Springer briefs in criminology policing
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| Taking It to the Police To that end, a police rule of law education program was developed and piloted at the municipal and state levels, before ultimately being piloted currently in the Mexican Federal Police. This police training program was also tested with the federal police in both Colombia and Panama. A central idea in this program focused upon helping participants to see how the police can (and must) contribute to upholding the rule of law. How can the police foster and sustain support from the community that is fundamental to effective crime prevention and response Research and experience show the importance of both formal and informal collaboration on crime prevention between various sectors of the community and the police as we have discussed throughout this manuscript (Sherman et al. The police have an essential function in a democratic society governed by the rule of law. Part of their role in a rule of law society is, of course, ensuring that no one is above the law, and that individuals or groups do not violently assert their will over the public order. However, police responsibilities extend far beyond this. They are the primary contact that citizens have with government and the justice system. Policing in accordance with the rule of law means that each police officer treats all individuals (both victims and offenders) in accordance with the values that are embodied within the rule of law fairness, dignity, and respect. Given their highly visible public place in society, police are central in shaping the attitudes and behavior of others by offering their own actions as examples (Tyler and Huo 2002 ; Skogan 1990 ). The police themselves first need to understand what the rule of law is. Given the different educational standards for recruitment internationally, the basic knowledge cannot betaken for granted. Second, for this knowledge to influence their behavior, they have to believe in the ability of the rule of law to improve the quality of life for all members of society. The important role that 7 Tying It All Together – I’m Smarter than a Ninth Grader – The Culture… police can have in shaping community attitudes toward the law has often been documented. Many studies have found that when citizens feel they are likely to be treated fairly by the police, they are also more likely to support the decisions of the police even if the outcome is not to their personal advantage (Tyler 2004 ; Skogan Some may think, People will not support the police because every time we interact with them we are made to do something that we don’t want to do. The police give us traffic tickets, ask us to move along, turn down our music, and so forth The reality is that if we believe we have been treated with dignity and professionalism by the police officer that gave us the traffic ticket, our attitudes towards the police will not become more negative as result of personal experience. This same research also indicates that support for the police is directly related to a general willingness to follow the rules and laws of society – in other words, it is related to a culture of lawfulness. Public support for law enforcement is obviously influenced by high profile cases of police corruption or human rights abuses in the media. However, police routinely taking relatively small bribes, police apathy to citizen concerns, and unprofessional conduct have far greater effects on citizen belief in the rule of law. These are the situations that citizens are most likely to encounter in day-to-day interactions with the police, and have the greatest influence over personal opinions. Police power is not just about the use of force, which typically first comes to mind. The greatest police power derives from their ability to teach others correct behavior by example to pass on values to society by representing the best that the rule of law has to offer fairness, justice, and dignity (Caldero and Crank A note of caution most police officers set outwith noble intention to take the bad guys off the streets, respond to victims, and ensure the safety and quality of life of communities. Yet however serious or heinous the crime, engaging in illegal tactics to catch and put in jail a known criminal – planting evidence, subjecting suspects to physical violence, lying in written testimony – can never be justified. Further, such tactics constitute a major threat to the rule of law (Wood 2004 ; Kleinig 2002 ). Illegal behavior by police demonstrates to citizens that government can interfere in people’s lives with impunity and without regard for the constraints of the rule of law. Although the goal of crime control is essential to the healthy functioning of society, it must be balanced with citizen’s right to due process embodied in the rule of law. Knowledge of the rule of law is merely the foundation for the greater need by the police to believe in its importance, their role in promoting it in the community, and the importance of citizen participation and collaboration. How do we achieve these goals? Download 1.04 Mb. Share with your friends:
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