of their authority (Hayman & Newburn, 2001). Moreover, inappropriate training on developing effective behavioural aspects of officers can also be considered as a major concern leading to impose major risk of policing brutality or involving police officers in different corruption related activities. The lack of accountability towards maintaining appropriate discipline in their assigned roles have also been considered as few of the major aspects that increase police complaints across different global nations (Williams, 2002). 3.2 Partnership Engagement Involving policing responsibility towards discrimination or discovering personal interests with the social needs can also be considered as a major factor leading to increase number of policing complaints. In the context of recent phenomena, there is a number of incidents, which can be witnessed where police officers involve taking monetary bribes or seeking personal interest in their assigned roles. The practice often creates obstacles for the societies to keep their trust on the legislative departments or judicial system of the nations. Moreover, consideration of partnership engagement often reduces value of the policing organisations and lowers their image within a particular society. Conducting biasness with a particular group or seeking their personal needs has also been observed to emerge as the issue of police complaints across different nations (Goldsmith, 1990). 3.3 Value for Money Considerations In addition, the value for money also have major influence on the police officers to involve different unethical practices that further increase the number of police complaints. According to the different research reports from diverse nations, it is evident that the police officers are often involved in taking monetary bribes or benefits by illegally implementing their authority. In this regard, the issue of taking monetary bribes or involving in different corruption related issues are emerging primarily due to police officers being unsatisfied with the monetary benefits provided to them from the legislative departments. Social isolation has also been observed as a major stressor for individuals policing in a particular community. In general, the policing occupation generally involves strict regulations that are likely to bind police personnel to get involved in any type of social activities or events (Williams, 2002). 3.4 Public and Media Concern or Interest Public and media interest can also be regarded as one of the major factor that helps law enforcement agencies to implement policy strategies and priorities against the emerging issues of complaints against police officers. In relation to the recent phenomena, media plays a pivotal role to explore wide range of issues regarding the increasing numbers of complaints against the police across the globe. According to the observation, the complaints against police are often caused due to numerous illegal practices including brutality, taking monetary bribery and involving in corruption with criminal groups among others. The strategic policy of fostering safety of the community by tackling and investigating crimes is influenced by the involvement of public interest, which enables policing organisations to improve authoritative actions of the police (Williams, 2002). The involvement of public and media interests is also considered by the law enforcement departments in terms of performing the strategic priority of improving collaborative culture among the police and communities throughout the world. In this regard, the policy of engaging police officers to successfully accomplish different community based programs along with deploying them to effectively deal with any unwanted situation in the society helps the law enforcement departments to reduce illegal acts of the police officers (Goldsmith, 1990). 4. Identifying Potential Criticisms and Risks Exist for this Policy Related Issue and Determining Practical Obstacles The policies in order to effectively deal with the emerging issue of police complaints have evolve major criticism across different parts of the world. According to the study, the policy of building coalition between law enforcement agencies and community relations can be regarded as a major aspect to improve operational efficiency that can help lowering the issue of police related complaints. However, the policy related to the issue of police complaints has long been witnessed to incorporate numerous risks (Newburn, 2003). Few of the major possible criticisms and risks associated with the policy have been briefly described in the following section. 4.1 Building Coalition According to the issue of increasing complaints against police, the strategy of building coalition by most of the law enforcement departments can be regarded as a major step to reduce negative influence. However, the strategy might face major criticism as the regulatory guidelines of the law enforcement departments often excludes the interests and personal expectations of the police officers. The regulatory policies of the majority of the law enforcement departments often isolate police officers to integrate with societies that can be a major barrier to build coalition. More significantly, the emerging numbers of police brutality cases may also reduce interests of the society to establish cooperative relationship with law enforcement departments and police officers as well (American Civil Liberties Union, 1997). 4.2 Monitoring Police Activities Administering each activity that is to be performed by the police officers, can substantially lower their involvement in different unethical practices. It can also enable the law enforcement agencies or departments to effectively monitor behavioural characteristics that influence them to perform abuse or harassment related issues. However, the process might also be criticised as it can also negatively impact the law enforcement departments. The strategy of monitoring policing activities might reduce their potentialities to effectively deal with different types of publicising incidents or societal unrests. From the perspective of a societal background, the continuous monitoring of police officers might cause different harassment related issues (Ede & et. al., 2002). 4.3 Promoting Open Records Law The process of performing Open Records Law can play an effective role in terms of controlling the negative impact of policing within the nations. The strategy of promoting open records law can enable law enforcement agencies to disclose policing activities of the officers on behalf of requests of the community members. However, the inclusion of such provision in the policies might also negatively impact the police officers to deal with different social unrests. Moreover, the process of revealing police activity records can also bring major risks for police officers to maintain privacy and security of their personal interests (American Civil Liberties Union, 1997). 4.4 Educating Public or Communities In addition to monitor policing activities, the strategy of educating public or community members regarding the mandatory compliances of the legislative policies can substantially lower the incident of police complaints. However, the strategy can also negatively impact on the societies by increasing the numbers of potential criminal acts. The process of educating public or community members might also create major conflict for the law enforcement departments or agencies in terms of building coalition among police officers and communities (Ede & et. al., 2002). 5. The Proposal for Change The complaints against police officers can be considered as one of the emerging concerns for the nations in order to ensure adequate safety and security of the citizens. According to observations made in past decades, the incident of police brutality, corruption, discrimination and violence of legal policies have been widely accepted to form a major dispute for the law enforcement departments to conserve their actual roles and responsibilities. The increasing numbers of high profile cases across different parts of the globe along with wide range of records regarding the misuse of authority by the police officers have been influencing the societies to lose their faith on the judicial laws and policies (Fielding, 2005). In order to reduce the major risks relating to the increasing numbers of complaints against police officers, bringing feasible changes in the administrative and/or legislative standards can lower the risk of various unethical practices of the police officers. In this regard, the proposal briefly provides few major changes with regards to the policing activities that can enable law enforcement departments to control wide range of complaints against the police officers. 5.1 Justifying Rational of the Issue in the Current Situation The policy of empowering adequate authority to the police officers has long been identified to create major issues across the globe. In relation to the past decades, policing crime has been recognised to demolish faith of the citizens on the law enforcement departments or agencies due to the rising concern of police brutality and corruption. The increasing numbers of high-profile cases also critically depicts clear evidence regarding the involvement of police officers. Moreover, the police officers across different nations of the world are often seen taking monetary bribes along with different other illegal activities, which is against the law. In addition, extortion extensively violates the legal Policies, which has been practiced by the police officers by taking undesirable advantage of their authority. In this regard, a proposal of making changes with the law enforcement policy can be duly considered as one of the major factors to bring back the faith of the citizens on police officers. 5.2 Evidence of Failure of Current Policy According to the past few decades, a number of cases witnessed by the citizens wherein the police officers have been severely accused to violate their legal obligations. The following sections describes about the type of crimes practiced by the police officers that breach current policing policies. 5.2.1 Unreasonable Arrest and False Imprisonment The misuse of authority or wrongly exercising policing power can be referred as one of the major factors leading to complaints against the police officers. The incident of DPP v Hawkins in 1988; Murray v Ministry of Defence in the year 1988; and Fox, Campbell and Hartley v UK in the year 1990 among others are few of the real world evidences regarding the unreasonable arrest and false imprisonment by police officers (Fenwick, 2001). 5.2.2 Malicious Prosecution In addition to a wide range of unlawful arrest and imprisonment, the police officers were also been witnessed to involve cases associated with malicious prosecution. The case of Hsu v Comr of Metropolitan Police; and Kownacki v Comr of Metropolitan Police among others are also considered as few of the popular cases associated with malicious prosecution (Fenwick, 2001). 5.2.3 Use of Excessive Force The issue of using excessive force has long been gaining majority of publicity in terms of highlighting the brutality and illegal activities committed by the police force. In this regard, the case of Graham v Connor, 490 U.S. 396 (1989) 183 can be referred as one of the popular cases, wherein the police officer was accused of using excessive force to the victim (Walker & Del Carmen, 2011). With reference to the above mentioned cases, it can be evidently identified that the police officers across different nations are often involved in violation of the policing policies. In this regard, the refurbishment of policies has become a growing concern for the law enforcement departments and legislative bodies to ensure adequate safety and security of the communities. 5.3 Recommending Strategic Measures and Priorities regarding Change in Policy 5.3.1 Making Safer Communities through Tackling and Investigating Crimes In order to reduce the number of complaints against police officers, the process of tackling and investigating different criminal activities need to consider specific set of measures for the policy makers. The strategy of effectively tackling and investigating crime would enable the policy makers and law enforcement departments to reduce issues associated with the police officers. In order to successfully achieve the desired outcome, ensuring adequate compliance with the primary law enforcement policies and practice guidelines would enable the police officers to substantially reduce their different illegal activities within the timeframe of few months (Scottish Police Authority, 2014). 5.3.2 Promoting Evidence based Policing Activities The policy makers across the different law enforcement departments should actively support a crucial shift towards promoting evidence based policing activities. The strategy would enable the law enforcement departments to build strong coalition with most of the collective resources. The integration of policy experts and implementing pioneering approaches would help the departments to significantly lower the amount of complaints against the police officers (Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Home Affairs Committee, 2013). 5.3.3 Increasing Public Confidence and Faith In order to increase confidence and faith of the community members, the policy makers should specifically focus on visibility, accountability and ethical principles regarding their range of policing activities. The practice of equal judgement of police officers and critically exploring their performance in the communities would enable the law enforcement department to gain positive outcome from the society (Scottish Police Authority, 2014). 6. Describing the Timescales for Implementation and Evaluating Strategy for the Proposal Timescale for Implementation Recommended Strategic priorities Strategic Priorities Major Activities in Each Action & Time 1. Tackling and Investigating Crimes Identifying behavioural aspects of the police Investigating their committed crimes Prioritising for the key strategies Planning strategies for 3-6 Months 2. Promoting Evidence based Policing Activities Review of the primary policies and procedures Relationship building activities Reinforcing and appreciating desired behaviour Engaging senior management Time estimated 6-9 Months 3. Increasing Public Confidence and Faith Analysing possible ethical measure Ensuring appropriate training and development activities Decentralising ethical values in policing roles and responsibilities Managing support activities Required Time 3 Months Critical Evaluation With regard to the aforesaid proposal, it is ascertained that the strategy of tackling and effectively investigating police activities would enable law enforcement departments to reduce a substantial level of criminal acts by police officers. The strategy would incorporate adequate measures and practices that would enable policy makers to improve cognitive and behavioural skills of the officers and reduce their range of unethical practices. In addition, the strategy of promoting evidence based policing would further facilitate departments to build a strong relationship between police officers and community members. In addition to the strategy of investigating policing activities and promoting evidence based practices, increasing confidence and faith of the communities would further enable law enforcement departments to substantially improve their wide range of community based practices. References American Civil Liberties Union, 1997. Fighting Police Abuse: A Community Action Manual. Defending Targets of Discrimination. [Online] Available at: https://www.aclu.org/racial-justice_prisoners-rights_drug-law-reform_immigrants-rights/fighting-police-abuse-community-ac#organizing [Accessed August 19, 2014]. Ede, A. & et. al., 2002. Reducing Complaints against Police and Preventing Misconduct: A Diagnostic Study Using Hot Spot Analysis. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 27-42. Fenwick, H., 2001. Civil Liberties Q and A. Cavendish Publishing. Fielding, N., 2005. The Police and Social Conflict 2nd Edition. Glasshouse Press. Goldsmith, A. J., 1990. Complaints against the Police: A 'Community Policing' Perspective. The Police and the Community in the 1990s, pp. 205-217. Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Home Affairs Committee, 2013. Independent Police Complaints Commission: Eleventh Report of Session 2012-13, Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence. The Stationery Office. Hayman, S. & Newburn, T., 2001. Policing, Surveillance and Social Control: CCTV and Police Monitoring of Suspects. Willan. Newburn, T., 2003. The Handbook of Policing Cullompton. Willan. Scottish Police Authority, 2014. Scottish Police Authority Performance Framework 2013/14. SPA’s Strategic Plan. [Online] Available at: http://www.spa.police.uk/assets/128635/performanceindicators [Accessed August 16, 2014]. Scottish Police Authority, 2014. Strategic Police Priorities. Law, Order & Public Safety. [Online] Available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/policies/police-fire-rescue/police-scotland/StrategicPolicePriorities [Accessed August 16, 2014]. The Huffington Post, 2014. 99 Percent Of Police Brutality Complaints Go Uninvestigated In Central New Jersey: Report. Police Brutality. [Online] Available at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/07/police-brutality-new-jersey-report_n_4555166.html [Accessed August 16, 2014]. Tiryakian, E. A., 2013. Two Laws of Penal Evolution. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 261-266. Walker, S., 2007. Police Accountability: Current Issues and Research Needs. The U.S. Department of Justice. [Online] Available at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/218583.pdf [Accessed August 19, 2014]. Walker, J. T. & Del Carmen, R. V., 2011. Briefs of Leading Cases in Law Enforcement. Elsevier. Williams, H., 2002. Core Factors of Police Corruption across the World. Forum on Crime and Society, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 85-99. Read More