Policing Philosophies

Current Philosophies of Policing and the War on Drugs

Styles and philosophies of policing have undergone substantial changes since the beginning of codified police practice and the Statute of Winchester 1285 (Schmalleger, 2015). Illegal drugs, laws regarding illegal drug use, and the way in which illegal drugs and their use are fought have evolved with the changes in policing philosophies. The changes are evident when looking at how illegal drug crimes and offenders have been treated since the “War on Drugs” was declared by President Nixon in 1971 and current times. The effectiveness of the “War on Drugs” is debatable and depends on a persons perception of effective.

History of policing can be broken down into four eras: the Political Era which occurred from 1840 - 1930, the Reform Era commencing in 1930 and ending in 1970, the Community Policing Era which has run from 1970 to current day, and the Homeland Security Era from 2001 to current day. Policing can further be broken down into three styles which include: the Watchman style, the Legalistic style, and the Service style. Out of these styles, the Service style has raised sense of concern and a need to help citizens rather than officers being militant crime fighting soldiers.

Strategic Policing “emphasizes an increased capacity to deal with crimes that are not well controlled by traditional methods” (Schmalleger, 2015, p. 175). The Problem-Solving Policing philosophy believes that social conditions can cause crime and that the underlying social problems need to be addressed. Community Policing has been described as “a philosophy based on forging a partnership between the police and the community so that they can work together on solving problems of crime, and fear of crime and disorder, thereby enhancing the overall quality of life in their neighborhoods” (Schmalleger, 2015, p.