‘The Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing: Ways through Which Stakeholders can be involved in Policing for the 21st Century’
There has been a change in technology, sources of information, and ideologies, and an environment within which law enforcement officers have to operate. There has been a change in the way people have to communicate and co-exist. President Obama saw it important to ensure all law-enforcement strategies remained relevant and up-to-date with the existing social trends. The process required the formation of an oversight law enforcement agencies whose role was ranging from community policing and social media intending to create police wellness.
Recommendations
Some different themes and recommendations were given from the report. First, the United States honors democracy and the rule of law. It is a concept that is well anchored within the constitution. The law requires that police should play the role of protecting fundamental human rights. Policing in a democratic setting requires both leadership and commitment. Law enforcement within organizations should be directed towards ensuring external and internal policies and governance processes are in line with the requirements of the constitution. Procedures and processes guide officers in their roles and make organizations more accountable to the communities they serve.
Secondly, relationships between the police and the community need to be based on trust and legitimacy. Healthy relationships depict one of the ways through which crime in society can be reduced. The community needs to work towards ensuring that there is transparency and accountability for crimes in society—police as to be guardians for people with strict adherence to processes. There will be a commitment to the communities so that immediate and long-term cases are tackled as a joint problem. There will be a reduction in crime as well as an improvement in the quality of life.
Thirdly, there is need for police to adhere to the policies that have been created in collaboration with the community. There is a need to give emphasis to the communities that have been disproportionately affected by crime. The policies and requirements that officers are required to follow need to be conveyed to the communities. The aim is that there will be the removal of confusion which occurs during critical incidents. People are to be treated with dignity during police oversight, and there is a promotion of neutrality as well as transparency in decision making.
Fourth, advancements in technology, new forms of communication, and other powerful tools connected to the community and the police have been on the rise. When implementing new forms of communication and technology, a clear outline has to be given. The outline has the purpose of detailing both internal and public strategies of communication. The outline also builds the framework policies that have the role of furthering those goals. Technology also helps in the building of human capital. There is growth in positive interactions and timely reporting of incidents, particularly those related to crime. The presence of police in communities helps in a proactive engagement towards problem-solving. Communities will also have a voice and a seat at the table when deliberating on security-related matters.
Works Cited