An Analysis of Community Policing, Essay Example

This paper conducts an analysis of community policing and its impacts to law enforcement administration. It also compares, contrasts and elucidates the aspects of community policing as it relates to public interaction and political influence. In addition, this paper describes how law enforcement organization is affected positively or negatively by the evolution of community policing.

Community policing is now being considered the forthcoming of law enforcement not just in the United States of America but also in several parts of the world. For the purpose of this paper, community policing is an act of law enforcement and administration wherein same patrol officers are permanently assigned in the same area. Through this effort, it cannot be denied that the law enforcement administration has changed drastically from being reactive and static to a more dynamic, quality and problem-oriented bureaucracy and open partnership with the public they are serving. Some of the aspects of community policing that are affected by public interaction and political influence are community partnership, organizational transformation, and problem-solving- all of which needs to develop a long and positive public interaction by virtue of trust and honesty (Stevens, 2002). Community policing is not just about increasing police visibility to solve the rising number of crimes. To solve crimes, law enforcement must utilize their first line of defense which is the community. However, the success of community policing is dependent on the ability of the law enforcement to set aside political influences and focus on what can solve the problems in the community. The aspect of organizational transformation is negatively affected by political influence. Law enforcement must be able to adjust and adapt to what works for the public. But with the changes in leadership, the goals and approach to the community policing change as well depending on what the current leader believes (Swanson, et.al, 2012). Community policing will affect the law enforcement organization in both positive and negative way. Resistance to change is expected. Police departments are set on their organizational ways and to change that will take time and effort. On a positive note, law enforcement now has to focus on ways to flatten the pyramid of its organization to widen its officers’ decision-making capabilities and discretion in responding to the community.