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Police Reform Essay

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Police reform has become an increasingly critical issue in the United States over the last few years, particularly following several high-profile incidents of police brutality and excessive use of force against minorities. The police's use of force is a significant issue in many police departments, leading to serious injuries or death and undermining public trust in the police. Scholars and experts have called for comprehensive police reform measures to address systemic issues in law enforcement agencies and rebuild public trust in the police.
One of the key issues in police reform is the excessive use of force by law enforcement officers. Alpert and Smith (1994) examined the use of force by police officers and found that officers often use …show more content…

Several scholars have highlighted the importance of training police officers in de-escalation techniques to minimize the use of force. Mohler-Kuo et al. (2015) found that de-escalation training is associated with a reduction in the use of force by police officers, and use of non-lethal force. Similarly, Kraska and Kappeler (1997) argued that police departments should adopt less-lethal force options, such as pepper spray or Tasers, which can reduce the need for lethal force in many …show more content…

Skogan and Frydl (2004) examined the evidence on police effectiveness and found that community policing and problem-oriented policing are effective approaches to reducing crime and improving community relationships. These approaches involve a more collaborative and problem-solving approach to policing, which can help address underlying issues that contribute to crime and disorder in communities.
One of the key arguments against police reform is that it may undermine law enforcement's ability to do their jobs effectively. Klockars et al. (2004) argued that strict adherence to rules and regulations can limit officers' discretion and hamper their ability to respond to rapidly changing situations. However, this argument is often countered by advocates of police reform who argue that strict adherence to rules and regulations is necessary to prevent abuses of power and ensure that law enforcement agencies are accountable to the communities they

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Policing has seen much progress. Some reforms do work, and some types of abuse have been reduced. Today, among both police officials and rank and file officers, it is widely recognized that police brutality hinders good law enforcement. Whenever a new case of police brutality comes to light, people in the community must respond politically to ensure justice for the victim. These actions must be timely to be truly effective.

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Annotated Bibliography Books Dudley, William, et al., editors. Police Brutality. D.L. Bender, 1991. • Police Brutality gives information on how police brutality is a widespread issue in the United States and explains different controversies and cases that relate to police brutality. • The editors of this book include activists and nonfiction authors who provide reliable information on what happened during different incidences of police brutality and the viewpoints and controversies that come with it.

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The use of excessive force by police officers has been an issue since the riots which occurred in the United States during the 1960’s and early 1970’s. There have been many documented examples of the consequences of police use of force, and especially use of force against racial minorities on community disorder. Probably the most relatively well-known incident is the beating of Rodney King which resulted in the 1991 LA riots. But the use of lethal force by police has resulted in similar, if not more destructive consequences in other cities.

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One common opinion is that officers should not use more force than is necessary or reasonable, and even then, that force should be used only as a last resort. “Police use force to affect civilians’ conduct. On a day-to-day basis, they do so most often by employing the least degree of force available to them, their mere presence. Cops wear uniforms and drive distinctly marked cars so that, without saying a word, they may have an effect on citizens’ behavior” (Fyfe, 38). When an officer’s presence fails to fulfill the desired conduct, the next course of action for said officer would be verbalization.

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Police officers have vowed their life to protect and serve. They risk their lives every day for their communities. As the last few years have sped past us, police officers have been very aggressive with the force they use when arresting a suspect, or even people in general. According to a Texas article on Civil Liberties and Civil Rights, “police officers typically use force offensively rather than defensively and do so with at least some degree of premeditation.” (Gross,2013, page 167).

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A news report released by CNN on April 10, 2015 displayed three examples of use of force abuse by on duty officers. Of these three incidents the results were a man dying in police custody after a dog allegedly mauled him, a mentally ill man being was shot dead after his family called police asking for help, and an officer who shooting into a vehicle after a car chase, killing a man who was initially suspected of drunk driving. Of all three incidents the deceased happened to all be Black men. Incidents like so have led to the formation of groups like Black Lives Matter. Instances such as these open up debate about if police are using excessive force based upon the suspect’s race.

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Officer training and supervision are highlighted in a report created by a working group of mayors and police chiefs from the United States Conference of Mayors under improving police department procedures. This paper includes a set of ideas for bettering community policing. According to the paper, "training should encompass more than policing methods" (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2015). The paper emphasizes the significance of police personnel knowing their position in society and emphasizing community participation. "Training must focus on reducing unjustified use of force, and officers should be given alternatives to the use of deadly firearms" (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2015).

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Police Brutality in the United States of America Police brutality has been a problem in the United States of America for a long time. The regulations that cops should abide by hasn’t changed, but the actions of officers have. Police officers have a different view of the rules that they should follow. The power that police have has gone to their heads, and they take advantage of the power. Police are needed in America because of how society is, but there are things that the police do that shows a complete misuse of their power.

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Within the criminal justice system, the police have three main goals: to serve, enforce the law, and to maintain order. Most police officers are people just trying to fulfill these goals and protect the citizens, using discretion wisely, but sometimes in this process, it may seem that there is an abuse of power, especially in terms of the use of force. As stated in Criminal Justice in America (2014), police are able to use legitimate force on those individuals that are deemed uncooperative, but this force is sometimes deemed excessive. Excessive use of force is when the force used by an officer either violated department policy or the constitutional rights of the individual by exceeding the level of force permissible and necessary for the

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As suggested by some experts, the most feasible solution to reduce crime and at the same time create a better police-community relationship is community policing. First of all, in order to understand more about community policing, one must recognize the true definition of such law enforcement strategy. Community policing is considered an organizational strategy in which the community and law enforcement are expected to work closely together in order to solve problems that affect everyone equally; such problems are fear of crime, physical and social disorder, and neighborhood decay. The main idea of community policing is that those people considered to be law abiding citizens should be allowed to have some kind of input in what involves the police work, in exchange for their participation and support (Jenkins, 1995). This type of interaction is encouraged by the idea that police alone cannot solve all the crimes that affect our communities.

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For one thing, accusations of law enforcement using excessive force and the outcomes of the use of excessive force is flooding the media as it changes the public’s view of the people who sworn to protect and serve us. The question that the people should be asking is ,“ what compels some officers to abuse the power that is granted to them?” In a survey titled," A neutral look at police Brutality" it serves as a non-bias source about law enforcement views about police brutality. that was composed by police officers it stated that

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This issue has had a disproportionate impact on people of color, particularly Black Americans, and has eroded trust in law enforcement agencies. Urgent action is necessary to address this issue and to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. This will require a multi-pronged approach that includes reforming police training, implementing accountability measures, and enacting new laws and policies. addressing the issue of excessive use of force by law enforcement requires a comprehensive approach that involves multiple stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, policymakers, community members, and mental health professionals. By implementing reforms to police training, increasing accountability measures, enacting new laws and policies, promoting diversity within law enforcement, and prioritizing community-based solutions, we can work towards a future in which police violence is no longer a pervasive issue in our society.

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Police Brutality is an ongoing problem and existent concern in the United States and should be resolved immediately. Law enforcement must function as an element that consists of organized and civilized officers. The presence of police brutality is becoming more of an issue as society grows. The problem posed by the illegal exercise of police power is an ongoing reality for individuals of a disfavored race, class, or sexual orientation. Police brutality must be stopped so that police do not forget who they are serving – not themselves, but the public.

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The first objective of this study is to define and explain community policing as it is currently practiced in the U.S. Community policing and crime reduction is the 4th pillar as stipulated by the Police department under 21st-century policing. According to the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), community policing refers to a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, systematic use of partnerships, and problem-solving techniques. This philosophy aims to address public safety issues, such as fear of a crime, any form of social disorder, and others. Community policing is made up of three essential components, the first one being community partnerships. This involves engagement between the law enforcement agency

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One of the most critical components of effective law enforcement is the establishment and maintenance of public trust. Though vital to public safety, its existence is often taken for granted. But as recent events have demonstrated, questions about police practices, use of force and community trust and engagement are being raised. These incidents and the resulting inquiries have placed the police at the forefront of our nightly news and stimulated discussion in our communities. That is why examining our relationships with the community is essential to maintaining law and order.

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