The Justice System
The criminal justice system that is currently active in the United States is divided into many divisions, all with the same purpose in mind: public safety. Police departments are part of the broader criminal justice system, which also includes prosecutors, judges, juvenile justice systems, and correctional institutions such as jails and probation and parole departments. Many different agencies at the local, state and federal levels determine the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. In the eyes of the nation, police officers are one of the most prominent representations of the criminal justice system.
Police officers do not write legislation; they are charged with implementing laws that are passed by elected officials.
Local Police Forces
According to the FBI, the United States has over 18,000 local police forces. These agencies are regulated by various laws and codes at the state, county, and city levels, and they have different policies, procedures, and officer training programs. In the United States, there is no uniform standard for the structure, scale, or governance of police departments. With that in mind, this paper just scratches the surface of policing while providing a detailed overview of local policing on a range of topics.
It is intended to provide residents with a better understanding of how a police department can operate.
Department Management
Like any other professional institution, a police department relies heavily on a wonderful organization to best carry out its duties and consistently so. This, along with a possible outright overhaul, may perhaps be more necessary than ever given the frequently contentious relationship between communities of color and the police force, which has, in turn, lead to national and international awareness and outrage. The creation of a better department can be catalyzed through better organization thereof, which will lead to greater productivity among staff members and integration and understanding between communities.
Knowing all of this information, the following are three ways to organize your police department better.
Diversify the Department
The first way to better organize your police department is to make it a space that welcomes diversity. Socioeconomic disparities between various communities have contributed to a history of contentious relations between police officers and local communities of color and less privileged economic status. Making an effort to recruit members from among communities of color and integrate them with other units can demonstrate to the local community that they and the police force belong to one integrated community rather than separate worlds. This will also prove to society and the world that such a police department truly represents and embodies one community and nation.
Immerse in the Community
The second way to better organize your department is to immerse it in the local community as much as possible. Routinely having officers engage meaningfully with the local population via friendly gestures, participation in local events both while on and off duty, and periodic check-ins on local businesses can help bridge the gap.
Having a friendlier personal interface between the police department and local community members makes them feel as welcome as possible in the department to do things like pose and answer questions and address grievances.
This alone can reduce apprehensions and fear people may have of the police department and what it represents to them while promoting reconciliation.
Log Legal Proceedings
The third and final way to better organize your police department is to store and handle legal documents and items better. Particularly in today’s sometimes contentious political climate, transparency builds invaluable trust between the police department and local communities. This means not only being as open as possible with legal proceedings resulting from incidents involving the police department and local communities but making a conscious and earnest effort to learn from past policies and be wary of legal loopholes and blank checks that lead to actions that continue to strain relations between the police department and local communities.
During courtroom proceedings that may follow such incidents and activities, a legal transcriptionist can help fill this knowledge and information gap, dispelling misunderstandings and misinformation, and help the different communities see eye to eye and work together for a better tomorrow.
Policing is an essential function of a safe society, and few would agree that no police department or force is needed at all. However, proper organization and community outreach are essential for any police department to fulfill its core duties best and bridge the gap between itself and the local community, with whom relations have been strained for far too long. It will not happen overnight, but steadily through tough and conscious decisions, improvements, and commitments to correct areas of weakness and bridge gaps in understanding between the police department and local communities, particularly those of color. Stubbornly continuing to do things the same way repeatedly while ignoring the voices on the other side of the experience is not a feasible option for a society in need of security.