Traditional Model of Policing to Community Policing, Article Review Example

There is a difficulty associated with the conversion of the police force from the traditional law enforcement practice to the provision of community policing. There is a major problem when an officer tries to change the individual responsibility to fit into community policing. Due to the lack o clearly specified roles about community policing the police force just mimic other pre existent practices of community policing. There is no existing form of community policing that portrays excellence or superiority, and there is a variation of community policing. The most challenging of all factors considered in community policing is the conceptualization of the coincidence with the public demands, and acceptance of behavior (Giacomazzi et al 228).

In order to change the mode in which officers provide their services, it becomes essential to change the way the officers think and their feelings. It is important to involve the officers in the process of changing and include expectations regarding future performance. The officers will trust more in the familiarity they obtain through experience than the familiarity obtained by others. There occurs achievement of the process of community policing through active participation, as opposed to passive participation. Community policing requires the individual’s behavior, cognitive and affective change (Terpstra 97). The addressing of the factors should be simultaneous as they are interconnected. The behavioral changes, unless ideas and attitudes underlying the behavior are changed, remain for a short time. The mere provision of information is not sufficient to change the attitudes, ideas and behavioral patterns, and more information regarding the same becomes necessary. The staff involved in the process should have a change in perception of oneself and the environment in order to have a change in ideas, behavior, and attitude.

Works Cited

Giacomazzi, Andrew, Riley, Shem, and Merz, Ryan. Internal and External Challenges to Implementing Community Policing: Examining Comprehensive Assessment Reports from Multiple Sites. Journal of Criminal Justice Studies, 17.2 (2004): 223-237.

Terpstra, Jan. Governance and accountability in community policing. Journal of Crime, Law & Social Change. 55.2 (2011): 87-104.