essay on police work

Essay On Police

500 words essay on police.

In this world, we must have laws to maintain peace. Thus, every citizen must follow these laws. However, there are some people in our society who do not follow them and break the laws . In order to keep a check on such kinds of people, we need the police. Through essay on police, we will learn about the role and importance of police.

Importance of Police

The police are entrusted with the duty of maintaining the peace and harmony of a society. Moreover, they also have the right to arrest and control people who do not follow the law. As a result, they are important as they protect our society.

Enforcing the laws of the land, the police also has the right to punish people who do not obey the law. Consequently, we, as citizens, feel safe and do not worry much about our lives and property.

In other words, the police is a saviour of the society which makes the running of society quite smooth. Generally, the police force has sound health. They wear a uniform and carry a weapon, whether a rifle or pistol . They also wear a belt which holds their weapons.

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Role of Police

The police play many roles at police stations or check posts. They get a posting in the town or city depending on the crime rate in the area. When public demonstrations and strikes arise, the police plays a decisive role.

Similarly, when they witness the crowd turning violent during protests or public gatherings, it is their responsibility to prevent it from becoming something bigger. Sometimes, they also have to make use of the Lathi (stick) for the same reason.

If things get worse, they also resort to firing only after getting permission from their superiors. In addition, the police also offer special protection to political leaders and VIPs. The common man can also avail this protection in special circumstances.

Thus, you see how the police are always on duty round the clock. No matter what day or festival or holiday, they are always on duty. It is a tough role to play but they play it well. To protect the law is not an easy thing to do.

Similarly, it is difficult to maintain peace but the police manage to do it. Even on cold winter nights or hot summer afternoons, the police is always on duty. Even during the pandemic, the police was on duty.

Thus, they keep an eye on anti-social activities and prevent them at large. Acting as the protector of the weak and poor, the police play an essential role in the smooth functioning of society.

Conclusion of Essay On Police

Thus, the job of the police is very long and tough. Moreover, it also comes with a lot of responsibility as we look up to them for protection. Being the real guardian of the civil society of a nation, it is essential that they perform their duty well.

FAQ on Essay On Police

Question 1: What is the role of police in our life?

Answer 1: The police performs the duties which the law has assigned to them. They are entrusted to protect the public against violence, crime and other harmful acts. As a result, the police must act by following the law to ensure that they respect it and apply it in a manner which matches their level of responsibility.

Question 2: Why do we need police?

Answer 2: Police are important for us and we need it. They protect life and property, enforce criminal law, criminal investigations, regulate traffic, crowd control, public safety duties, search for missing persons, lost property and other duties which concern the public order.-*//**9666666666666666666666+9*63*

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Essay Sample on Why I Want to Be a Police Officer

When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a police officer. As I grew older, my dream of becoming an officer never faded away; in fact, it only grew stronger. Being a police officer is more than just enforcing the law and maintaining order in society; it’s about being part of something bigger and making a difference in people’s lives. In this essay, which is an example of custom writing , I will explain why I want to be a police officer and how my passion for this job will help me become successful at it. 

Becoming a Police Officer: Exploring My Aspirations to Be a Police Officer 

The main reason why I want to become a police officer is that I have always wanted to make a difference in the world. The idea of being able to help people in need and bring justice to those who deserve it has always been appealing to me. Furthermore, as an officer, you are given the opportunity to work with different communities and build relationships with them while still doing your job effectively. 

In addition to wanting to make a difference and build relationships with the community, I am driven by the challenge that comes with policing. Police work is complex and ever-changing, so officers must stay on their toes and be prepared for anything they may encounter out on the streets. This means having quick thinking skills, being able to adapt quickly, staying calm under pressure, and having excellent problem-solving abilities. All these traits are necessary for success as an officer, which makes the job both challenging and exciting for me at the same time. 

Why Pursue Law Enforcement? 

Law enforcement requires immense dedication and commitment, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. As a police officer, I would have the opportunity to make a significant impact on people’s lives. Every day would bring new opportunities to help people in need, bring criminals to justice, and serve my community. It is an incredibly honorable profession that requires an individual with strong moral principles and courage. 

What Does It Take? 

The road to becoming a police officer is not easy – it requires dedication, discipline, hard work, and sacrifice. It involves mastering both physical tasks such as firearms training, as well as mental tasks such as understanding different laws and regulations about policing. Training does not end when you are hired; it is continuous throughout your career so that you can stay up-to-date with the latest tactics and technologies used in law enforcement today. This means putting in long hours studying law books or practicing shooting with firearms on the range regularly. 

Making Sacrifices for Others 

To my mind, being a police officer also involves making sacrifices – both physically and mentally – for the greater good of protecting others. This means sacrificing time spent with family or friends because you are working extra shifts, or going above and beyond your job duties because someone needs help urgently. It also involves sacrificing safety while responding to dangerous situations, or even putting your life on the line while apprehending criminals or rescuing victims from harm’s way. All of these require tremendous courage, which is why I am eager to pursue this path despite any potential risks associated with it.  

My Qualifications for Becoming a Police Officer 

I believe I have the qualities necessary for becoming an excellent police officer. First of all, I am physically fit – something that is essential for any law enforcement job. Moreover, my academic record speaks for itself; in college, I earned top marks in various criminal justice classes – another key requirement of becoming a police officer. Finally, my volunteer experience has helped me develop strong interpersonal skills, which will come in handy when interacting with citizens on the streets or during investigations. 

My Plan For Achieving My Goal 

Now that I have outlined my qualifications for becoming a police officer, it’s time to talk about how I plan on achieving this goal. 

First of all, I am currently enrolled in an academy program that teaches students the basics of law enforcement such as self-defense tactics and firearms safety protocols. After graduating from the academy program with honors, I hope to join a local law enforcement agency where I can gain hands-on experience as well as obtain certifications related to crime scene investigation techniques and other areas of policing work.  

Ultimately, my mission is clear: become the best possible police officer I can be so that I can serve the public with integrity and honor while protecting those who need help most!  

Becoming a police officer requires more than just desire; it demands dedication, discipline, sacrifice, courage, and skill sets related to both physical abilities like firearms training as well as mental abilities like understanding complex laws and regulations about policing. 

Despite any potential risks involved in this profession, I am confident I could make an incredible impact on my community by helping those in need while bringing criminals to justice – all while doing something that brings me great satisfaction each day! That is why I want to be a police officer!

Writing a Good Police Officer Essay 

Writing an essay about a police officer’s work can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right approach and some helpful tips, you can craft a college personal statement essay   that will really stand out. Let’s take a look at what it takes to write a great police officer essay.

Planning Your Essay 

Before you start writing your essay, take some time to plan out exactly what you want to say. This will help ensure that your ideas are organized and coherent. Start by making a list of key points that you want to cover in your essay. This might include topics such as why you’re interested in becoming a police officer, what qualities make you suitable for the role, and how your experience has prepared you for this position. 

Write from Your Heart 

Your essay should reflect your passion for becoming a police officer and should showcase your commitment to serving others. Talk about why you want to join the force—is it because you want to protect citizens or because you believe in justice? What have been some of your most meaningful experiences (i.e., volunteering, internships) that have made you even more determined?

Use Simple Language

When writing your police officer essay, remember that clarity is key. Avoid using overly complex language or long-winded sentences; instead, focus on succinctly conveying your ideas with clear language and precise wording.

Choosing a career in law enforcement is a challenging and rewarding decision. It is not just a job, but a calling to serve and protect your community. In this table, we will outline some of the top reasons why individuals may choose to become police officers.

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243 Police Research Topics + Examples

If you’re a criminal justice student, you might want to talk about or write a paper on the work of police officers and the hot issues in policing. Luckily, StudyCorgi has compiled an extensive list of police topics for you! On this page, you’ll find law enforcement essay topics, as well as questions and ideas for presentations, research papers, debates, and many more! Outstanding police essay examples are also waiting for you below!

🏆 Best Police Topics to Write About

✍️ police essay topics for college, 👍 good police research topics & essay examples, 📌 easy police essay topics, 🎓 most interesting law enforcement topics, 💡 simple law enforcement research topics, ❓ research questions about police, 🔎 law enforcement research paper topics, 🚔 controversial policing topics.

• Why I Want to Be a Police Officer
• What Is the Police Authority?
• Police Recruitment and Training
• Conflict and Power: Police and Community Collaboration
• Enhancing Police Training Program Proposal
• A Police Officer’s Education and Duties
• Laptop Computers in Police Cars: Benefits & Drawbacks
• Police Professionalism and Ethics of Policing Accountability must persist given the discriminatory patterns among officers, who should be allowed room to improve as long as their good faith can be observed.
• Cultural Influences on Police Decision-Making The paper identifies cultural influences on police decision-making. There has been a deterioration in trust between the police and some social groups.
• Essay on Police Brutality in the United States Police officers are allowed to use “non-negotiable coercive force” to maintain public order and control the behavior of citizens.
• Police Officers Treatment Towards Civilians Based on Social Class Several investigations proved the various policemen’s performances towards civilians of a different social class.
• Organization Effectiveness of a Police Department The organization is a core and framework of effective performance. The organization allows the police department to ensure effective management and organization of human resources.
• Police Patrol Effectiveness Research Assessment The paper recaps debates that have arisen on the police patrol effectiveness in crime prevention, by investigating research on the said issue.
• The Phenomenon of “Defunding the Police” The work Defunding the Police aims to explore the meaning of “defunding the police” and arguments and counterarguments surrounding this initiative.
• Public Role and Control of Police Citizens of democratic states have a right to exert control over the police. This claim is based on the fact that police are a part of the government.
• Police Use-of-Force in Graham v. Connor & Tennessee v. Garner Cases A state police officer shot Garner to death as he fled the crime scene. Even though Garner was unarmed, the police officer felt he had the right to shoot him to prevent his escape.
• Sociological Positivism Theory in Police Practice Sociological positivism is primarily concerned with how specific social conditions in a person’s experience might contribute to an increased proclivity for crime.
• Police Accountability and Reform The paper states that the police are experiencing a crisis that has made them under scrutiny and pressure from the public to make reforms.
• Improving Police Morale and Community Communication This paper’s purpose is to examine the police department on street patrol, and also to reveal the issue of mass dismissal of police officers.
• Policing From Above: Drone Use by the Police Drones are among the few technologies that law enforcement agencies could use to alleviate many of the challenges they face in their ordinary duties.
• Forensic Psychology for Police Recruitment and Screening The quest for competitive and effective police officers led to the introduction of some measures to help in the recruitment of individuals.
• Motivating Police Officers to Serve and Protect The proposal focuses on the idea that Heritage PD could significantly benefit from the use of motivating factors when approaching police officer productivity.
• “Police Solve Just 2% of All Major Crimes” by S. Baughman Baughman’s article is about the insufficiency of the work that the police do to solve severe crimes since only 2% of cases result in a conviction.
• Police Corruption: Understanding and Preventing Police corruption remains one of the leading challenges, affecting law enforcement agencies in the United States and around the world.
• Police Work’ Concepts and Operationalization This document presents the concepts and practical application of a study conducted to identify factors that affect the results of police work in the community.
• Police Officers’ Wellness and Mental Health An increasing number of police officers are facing depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and even suicide.
• Police Officers: Qualifications and Responsibilities The police are in charge of upholding law and order, protecting the public, and stopping, spotting and looking into illegal activity, making it a dynamic occupation.
• Police Standards Should Be Modified There is a certain need for standards modification in the police that should be performed immediately. A particular amount of inequality exists in the departments of the police.
• How Police Supervisory Styles Influence Patrol Officer Behavior The field supervisor, also identified as the patrol sergeant, directly oversees officers’ conduct, performance, appearance, and tactical operations assigned under their command.
• Report for the Chief of Police The current report contains the definition and description of the Uniform Crime Report, the data-gathering strategy used for the analysis and its rationale, and crime trends.
• “The Black Officer Who Detained George Floyd Had Pledged To Fix the Police”: A Story of Alex Kueng “The Black Officer Who Detained George Floyd Had Pledged to Fix the Police” article allows concluding that the police system cannot be reformed from within.
• Police Civil Liability in the Light of Monroe v. Pape People want to know that in trouble, such as, for instance, a robbery or car theft, police will come to their aid and guarantee protection.
• “How to Fix America’s Police” by Stoughton The authors of the article suggest that the US police’s current situation could be fixed in two ways: either through state intervention or through local one.
• Textual Analysis of the Song “Police” by Suprême Ntm The purpose of this paper is to analyze the song “Police” written and performed by a French hip-hop band Suprême NTM. It is dedicated to the problem of police brutality, racism.
• Chesterfield County Police Department: Hiring Process This paper will explore the applicable requirements of the Chesterfield County Police Department for the position of an entry-level law enforcement officer.
• Evaluating Budget Documents of Police Department The paper will analyze the budget which was presented by the police department indicating both the estimates and the adjusted figures.
• Age Influence on the Support for Police Action This paper addresses to what extent age influences the support for police action. The hypothesis is that old aged people are in support of the idea of police action.
• Driving and Police Stop in Dramatic Interpretation The experience of a police traffic stop can be analyzed as dramatic interaction, wherein the driver and passengers present a play to the officer.
• Dealing with Stress in Police Training Police officers are trained to handle stressful situations in different ways, and the approach used in their training has been a topic of debate in the recent past.
• Police Brutality in the United States The existence of systemic racial bias in law enforcement leads to unequal treatment and a higher likelihood of police brutality when dealing with people of color.
• Police Misconduct Against the Black Community Police misconduct has escalated against the Black community and other ethnic groups. Mistreatment by police officers is determined by two significant factors: race and sex.
• Servant Leadership in a Police Organization The paper studies servant leadership, explicitly comparing and contrasting its traits with the major traits of a leader as outlined in the Good-to-Great book series.
• The Police in the Modern World The police in the modern world is a body endowed with certain powers and responsibilities. Its mission is to enforce the law, prevent crime, and ensure public safety.
• Collaborative Organizational Changes in Police The paper states that both Future Search and Open Space techniques are applicable and beneficial in military organizations such as the police.
• Police Sexual Harassment Suit This paper analyzes the case of the ex-Round Lake Height’s policeman, Hossein Isbitan, who filed a Lawsuit against his boss despite other problem-solving measures at his workplace.
• Police Officer Characteristics and Evaluation Most people would prefer their police officers to be capable of making decisions and taking action, especially in tense situations where swift choices are necessary.
• Interview With Chief of Police Mr. William Evans I had a rare chance of interviewing the Chief of Police for Hinds Community College Mr. William Evans in his office on Wednesday 19 November, 2014 at 5 p.m.
• Police Response to High Speed/Hot Pursuits Police officers have the responsibility of defending the lives of citizens by maintaining law and order, however, in attempts to avoid being arrested.
• Police Corruption in California The analysis of the information proves that police corruption in California depends on the work and social environment of police officers.
• The Issue of Police Injustice in the United States In March 2020, a tragic event led to the death of a black emergency medical technician, B. Taylor. According to descriptions, police were investigating a drug case and suspected her.
• Community Policing Assignment: A History of Police Work in the Criminal Justice System Community policing led to the introduction of a system where the police officers and members of the community get a closer relationship.
• America as a Superpower and the World’s Police The international policing role and strategy of the United States during the Cold War has become even more necessary in this period of terrorism and instability.
• Police Liability Issue and Consequences of Illegal Actions The issue of the liability of police officers and their degree of responsibility for certain actions is the topic that is discussed in the media periodically and causes a great public response.
• Police Detective Career: Information and Issues The police detective career is very dynamic and demanding, especially the sections of criminal investigations such as homicide and theft.
• Mental Health and Well-Being of Canadian Police Officers The paper presents the problem of mental health in Canadian police officers. Even before the pandemic, stress and anxiety were common among law enforcement officers.
• Community Policing: Police Officers’ Role Orientations Community policing has shown to have multiple benefits for both local citizens and law enforcement in the activities to both prevent or respond to potential threats or disruptions.
• The Use of Force in Police: Theoretical Analysis This discussion evaluates force standards and police leadership responsibilities through the prism of deindividuation and contagion.
• An Inside View of Police Officers’ Experience with Domestic Violence “An Inside View of Police Officers’ Experience with Domestic Violence” is an article authored by Horwitz et al., published in 2011.
• The Police Sexual Harassment: Case Study This paper reviews a case involving sexual assault by a police officer with the view to discussing its cause, results, and what could have been done to prevent the wrongdoing.
• Police Service Transformation: Research Onion The research onion depicts the research strategies and approaches that will be employed in this study. They are discussed in more detail in this paper.
• Western Australia Police Communications Centre’s Change The WA Police Communications Centre is a vital organ of the regions police force. This essay seeks to analyze the challenges that affect the centre.
• The Wokefield Police Department’s Work in Memphis The Wokefield police department has a law enforcement mandate in Memphis. The region has experienced an upsurge in juvenile offenders, especially in the carjacking.
• Observation of Protest Against Police Brutality The event was a protest against police brutality in downtown City Hall. The event’s focal point was the ongoing issue of police brutality against Black people in the country.
• The Houston Police Department’s Services and Challenges The Houston Police Department offers critical services in Texas and assures the people of peace and stability. The police department, however, faces several challenges.
• A Police Failure in the Uvalde Mass Shooting The mass shooting in Uvalde is a prime example of how neglect of proper policing guidelines and management strategies can cause dire results for the local community.
• The Police Department’s Ethical Challenges Policemen should not allow immoral behavior to jeopardize their responsibilities. Officers must safeguard their relationships with the local people who depend on them.
• Police Brutality and Racial Bias Considering the long history of slavery, several generations have inherited racial prejudice towards Afro-American people, who have become the subject of abuse in many fields.
• Police Management in Killeen, Texas Killeen police station workforce is made up of three different generations, including millennials, boomers, and generation X.
• Effect of Brooklyn Nine-Nine Show on Perception of Police By connecting eight seasons to various crimes, Brooklyn Nine-Nine positions the police station as an inclusive workplace that saves people’s lives and promotes dedicated workers.
• Police Brutality During COVID-19 Pandemic In the United States, there has been a perceived and observed police injustice towards minority communities, especially Blacks.
• Interactions of Local Police and Homeland Security Officials The purpose of this paper is to compare the interactions of the two agencies in lawkeeping and order by examining their structural responsibilities as captured in the state laws.
• The Six Virtual Police Department The six departmental units include the Chief of Police, Special Operations Division, Patrols, Investigations Division, Civilian Unit, and Support Service Division.
• The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Officers The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is the national police force of Canada. They are responsible for policing in provinces, local communities, municipalities, and airports.
• The Dallas Police Department Police Academy and Training Curriculum The paper states that the future of diversity hiring in law enforcement will be driven strongly by organizational structure and leadership going forward.
• Aspects of Police Culture and Diversity This paper discusses the topic of police culture and diversity. In the American law enforcement system, some police departments do not appreciate diversity.
• The Secret Police in East Germany The Secret Police in East Germany, also known as the Stasi, was an organization established by military forces and ministers to exercise total control over the population.
• The Los Angeles Police Department’s Overview The Los Angeles Police Department is headed by the board of police commissioners, which comprises a five-member team appointed to oversee the department’s operation.
• Police Misconduct: New Rochelle Police Officer Case Study Officer Michael Vaccaro was driven by the desire to punish the criminal Malik Fogg; however, he used too much force.
• Police Officers’ Excessive Use of Force Although law enforcement officers are allowed to use lethal force, they should exercise that authority only when the suspect possess threat of harming others physically.
• Discussion Misuse of Lies in the Police The paper discusses situations where police officers may misuse lying when dealing with mentally ill people or people in crisis.
• The San Diego Police Department’s History and Work This work describes the work of the San Diego Police Department, its brief history, and statistics about working there.
• The Impact of Technology on the Police Patrol The use of complex technological systems by police officers to ensure the safety of citizens is a vital step in the development of the infrastructure of security and public order.
• Restructuring of Los Angeles Police Department Fiscal Budget The foundation of the paper is a breakdown of the Los Angeles Police Department budget, a proposal to reduce the budget and its effects.
• The Legality of the Scope of a Police Search The paper discusses the two court cases which demonstrate that the legality of the scope of a police search is a controversial legal question.
• Police Killing Black People in a Pandemic Police violence as a network of brutal measures is sponsored by the government that gives the police officers permission to treat black people with disdain.
• The History of Relationships Between Police and African Americans The paper describes the necessity to spread the knowledge of racism’s history and discuss it to ensure the next generations’ tolerance.
• Police Officer With a Juvenile Police officers faced with a juvenile under arrest makes their decisions based on the balance of legal and situational factors relevant to the case.
• Researching and Analysis of Police Abuse The analysis of high-profile cases of police abuse allows assuming that there would not have been fatal outcomes if the officers had respected the basic rights of their victims.
• Police Misconduct in Criminal Justice Police misconduct is one of the issues involved in criminal justice, and there are various aspects and events entailing unconstitutional practices in law enforcement.
• The Influence of Police Bias on Disparity in Juvenile Crime: Methodology The issue of racial disparity in the criminal justice system remains a topical one. 64% of the charged youth are people of color.
• Benefits and Challenges of Using Drones for the Police Drones are becoming a state-of-the-art trend in policing; however, their implementation may face some difficulties regarding privacy and information security.
• Internal Problems of Mississippiville’s Police Chief Hiring Process Mississippiville is in a difficult situation, including a tense social environment, in part caused by the ineffective management of the previous chief of police.
• The Civil Rights Movement: Minorities vs. Police An opposition between minorities and police appears to be a problem that started during the Civil Rights Movement and continues to modern days.
• Race and Police Brutality in American History Racism and police violence since the time of colonization has had intense effects on Black and Indigenous communities.
• Factors That Justify the Use of Deadly Force by Police Police shootings and killings of unarmed civilians arguably qualify as violations of the use-of-force standards that warrant the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators.
• Police Use of Force and Its Limits The paper aims to define what it means to be a police officer, discuss the legal use of nondeadly and deadly force, and determine the limits placed on police power.
• Police Brutality: The Killing of Daunte Wright Police brutality is defined as the use of unjustified or excessive force by the police, usually against citizens. It refers to the violation of human rights by the police.
• US Police Brutality and Human Resources Connection Police brutality is one of the most pressing crisis problems in the United States, it requires additional research and immediate solutions.
• Police Discretion: Criminal Justice While in the academy and for their period of training, police are particularly skilled on how to handle various situations that they will come across.
• Leadership in the Los Angeles Police Department LAPD continues to develop and implement new and innovative programs in which its officers are trained to become good leaders.
• Discussion of Police Misconduct The paper discusses criminal justice system has developed various approaches that guarantee that police can be held accountable for their misconduct.
• Police Brutality on African Americans Police brutality against African Americans has been on the rise even after several constitutional and legal reforms made by the country to control it.
• Police Brutality Toward Black Community The black community needs help since they suffer due to police brutality, receive various kinds of injuries, and experience traumas.
• Analysis of Decision-Making Processes in Boston Police Department The paper covers the role of police in homeland and application of these systems to the Boston Police Department.
• “Learn About Being a Police Officer” by Kane Being a police officer is one of the most challenging professions because it requires dedication, determination, and sacrifice.
• The Use of Wiretapping in Police Technology The report discusses Chapter 14 of the book “Police Technology” by Raymond E. Foster. Dr. Foster has written extensively on technical tools and gadgets for law enforcement.
• The Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department: Most Pressing Issues This report outlines the main problematic issue with the functioning of the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department.
• Police Reforms Implementation: The Los Angeles Police Department 83% of the LA residents vouching for the good job of the police especially because the LAPD has desisted from using serious force since 2004.
• Ending Racial Bias and Bureaucracy Within Police Police officials may engage in bureaucratic or administrative corruption for private gain, which facilitates distrust in the efforts of law enforcement.
• Profiling Procedures in the Los Angeles Police Department The law enforcers and most commonly the police, have profiling procedures that separate certain groups of people from the majority.
• Police Force Diversifying Strategies The presence of women officers and officers of color may act as a complementary stimulus, as they have an approach that could be more relatable for future personnel.
• Human Sex Trafficking and Police Technology: An Issue of the Past or Present? The paper provides an introduction that describes human sex trafficking before taking a specific approach of understanding the vice in Houston, Texas.
• Police Brutality Against African Americans in America The purpose of this article is to describe the different approaches to researching the problem of police brutality against African Americans.
• Inequalities and Police Brutality Against the Black This paper aims to research racial inequality and hostile police attitudes towards the black population in the United States.
• The Significance of Police Discretion to the Criminal Justice System This paper is an investigation into the meaning of police discretion. It highlights the benefits of police discretion to the role of the police department.
• Organizational Change in Police Departments: A Theory-Based Analysis When examining the case of implementing Compstat systems in police districts the first to consider is the positive appeals of such as system.
• Racist Actions of the American Police Force in “The Black and the Blue” by Matthew Horace In the book “The Black and the Blue,” Matthew Horace gives testimony from behind the blue wall of secrecy and paints a society where police molest citizens.
• Police Brutality and Impunity for Police Violence The overall purpose of this paper is to explore the topic of police brutality and police impunity as it is discussed in modern studies.
• Police Brutality Against African Americans and Media Portrayal Police brutality toward the African-American population of the United States is an issue that has received nationwide publicity in recent years.
• Investigation of the Chicago Police Department This paper will analyze some of the critical issues found in the investigation of the Chicago police department by the United States Department of Justice.
• Police Violence Against African Americans in the USA The statistic shows that the violence from law enforcement officials causes thousands of deaths of black men in the USA.
• How the Police Use Facial Recognition? Some law enforcement officers, especially in Florida, do not trust the application of technique as a warrant of arrest.
• Rodney King’s Police Brutality Case: What Went Wrong Rodney’s case remains a historic example of police brutality. The interplay of several factors might have led to the acquittals of the officers in the first trial.
• Metropolitan Police Service: Identity Management Solution Within the context of Metropolitan Police Service case study, the research underlines the need for such institution to ensure production of a viable management system.
• Role of Police Agencies in Law Enforcement The police have hardly had any authority to control the most of the white color crimes. In addition, lack of expertise among the police also contributed to this problem.
• Beyond “Police Brutality”: Racist State Violence and the University of California – Article Review The article highlights the issues with police attitudes toward the application of seemingly extreme measures to non-violent perpetrators.
• Police Misconduct and the Misuse of Force Police misconduct is a vital concern as it affects the functioning of society and might cause much harm to individuals.
• About Police Chaplaincy Program The article argues for launching a police chaplain program to connect the community with the police and provide survivors with the emotional and social support they need.
• Health Safety in the Police Department It is especially important to provide a healthy working environment for workers of a police department, as they need to continue their service even at the time of a health crisis.
• American Society Police Brutality Causes and Effects Police brutality in America is visible and accompanied by racial discrimination and creates negative consequences for society because it imposes trust issues.
• Police Brutality: The Rodney King Case The case of Rodney King is a demonstration of police brutality in the United States. This paper will conduct a comprehensive analysis of the incident, explaining it in detail.
• Sexual Assault Female Victims Avoid Reporting to Police Among the most under-reported crimes in the United States, one of the leading roles is occupied by sexual assault. Sixty-five percent of female victims avoid reporting to police.
• Professional Ethics: Police Department The science of ethics attempts to give humanity the answers to the existential question of what is moral and what is not.
• National Association of Police Organizations This paper focuses on the performance of the National Association of Police Organizations, including its purposes and contribution to the United States’ law enforcement community.
• Forensic Psychology in the Police Subspecialty Forensic psychological officers have crucial roles in the running of the police departments. This is because law enforcement chores are entitled to many challenges.
• All Police Officers Should Wear a Body Camera This paper suggests that the use of body cameras positively contributes to the reinforcement of procedural justice, as the prevention of unethical behavior and police brutality.
• Procedural Justice in Contacts with The Police Analysis The paper examines the relational model of authority that indicates the procedural justice role in the public evaluation of and support for the police.
• Testing Food Service Employees: Policy Assessment Mary Mallon, or Typhoid Mary as she was called, worked as a cook and was reputed to have caused infections of Typhoid fever in 47 people and caused the death of 3.
• How Does ‘Police Culture’ Influence Police Practice? Police culture is influenced by a number of social and political factors which determine its main functions and internal structure.
• Police Supervisor’s Dilemma: Control and Motivation The level of control needed in a police institution is related to the capability of officers to construct an inspiring environment.
• Dismal City Police Department: “Do More With Less” The approach of community policing as well as the strategies used and its implementation vary widely depending on the requirements and the reactions of communities.
• UK Police Are Changing Their Attitude to Racial Issues The increased number of black and Asian police officers influenced positively the way suspects from minority ethnic groups were handled
• Police Brutality: Analysis of the Problem Police brutality is directed towards racial minorities and poor immigrants who cannot protect their rights in the courtroom and have no money to file a law case against officers.
• Criminal Justice Ethics: Police Corruption & Drug Sales The growth of police corruption instances involving drug sales is relatively easy to explain. The financial rewards offered by the sales of illegal drugs are enormous.
• Police or Custodial Brutality in the United States The aspect of police or custodial brutality is the subject matter of the study. This has become a serious problem in the administration of law, order, and human justice in the USA.
• US Police Challenges Today: Police Discretion Police discretion is essential to the success of an officer and the public. Discretion means judgment, and for law officers, this can be the difference between life and death.
• Assessing Role of Technology in Police Crime Mapping The role of technology in police operations has become pivotal because it aids our law enforcement agencies to do their tasks easier and less time-consuming.
• Mentoring Programs in Police Departments The given proposal revolves around a one-on-one mentoring program that can be used by police departments to improve officers’ competence.
• Police Brutality and Mental Health of African Americas The authors hypothesize that the effect of experiencing blackness has a twofold impact on the young African Americans’ mental health
• Courtelaney Pass Police Department: Potential Problem Solutions There are four essential problems in the Courtelaney Pass police department: racial tensions, questionable investigative and enforcement practices, poor community reporting, and the lack of diversity.
• The Report on the Courtelaney Pass Police Department The situational report on the Courtelaney Pass police department presents a number of important issues that should be addressed by the police administration.
• Addressing the Gulf Coast Police Department Understaffing Despite the best efforts of recruiters, police departments all over the US are understaffed. The present paper analyzes the reasons for GCPD’s problems and offers measures to address these issues.
• Police Attitudes and Professionalism: Interview The interviewee chosen for this assignment is a 34-year old white married male, currently working as a full-time police officer in the Miami Police Department.
• New Orleans Police Department’s Ethics and Leadership Police officers or civil servants who fail to meet the prescribed norms of behavior or commit serious indictable offenses can be punished if no other people are involved.
• Local Police Response to Terrorism The quality of the work carried out by the police to prevent terrorist acts determines the safety of the population.
• Police Work: Public Expectations and Myths The work of the police is surrounded by various myths developed through TV and literature that picture it differently from real activities.
• Are African Americans More Harassed by Police? The paper explores the hypothesis that members of the African American community are more likely to be harassed by the police than members of other ethnic groups.
• Undercover Police Investigations in Drug-Related Crimes Undercover activities have traditionally been used to target crimes involving corruption, drugs, pornography, and prostitution.
• Dallas Tragic Events: The Shooting of Police Officers by a Perpetrator The following paper is an attempt to determine the reasons behind the dramatic events that occurred in Dallas, identify the gaps in security and emergency response strategies.
• Police Misconduct and Its Affecting Factors Police discretion is a necessary element of the policing activity. Many situations which officers encounter on a daily basis require judgment and appropriate decision-making.
• Police Administrators and Their Ethical Responsibility
• Police Brutality Increasing: Support for Black Males
• Police Injustice Towards African-Americans
• Police Unions’ Development in the US
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sexual Harassment Class Action
• Police Officer Murder, Trial and Punishment
• Myths of Policing: Police Work’ Expectation
• Police’s Brutality Towards African American Males
• Chesterfield County Police Department Structure
• Racial Profiling: Trust, Ethics, Police Legitimacy
• Police Brutality Toward African-American Males
• Criminal Profiling and Police Corruption
• Liability Issues for Police Departments
• Police Administration: Structures, Processes and Behavior
• Police Reform in Florida
• Police Shooting of Richard Cabot in Pittsburgh
• Police Violence and Subterfuge Cases
• Police Brutality: Reasons and Countermeasures
• Cases of Police Brutality: Group Reflections and Insights
• Police Brutality and Racial Profiling: Addressing the Crisis
• Are Illegal Police Quotas Still Affecting American Citizens?
• What Is the Name of American Police?
• What Are the Four Types of Police System?
• Are Women More Effective Police Officers?
• What Are Young Adults’ Perception of Police?
• What Are Some Nicknames for the Police?
• Which Country Has the Best Police System?
• Which Country Has the Largest Police Force in the World?
• When Did Police Brutality Start?
• Can the Police Reduce Crime?
• Are Police Allowed to Punch You in the UK?
• Which Countries Have Police Brutality?
• What Causes Police Corruption?
• What Is Excessive Force by Police?
• Which Indian State Has Most Powerful Police?
• What Is the Highest-Paid Job in the Police?
• How Does the Los Angeles Police Department Represent the City?
• How Can We Overcome Police Brutality?
• What Does Three Stars on a Police Uniform Mean?
• Should Police Officers Wear Cameras?
• Should the Police Have More Power?
• Do Police Officers Salute Military?
• Why Were the Police Unable to Catch Jack the Ripper?
• Which Country Has Private Police?
• How Many Police Are There in the UK?
• Are Body Cameras Fighting Police Misconduct?
• When Does Police Discretion Cross Boundaries?
• What Is the Issue of Police Brutality?
• How Does Police Brutality Violate Civil Rights?
• What Human Rights Are Being Violated by Police?
• Police use of force: trends, policies, and effects on public trust.
• How do police-worn body cameras affect officer accountability and transparency?
• Challenges and benefits of technology use in modern police.
• De-escalation techniques in police and their effects on reducing violent encounters.
• How does law enforcement address human trafficking?
• Police corruption and misconduct: causes, consequences, and prevention.
• Law enforcement challenges in investigating digital offenses.
• The effects of the militarization of police on civil liberties.
• The impact between the use of body-worn cameras and police use of force.
• The influence of implicit bias on police decision-making.
• Defunding the police: should funds be reallocated from law enforcement to social services?
• Are “stop-and-frisk” police practices constitutional?
• Facial recognition technology use by police: balancing public safety and privacy.
• Should no-knock warrants be banned?
• Do police unions promote the abuse of power?
• Is it possible to escape racial bias in predictive policing algorithms?
• The school-to-prison pipeline: do police officers belong in schools?
• Should drug testing for police officers be mandatory?
• Should the use of chokeholds and neck restraints in law enforcement be banned?
• Is anti-bias training for police officers effective in reducing violent police conduct?

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These essay examples and topics on Police were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 24, 2024 .

Essay on Police

Students are often asked to write an essay on Police in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Police

The role of police.

Police are crucial for maintaining law and order. They protect us from harm, enforce laws, and assist during emergencies. Their duties include patrolling areas, responding to calls, and arresting criminals.

Training and Skills

Becoming a police officer requires rigorous training. They learn important skills like problem-solving, communication, and physical fitness. This training prepares them to handle various situations effectively.

Challenges and Responsibilities

Policing is a challenging job. Officers often work in stressful conditions and face danger. Despite these challenges, they are responsible for ensuring public safety and peace.

Respect and Cooperation

We should respect and cooperate with the police. They are there to help us, and our support makes their job easier.

250 Words Essay on Police

Introduction.

The police force is a critical institution in any society, serving as the primary law enforcement agency. They are the custodians of law and order, tasked with ensuring peace and security, and safeguarding the rights and freedoms of citizens.

The police’s primary duty is to prevent and detect crime, maintain public order, and ensure the safety and security of citizens. They are the first responders in emergencies, providing immediate assistance and support. The police also play a vital role in the criminal justice system, conducting investigations, gathering evidence, and assisting in the prosecution of offenders.

Challenges Faced by the Police

Despite their crucial role, police forces worldwide face numerous challenges. These include inadequate resources, corruption, public mistrust, and the psychological stress associated with their work. The police are often under immense pressure to perform their duties effectively, which can lead to burnout and mental health issues.

Police and Society

The relationship between the police and the society they serve is complex. While they are respected and appreciated for their service, instances of police brutality and racial profiling have led to public outcry and demands for police reform. It is important for police forces to build trust and maintain open communication with the communities they serve.

In conclusion, the police play a fundamental role in maintaining law and order, despite the numerous challenges they face. It is vital to address these challenges and ensure the police can effectively perform their duties, thereby fostering a safe and secure society.

500 Words Essay on Police

The role and responsibilities of the police.

The primary role of the police is to prevent crime. They achieve this through visible patrols that deter potential criminals, intelligence gathering to identify potential threats, and community engagement to foster trust and cooperation. They also enforce laws, responding to incidents of crime, apprehending suspects, and collecting evidence.

In addition, police are responsible for maintaining public order, which includes managing public gatherings, protests, and events to ensure they remain peaceful. They also play a crucial role in crisis situations, providing immediate response to emergencies like accidents, fires, or natural disasters.

Police Accountability and Public Perception

Police and social justice.

In recent years, the role of the police in social justice has come under intense scrutiny. The police are often at the forefront of societal tensions, such as racial disparities and income inequality. Some argue that the police, as an institution, often reflect and exacerbate these societal issues. This has led to calls for police reform, with suggestions ranging from implicit bias training to the more radical idea of defunding the police.

Police in the Digital Age

The advent of digital technology has significantly impacted policing. On one hand, it has provided new tools for crime prevention and investigation, such as predictive policing and digital forensics. On the other hand, it has also presented new challenges, such as cybercrime, that require specialized skills and knowledge.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Why do you want to be a police officer? 7 sample short essays & interview answers

Not everyone likes police officers, but without a doubt everyone has to agree that role of police in our life has only intensified over the last decade. Violent protests, and all sorts of crimes–though often driven by poverty and hopeless situation of people who commit them, cannot and shouldn’t be tolerated . Police is recruiting ever more officers , in almost every country of the world. In order to succeed and get the job, you’ll have to pass a couple of tests, such as a police written exam , or a physical ability test , and, of course, a face to face interview . And while they may ask you a variety of questions, one question you certainly won’t avoid: Why do you want to be a police officer? You may actually have to write a short essay on this topic before you even get a chance to interview for a job.

Let’s have a look at 7 sample answers to the question. I tried to include on my list a variety of options, including both conventional and unconventional answers. Try to pick one which resonates with you, and with the message you try to convey in your police officer interview. Below the list of answers you will find some additional notes and hints on how to get it right, and convince them of your honest intention to do a good service for fellow citizens–or at least a good service for yourself…

7 sample answers to “Why do you want to be a police officer?” interview question

• I’ve always felt a calling to the service to be honest. I’ve been raised in a way to respect the rules and laws, to behave, to treat people the way I’d like them to treat me. What is more, I am physically fit , mentally tough , and I feel to have the right personality for a work of a police officer. To sum it up, considering my strengths, personality, and preferences, I find a job of a police office an excellent match .
• I just want to help restore the order in this country. Sure enough, I cannot become a politician or a law maker with my education. But I still believe I can have some impact on society , making sure that criminals do not ruin lives of other people, at least in this city. Honestly I realize how bad it is here , all the challenges you face with drug dealing, home violence, and other issues. I would love to help address them. That’s the reason no. 1 of my career choice.
• I want to be a police woman because I feel it is my duty to do something for the local community. Without a doubt, one can help in various ways–working as a nurse, case manager, social worker, or even being a good citizen, adhering to the rules, respecting the laws and fellow human beings. But with my education and skills , I feel the right role for me in the society is a role of a police officer. Being out there in the streets, helping to prevent crime, or minimize the damage once we cannot prevent it, making sure that the offenders get punished , and simply making sure that people aren’t afraid to walk on the streets. I see a meaningful purpose in the job of a police officer, and it motivates me to apply with you.

Special Tip: What if I told you that you can practice your answers to ALL interview questions you may face while trying to get a job of a police officer, getting an immediate feedback from a life-like AI interview coach ? And that you can start for free , and it is a lot of fun too? 🙂 Check out this page on our partner website , Real Mock Interviews, pick a question and start practicing for free , either with your mobile phone or your computer.

• I’ve had this dream since I was a kid . My uncle was a police officer, and I’ve always looked up to him , and wondered if I, one day, could possibly have the same job. Years have passed since then, and I’ve been through a lot in my life, but my desire to work for police hasn’t changed . On the contrary , I did what I could to get ready for the job. I got my license, practiced hard to get in shape for the physical ability test, and talked a lot to my uncle, trying to understand the ins and outs of the recruitment process , and also of the job. Glad to be here today with you, and I hope for a good outcome.
• Actually my final goal is work in intelligence . I have strong analytical skills , can read body language perfectly, and my attention to detail stands out . I believe that I can work in the service, helping to bust gangs, uncover human trafficking groups and drug dealers, and help the country to mitigate these elements which are, regretfully, ever more prevalent. Obviously I realize I have to start from somewhere , and that’s why I am here with you today. Getting into the police force is the first step on my career journey. If I manage to do so, I have no doubt I will eventually reach my final goal.
• I see a job of a police officer as a steady and safe employment , with plenty of benefits . And that’s the reason no. 1 for my application. As you for sure know, police officer belongs to the best paid professions in this country . I see no reason why I would not try my luck here, considering that I am physically and mentally strong, a team player , and overall consider myself a good candidate for the job in the service. Sure enough, I also understand the risks , especially in this country where we have so many problems, and gangs rule a big part of the capital, but I am not afraid to risk my skin for fellow team members, and for our citizens. We have to bring justice and peace back to the streets.
• Speaking honestly, everyone know how corrupt police is in the country. And I want to enjoy my fraction of the pie . Why would I pay bribes to policemen just to pass the checkpoints, or to let me go somewhere, when I can be the one who can go anywhere, with a weapon, and take bribes from the others? It is just a no brainer for me. Life isn’t fair in this country. You have a few winners and many losers. Just like everyone else, I want to stand on the right side of the barricade. There isn’t an easier way to do so here than becoming a police officer, and participating on the corruption.

Show them your strengths and what you can contribute as a police officer, especially when writing a short essay on the subject

In a very best answer to the question, you should actually refer to two things. First one is the reason why you want to work in police. It can be the meaningful purpose of the job, your desire to serve the city or country (the way in which you want to contribute to better society as a policeman or policewoman), or a desire to help end the organized crime, or anything else–even having a steady job and getting a good paycheck at the end of each month.

Second thing you should refer to is the reason why they should recruit you . Talk about your great shape, mental resilience, attention to detail, sense for order, teamwork ability, or about any other skills and personality traits that make from you a good candidate (at least in your eyes). This applies to both an interview answer and a short essay you may have to write as a part of your application process.

* May also interest you : Police officer interview: what are your strengths and weaknesses?

Brutal honesty can sometimes do the trick

You have for sure noticed that the last two answers on my list are rather unconventional . In the penultimate one, the applicant claims straight away that before anything else, they want to work as a police officer because of the salary , and benefits . It is not a typical answer, and probably not something many other people will say , but in some cases your best bet is to be honest and try to stand out.

The last job applicant goes even one step further (or a couple of steps actually), accusing the police of taking bribes , and claiming it as the main reason for his application. He also wants to get his fraction of the pie, and instead of having to pay the bribes to the police forces, he prefers to take them .

Needless to say, this answer may sound completely ridiculous to someone in the US . But if you apply for a job of a policeman in Sudan, Somalia, or Guatemala (just a few examples, there are many more of course), it is the daily reality of the police officers . And the leading officer (who happens to interview you) may prefer to hire someone who doesn’t want to spoil the party , and will participate on the organized corruption of the authorities. In such cases, this answer may win you the job…

* Disclaimer : Author of this article does not support any corruption in police, or other dubious activities. Our goal here is to simply show different interview answers that may help people get hired to the police force, in different interview scenarios, and across different countries of the world–including those that experience extreme instability and immense corruption in police. You should take the advice as such–nothing more, and nothing less.

Check also 7 sample answers to other tricky interview questions you may face in your police officer interview:

• Police officer interview – Why should we hire you?
• Police officer – What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Tell me about a time when you faced an ethical dilemma?
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Essay On Policeman – 10 Lines, Short & Long Essay For Kids

Key Points To Remember When Writing An Essay On A Policeman For Lower Primary Classes

10-line essay on a policeman for kids, a paragraph about a policeman for children, short essay on a policeman in english, long essay on a policeman for kids, what will your 1st, 2nd or 3rd grader learn from this essay.

Police are an integral part of our social system. When your child writes a police essay in English, their creative writing skills improve, and they learn about the importance of the police in a community. Writing an essay on a policeman for classes 1, 2 and 3 will make kids understand the relevance of the role and functions of police in society. Moreover, essay writing activity lays the foundation of English grammar for kids. It improves their vocabulary and helps them structure their thoughts and put them on paper in short and simple sentences. The earlier you introduce the act of writing to your child, the better it is.

Your child needs to know a few important points while writing about the police and people serving in this department. Let us help your child get a hint of the work policemen dp through these pointers:

• Let your kids structure the ideas they want to write while referring to the role of the police in the first step.
• The second step is to note the ideas to form an outline to cover all the points while writing the essay.
• In the third step, they will make short and simple sentences from the pointers.
• Motivate your kid not to get too deep writing about any single idea. It will help them to maintain the word count.
• Help your kid write with the flow, making them cherish every bit of writing the essay.
• Your little one can write about the functions of the police, the skills required to join the police force, what kind of work they do, etc.

Police officers have a major role to play, as they are crucial to maintaining law and order in society. Let us help your kid to write a short essay for class 1 and class 2 by writing a simple few lines about a policeman:

• The police play a very important role in society.
• Police officers protect everyone.
• They bring peace and order to the community or town.
• They sort out problems like burglary, snatching, theft, misconduct, etc.
• The police officers wear the uniform that gives them a unique identification.
• They carry pistols for the protection of the people.
• They also carry batons sometimes.
• They travel and conduct routine rounds in their police car.
• The police officers are strong and courageous people.
• They have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders.

The role of the police in society is massive and cannot be undervalued. Let us help your child write the policeman essay in 100 words:

The police play a very important role in maintaining a peaceful atmosphere in society, town, or community. Police officers are responsible for protecting everyone. Whenever anyone tries to harm law and order in the country, the police mediate. Police officers are trained to solve problems and issues of the people living in a community. Policemen wear uniforms, which provide them with a unique identification. They carry pistols for the protection of the public, and they also carry batons sometimes. They patrol in their police car. Being in the police force requires strength and immense courage. They have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders to safeguard society and its people.

The importance of police can’t be undermined. Therefore, kids get regular assignments or essays on policemen to make them aware of their role in society. Let us help your kid to write an essay for classes 1, 2 and 3:

The police play a very important role in maintaining an atmosphere free from disturbances and unwanted violence in society. Policemen have the duty of protecting the citizens of the country. Therefore, they get posted all across the country. Whenever anyone breaks law and order in the country, the police intervene, catch culprits, and put them behind bars. The police have their uniform, and the most common colour of the police uniform is khaki. Policemen are allowed to carry pistols to protect the common people in extreme situations. The government provides police personnel with police cars, which they use for patroling and reaching out to various places. Being in the police force is a responsible task. It requires strength and immense courage as they have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders to safeguard society and its people. The police hold a major role in upholding the peace of a nation.

The role of the police is significant in our society. Let us help your little one write an essay for class 3 on the police force:

There are two kinds of people in this world. While most people abide by the state’s law and order, some people try to break it. When someone violates a law, the police get into the picture. The common citizens cannot take the law of the state into their own hands. They can only seek help from the police if needed. The police handle issues like burglary, snatching, theft, misconduct, etc. Whenever a crime occurs in society, the cops reach the spot and take charge.

What Is The Role And Importance Of The Policeman?

The police force has many responsibilities as they protect common people from danger, prevent crimes and tackle cases of robbery and misconduct. There is a lot of importance to police in our life. Police have to do various types of tasks on a daily basis. A policeman is responsible for ensuring the community stays safe and criminals remain put. There is a big role of police in society. Police officers enforce the law, prevent crime, fight criminal activities, and maintain order. They also control situations when there are natural disasters or large-scale protests. Sometimes they risk their lives while carrying out their duty. Police are the first branch to come into action in case of an emergency. Policemen are expected to be honest and sincere at their work. They get postings across the country. Policemen are given some tools to carry out their tasks efficiently, such as rifles, pistols, batons, and handcuffs, to name a few. The police cars with many special features also form an important part of their duty. It is these cars that they use for patrolling. There is also the INTERPOL Police force that works across countries at the international level.

When your little one writes an essay on the police, they learn about the significance of police in society. They understand that the police force is mandatory to maintain peace and order around us. The essay writing process also plays a major role in developing children’s creative writing skills.

Let us discuss some frequently asked questions below regarding policemen.

1. How Do Policemen Help Us?

The police officers are a group of specially trained people who maintain peace and order, enforce laws, protect public and private properties, help with emergencies, solve criminal cases, etc. Policemen are trained in rescue and first aid. The reason behind this training is that police officers are often one of the first people to reach a place where people are injured or in danger, such as an accident, a fire, etc. Sometimes we also see police personnel providing special security to VIPs.

2. What Skills Do You Need To Become A Police Officer?

Being in the police is not an easy task. A police officer needs to have a few skills. Let us discuss them below.

• Ability to handle the responsibility
• Ability to remain calm in dangerous or challenging situations.
• Assertiveness
• Open-mindedness
• Good interpersonal Skills

3. What Is the Full Form Of Police?

Police stand for Public Officer for Legal Investigations and Criminal Emergencies. The term Police can also be segregated as Polite, Obedient, Loyal, Intelligent, Courageous, and Efficient.

4. Which Is The Highest Post In The Police Department?

The highest post in the Police Department is the Director-General of Police (DGP).

We hope the above essay on policemen will help your child write an interesting essay on the topic and help them realise the value of police in society.

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Efficient and Effective Leadership in Law Enforcement, Characteristics and Behaviors of Effective Police Leaders that Assists Upholding A High Standard of Professionalism and Integrity

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Improving Motivation and Productivity of Police Officers

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By Jay Fortenbery, M.J.A.

Motivating police personnel can be complicated. Supervisors must work hard to ensure officers perform their duties efficiently and effectively. Many factors can negatively affect productivity and cause officers to become complacent, doing the bare minimum necessary. The difficult nature of crime fighting can cause officers to become cynical toward the population as a whole and develop an “us-versus-them” view. 1 A negative attitude in police work can lead to feelings of inconsequentiality toward law enforcement goals and either slow or stop internal motivation.

Officers who begin their careers with an attitude of “saving the world” can become jaded toward that goal after years of witnessing the worst in people. Constantly observing the aftermath of violent crimes, like robbery, rape, murder, and assault, eventually can take its toll on even the most dedicated officer. Administrators must look for ways to offset this constant bombardment of negativity while reinforcing the positive aspects of society and the benefits provided by quality law enforcement practices.

Considerable research exists addressing motivation that can help administrators facilitate increased productivity, and some results may seem surprising. Extrinsic rewards, like pay raises and educational and longevity pay, often are considered effective motivators. Although pay in the public sector normally is much lower than in private companies, people who become police officers usually are interested in more than a high salary. 2 Intrinsic rewards, such as providing a safe community and reducing crime, can motivate police officers more than pay raises or promotions. Strategies that include internal shifts in assignments that break the monotony of crime fighting in tough neighborhoods also can provide relief for officers on the verge of burnout. Further, rotating officers in and out of high-crime neighborhoods and alternating with patrols in more affluent areas can result in a positive change in attitude. 3 

Generating increased productivity and stimulating individual motivation are constant processes that leaders in any career field always can improve. The profession of law enforcement is no different from others that require ambitious and productive employees to serve effectively, but some aspects of motivation are unique to the professional police officer.

Chief Fortenbery heads the Edenton, North Carolina, Police Department.

Basic Needs

One of the most commonly cited theories of motivation is that of Abraham Maslow. 4 According to Maslow people are motivated based on a hierarchy of needs. At the bottom of this list are basic physiological essentials, such as food, water, and shelter. After obtaining these necessities, people look for safety, security, and a sense of belonging. Individuals then seek out praise and recognition for a job well-done that is related to a quest for improved self-esteem. This is followed by a desire for self-actualization or the potential to grow professionally. 5

A prominent feature of this theory is the need for praise and recognition under the self-esteem model. When properly used by management, praise can be an effective motivator of police personnel. Mark Twain once commented that he could live for two months on a compliment alone. 6 Managers who strive to inspire personnel can adopt this adage and use it as an example of motivational philosophy.

Conversely, stress can serve as a demotivator if not properly addressed and understood. Law enforcement is broadly considered one of the most stressful occupations and often is associated with high rates of alcoholism, suicide, emotional health problems, and divorce. 7 All of these factors can negatively affect officers’ motivation and productivity.

Organizations must strive to recognize and reduce stress associated with the profession to maximize job performance, motivation, and productivity. 8 Although the inherent dangers (e.g., apprehending suspects and facing assaults) of the law enforcement profession create a certain amount of stress, leaders can implement organizational changes that affect supervisory style, field training programs, critical incident counseling, shift work, and job assignments. These internal factors have been rated highly among police officers as major causes of stress. Some officers have reported that the job itself is not as stressful as a call to the supervisor’s office. 9

Several consequences of police stress include cynicism, absenteeism, early retirement, emotional detachment from other aspects of daily life, reduced efficiency, increased complaints, and rises in health problems. In a recent survey, nearly 100 percent of respondents agreed that giving recognition can positively impact morale. 10

Praise and Recognition

In studies dating back to the 1940s, recognition has outranked salary as a strong motivator when pay rates already competitive. Money is an extrinsic motivator, while praise and recognition are intrinsic motivators. Effective leaders must stress the importance of such intrinsic motivators as achievement, recognition, fulfillment, responsibility, advancement, and growth. 11

Self-Motivation

Although often considered a responsibility of management, a certain level of motivation must come from within the individual. In a 2003 study on the effects of self-motivation, the actions of police gang unit members in Gothenburg, Sweden were observed. The researcher identified several ways officers can reduce burnout and increase motivation to survive a long career in law enforcement. The intense stress of working constantly in tough, crime-ridden neighborhoods caused officers to desire transfers and redeploy to “nicer” areas as a way to avoid becoming too cynical. 12

Police officers also can seek different specialized jobs within the organization to help self-motivate and reduce individual stagnation. Large departments often have greater opportunities for internal transfers. Many officers in this study served for several years in the patrol division, then later applied for deployments as investigators, school resource officers, crime prevention officers, or specialized response-team members. 13 These jobs all require different training and varied core job responsibilities that can reinvigorate an officer’s professional drive.

Because a substantial part of motivation remains with the officers themselves, the level and need for self-inspiration increases as officers rise in rank to supervisory roles. 14 An important part of a supervisor’s function is to lead by example and, above all, have a positive attitude. Self-motivation is a prime ingredient in that formula. According to the U.S. Marine Corps officers’ training statement, “Officers have to…self-motivate to keep themselves inspired and focused on the mission. This is the reason they don’t sing cadences.” 15 If leaders do not motivate themselves, who will do so? And, how can unmotivated leaders expect exceptional performance from subordinates?

Another way persons can increase their own motivation is by examining their strengths and what makes them truly happy and then looking at their weaknesses with a degree of self-examination. 16 For instance, someone could compile a journal with photographs of family members and special events that are inspiring and motivational. By reviewing and adding to the journal regularly, it can serve as a powerful motivator and a reminder for individual inspiration.

Attitude Research data confirmed that officers’ individual attitudes can influence their level of productivity and motivation. In one study officers who perceived traffic enforcement as a personal priority engaged in more enforcement efforts and subsequently issued more citations. 17 They also were influenced by the ideal that management rewarded officers who issued more traffic tickets, and those who agreed with this perception followed suit.

The positive attitudes of the officers’ supervisors also resulted in an increase of the number of citations issued. Personnel working for supervisors who perceived traffic problems as a personal priority or under superiors who issued more tickets themselves were more likely to issue additional citations.  

Health and Fitness

The health and physical fitness of officers also can affect their motivation. Many employers have seen increased absenteeism as a result of employees’ health issues. 18 Absent workers strain resources, reduce productivity, and increase costs. In police field units, manpower must be maintained at a minimum level, and illness or injury can cause serious cost overruns in overtime and sick-leave reimbursements. Health insurance costs are steadily rising, and employers pay an average of $13,000 per year, per employee to provide coverage. 19

Many organizations are moving toward proactive strategies for improving employees’ health and fitness to decrease the cost of health coverage. In law enforcement organizations, physical fitness is essential and can impede officer performance if not maintained. Most job descriptions for police officers include lifting, running, jumping, and using force to apprehend and detain criminal suspects. The unique work demands and related stress levels require that those in law enforcement establish lifelong wellness habits. 20

Productivity and motivation are important in any organization. In police agencies, officers have a lot of freedom and discretion and often are unsupervised for many hours of the workday. The individual level of commitment and desire to serve the noble and ethical cause help guide officers’ productivity and motivation on the job. 21

Many variables can influence officers’ levels of motivation, including supervisors’ attitudes, job environment, and personal factors. Individuals experiencing family problems, health concerns, financial issues, or negative social experiences can exhibit significant declines in productivity and motivation. Job security often can help officers with personal problems as much as a stable personal life can assist them with a difficult work environment. 22 Administrators and direct supervisors seeking to improve work performance should understand this basic psychological process.

The community holds police to a high level of public trust while expecting them to prevent crime, maintain order, and provide an equal and unbiased application of law enforcement. To be an equal opportunity enforcement officer, the individual must be motivated to do the job and held accountable to the highest standards at all times. Fellow officers depend on each other for physical backup, emotional support, and technical guidance. 23 Lack of motivation can be contagious and cause problems for management if not recognized and treated early.

Agencies must have early warning systems in place to recognize symptoms and identify officers experiencing a decline in productivity or a lack of motivation. 24 Computer software programs can recognize possible early warning signs, such as decline in performance, suspicious sick leave patterns, unreasonable uses of force, and increased complaints. Such issues can indicate personal problems that result in a lack of motivation and productivity.

Several theories of motivation exist that supervisors could consider, including Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory, and McGregor’s X and Y. 25 Administrators can learn many positive, as well as negative, points from these theories, but they all have one thing in common—the idea that supervisors must know their people. 26 To effectively manage motivation and productivity, leaders must possess the human skills needed to work with employees and have the empathy to understand their issues. 27 This idea also means that supervisors must work as a team with officers and build a cooperative effort for the common goal of the agency. By working closely with and understanding officers, effective leaders can identify problems earlier and create effective solutions to deal with those issues.

Physical fitness holds importance when discussing individual motivation and performance. Of course the first step of being productive in an organization is actually coming to work. Officers who participate in regular exercise programs less likely will develop health-related problems that keep them away from the job and negatively affect their work performance. 28 A police officer’s job involves interacting with the public, entering and exiting police cars, walking up steps, apprehending suspects, and performing other physical activities dependent on a high level of physical fitness. Law enforcement leaders must take a hard look at agency physical training standards and long-term health programs to help ensure the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness. 29

Much of a patrol officer’s day is sedentary, often involving seemingly mundane duties, like operating radar from within cars or conducting routine patrol. But, such activities can be interrupted when officers receive calls to apprehend suspects or handle volatile situations. The dramatic increase in heart rate and adrenaline can strain vital organs and muscles not conditioned for this type of response. 30

Although often considered a responsibility of management, a certain level of motivation must come from within the individual. Related to health, fitness, and productivity, actual costs are significantly more than once thought. The average employer has $3.00 worth of health-related productivity costs for every $1.00 spent on actual medical expenses. 31 This information is important for administrators and reinforces the reality that healthy employees bode well for business.

The profession of criminal justice is similar to others where the productivity of employees is vital to the bottom line. Whether a business involves farming, sales, construction, teaching, or public safety, evidence indicates that the motivation of the person doing the job is directly proportionate to the level of productivity in that industry. 32 In a criminal justice organization, individual health is important for improving attendance and productivity and related to the safety of the officer and the public. Most law enforcement personnel agree that appropriate physical fitness ensures safe and effective completion of essential job functions. 33

Administrators and managers in law enforcement agencies must remain cognizant of the many factors that can influence individual motivation and productivity of police officers. The nature of the job can result in officer burnout, followed by a decrease in the motivation to perform. Recruits starting out in law enforcement with a strong desire to change the world and who possess a great ethical desire to serve the noble cause easily can be swayed toward mediocrity by the contagiousness of other jaded officers. 34 Although some officers who realize a decline in motivation can self-motivate by seeking out interdepartmental transfers or changes in duty assignments, many police agencies do not have such opportunities. In these smaller organizations, supervisors must work harder to discover other ways to improve an officer’s performance.

The intrinsic factors of praise and recognition for a job well-done can help improve officers’ attitudes and increase their desire for doing the job. As pointed out in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the need for self-esteem is part of the makeup of all individuals. However, supervisors must rely on this sparingly and in coordination with other methods to avoid crossing the boundary of diminishing returns. Too much emphasis on compliments and recognition easily can ruin officer’s effectiveness; therefore, they must be distributed with reason and common sense. Administrators also should recognize the stress associated with police work and strive to create a healthy organizational environment where officers are not subjected to harsh leadership. Police officers have sufficient worries while carrying out their responsibilities without the additional stress of managerial problems. 35 When officers perceive interacting with supervisors as causing more stress than dealing with criminals, a fair self-evaluation of management practices clearly is in order.

Management also must set the example for motivation. A positive attitude on the part of a supervisor can directly impact the motivation and productivity of subordinate officers. 36 This makes sense and follows the old saying of “lead by example,” a useful adage for all leaders to follow.

Finally, the health and physical wellness of the officer is so important and universally recognized that completion of a physical fitness test is mandated in most recruit training programs. 37 Evidence reveals that the level of vitality and health of employees has an effect on the bottom line of achieving the goals of any organization, and the benefits of physical fitness can directly improve an individual’s stress level. 38 Administrators who realize the importance of health and fitness can implement sound strategies and strive to improve the level of well-being within their organizations. 

Enhancing the motivation and productivity of police officers is a difficult, yet achievable, objective. When administrators, supervisors, and officers are educated about the many ways this can be achieved, they consistently can work together for the common goal.

Chief Fortenbery can be reached at [email protected].

1 Kevin Gilmartin, Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement: A Guide for Officers and Their Families (Tucson, AZ: E-S Press, 2002). 2 Stan Stojkovic, David Kalinich, and John Klofas, Criminal Justice Organizations: Administration and Management (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2012). 3 Micael Bjork, “Fighting Cynicism: Some Reflections on Self-Motivation in Police Work,” Police Quarterly 11, no. 1 (March 2008): 88-101.   4 Abraham Maslow, Motivation and Personality (New York, NY: Harper and Row, 1954). 5 Stojkovic, Kalinich, and Klofas, Criminal Justice Organizations . 6 Tracey Gove, “Praise and Recognition: The Importance of Social Support in Law Enforcement,” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin , October 2005, 14-19, http://leb.fbi.gov/2005-pdfs/leb-october-2005 (accessed January 26, 2015). 7 Peter Finn, “Reducing Stress: An Organization-Centered Approach,” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin , August 1997, 20-26. 8 Ibid .   9 Ibid .   10 Gove, “Praise and Recognition.” 11 Frederick Herzberg, Bernard Mausner, and Barbara Snyderman, The Motivation to Work , 2nd ed. (New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, 1959); and P.J. Ortmeier and Edwin Meese III, Leadership, Ethics, and Policing: Challenges for the 21st Century , 2nd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2009).   12 Bjork, “Fighting Cynicism.” 13 Ibid .   14 Ibid . 15 Robin Dreeke, “Self-Motivation and Self-Improvement,” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin , August 2008, under “Leadership Spotlight,” http://leb.fbi.gov/2008-pdfs/leb-august-2008 (accessed January 26, 2015). 16 Ibid . 17 Richard Johnson, “Officer Attitudes and Management Influences on Police Work Productivity,” American Journal of Criminal Justice 36, no. 4 (December 2011): 293-306, http://link.springer.com/ article/10.1007%2Fs12103-010-9090-2# (accessed January 26, 2015). 18 Kathy Harte, Kathleen Mahieu, David Mallett, Julie Norville, and Sander VanderWerf, “Improving Workplace Productivity: It Isn’t Just About Reducing Absence,” Benefits Quarterly (Third Quarter 2011): 13-26, http://www.aon.com/attachments/human-capital-consulting/Absence_Improving_ Workforce_Productivity_5-7-13.pdf (accessed January 26, 2015). 19 Ibid . 20 Daniel Shell, “Physical Fitness Tips for the Law Enforcement Executive,” FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin , May 2005, 27-31, http://leb.fbi.gov/2005-pdfs/leb-may-2005 (accessed January 27, 2015). 21 Ortmeier and Meese III, Leadership, Ethics, and Policing . 22 Nathan Iannone, Marvin Iannone, and Jeffrey Bernstein, Supervision of Police Personnel , 7th ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008). 23 Ortmeier and Meese III, Leadership, Ethics, and Policing . 24 Harry More and Larry Miller, Effective Police Supervision , 5th ed. (Cincinnati, OH: Anderson Publishing, 2007). 25 Stojkovic, Kalinich, and Klofas, Criminal Justice Organizations . 26 Kenneth Peak, Justice Administration, Police, Courts, and Corrections Management , 3rd ed. (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2001). 27 Robert Katz, “Skills of an Effective Administrator,” Harvard Business Review , September 1974, https://hbr.org/1974/09/skills-of-an-effective-administrator/ar/1 (accessed January 27, 2015). 28 Harte, Mahieu, Mallett, Norville, and VanderWerf, “Improving Workplace Productivity.” 29 Shell, “Physical Fitness Tips for the Law Enforcement Executive.” 30 Wayne Schmidt, “Weight and Fitness Requirements,” AELE Monthly Law Journal (December 2008): 201-208, http://www.aele.org/ law/2008ALL12/2008-12MLJ201.pdf (accessed January 27, 2015). 31 Ronald Loeppke, Michael Taitel, Dennis Richling, Thomas Parry, Ronald Kessler, Pam Hymel, and Doris Konicki, “Health and Productivity as a Business Strategy: A Multiemployer Study,” Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 49, no. 7 (July 2007): 712-721, http://www.acoem.org/ uploadedFiles/Healthy_Workplaces_Now/ HPM%20As%20a%20Business%20Strategy.pdf (accessed January 27, 2015). 32 Ibid . 33 Thomas Collingwood, Robert Hoffman, and Jay Smith, “Underlying Physical Fitness Factors for Performing Police Officer Physical Tasks,” The Police Chief 71, no. 3 (March 2004), http://www.policechiefmagazine.org/magazine/index.cfm?fuseaction=display_ arch&article_ id=251&issue_id=32004 (accessed January 27, 2015). 34 Michael Caldero and John Crank, Police Ethics: The Corruption of the Noble Cause , rev. 3rd ed. (Burlington, MA: Anderson Publishing, 2011). 35 Finn, “Reducing Stress.” 36 Johnson, “Officer Attitudes and Management Influences on Police Work Productivity.” 37 Shell, “Physical Fitness Tips for the Law Enforcement Executive.” 38 Harte, Mahieu, Mallett, Norville, and VanderWerf, “Improving Workplace Productivity”; and Finn, “Reducing Stress.” 

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Police Brutality: Is There a Solution? Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

Introduction

Considering that, in general, law enforcement agents must be devoted to justice, the police misconduct covered in the news outlets should be interpreted in the context of bigger socioeconomic issues and structures that place people and communities in danger. Police brutality is a stark reminder of our country’s racist history. Such a framework allocates status and shapes possibilities while favoring some and penalizing others based on cultural background and appearance. Police brutality is not a topic with several incidents but a persistent issue that has been prevalent in American society for hundreds of years. The question that concerns many Americans nowadays is as follows: Is there a way to end police brutality, if the police were established to protect the citizens, why do I not feel safe?

While some people might regard police brutality as an issue that deals with race, it is also a major physiologically and psychologically traumatizing matter. The Guardian, a British tabloid, compiled the most extensive statistics on the relationship between race and fatality during police contacts. According to the statistical analysis, in 2015, young males of color were nine times more likely than their white counterparts to be killed or abused by law enforcement officers (Alang et al., 2017). Many victims of policing violence die a slow, painful death as a consequence of continuous physical injuries while in police detention. Dondi Johnson’s story might serve as an example of such brutality (Alang et al., 2017). The man was detained for public urinating and taken to a police car in 2005. The victim entered the police car healthy but left in a quadriplegic state, subsequently dying due to injuries received in the vehicle.

Some could argue that it happened 17 years ago, and times have changed. However, police brutality still exists, and somehow, some situations that involve fatal outcomes as a result of police abuse happen to go unnoticed, and those who killed innocent citizens still enjoy the freedom and hold officers’ positions. For example, George Floyd is among a thousand police murders that are likely to occur in 2020 (Schwartz, 2020). While the murderer of Mr. Floyd is convicted, many victims never saw justice being administered for their cases. Meanwhile, female people of color also face police violence. For instance, a law enforcement officer shot Lajuana Phillips, mother of three, in 2018 (Schwartz, 2020). This year, the woman was among 996 who died from fatal police shootings, growing to 1004 in 2019 (Schwartz, 2020). The rate of deadly police shootings involving Black Americans was far greater than for any other race, with 30 shooting deaths per million of the population.

As mentioned, every act of police violence has a psychological and physiological impact on people and society. Observing or being subjected to abuse, unlawful inspections, and unjustified murders sends a message to non-white communities that their bodies are state property, replaceable, and unworthy of respect and fairness (Alang et al., 2017). Footage shows Eric Garner shouting “I can’t breathe” almost a dozen times till he loses consciousness or Diamond Reynolds telling a policeman, “You shot four bullets into him, sir” (Alang et al., 2017, p.663). Such moments may arouse past execution experiences and trigger communal rage, sadness, and helplessness. Protecting the reputation of dear ones after the police have slain them might well be agonizing, prompting even more negative sentiments. Although justified, these sentiments may harm personal psychological health and increase societal stress.

Reviewing such situations, it might appear that the issue of police brutality will continue to become more acute. Still, some measures can help mitigate officer abuse and even decrease its levels. As assessed by verified allegations per law enforcement agents, a rise in the number of ethnic minority policemen is substantially related to a reduction in police abuse (Hong, 2017). Additionally, black residents file fewer complaints against racially diverse police officers. Moreover, other scientists have sought to modify the police recruitment process in order to address the problem of unconscious prejudice. Forensic psychiatrist David Corey has recommended agencies include cultural awareness as a qualifying parameter for law enforcement employees (Abrams, 2020). Screening applicants for enforcement positions based on subconscious biases is impractical due to measurement problems. However, research demonstrates that certain personality traits might assist policemen in mitigating their prejudices (Abrams, 2020). Individuals with excellent executive functioning, emotion-focused coping qualities, and metacognitive skills, in particular, are more likely to avoid hidden biases from influencing their conduct (Abrams, 2020). Such screening can allow enforcement agencies to decrease the number of biased employees.

Hence, police brutality is not a one-time occurrence but a recurring problem that has plagued American culture for hundreds of years. While some may consider police brutality to be a racial issue, it is also a huge physiological and psychologically damaging matter. Many victims of police brutality die slowly and painfully due to ongoing physical injuries while in police custody. Police brutality not only exists, but certain incidents with deadly results go unacknowledged, and officers who killed innocent persons continue to enjoy freedom and occupy positions of authority. Some steps, such as screening law enforcement applicants for prejudice and hiring more people from diverse cultural backgrounds, can help attenuate and even reduce police abuse.

Abrams, Z. (2020). What works to reduce police brutality . American Psychology Association, 51(7). Web.

Alang, S., McAlpine, D., McCreedy, E., & Hardeman, R. (2017). Police brutality and black health: Setting the agenda for public health scholars . American Journal of Public Health , 107 (5), 662-665. Web.

Hong, S. (2017). Does increasing ethnic representativeness reduce police misconduct? Public Administration Review , 77 (2), 195-205. Web.

Schwartz, S. A. (2020). Police brutality and racism in America . Explore , 16 (5), 280. Web.

• The Problem of Police Brutality: The Case of Gregory Gunn
• Wrongful Convictions, Racism, and Injustice in Law Enforcement
• Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon
• Impacts of the Overlaps Between Communication and Criminal Justice for Police-Suspect Interactions
• Social Psychology: Police Brutality
• For-Profit Prisons: Benefits and Disadvantages
• How an Understanding of The Past Can Benefit Today's Law Enforcement Officer
• Ethical Dilemma in Law Enforcement: Confidentiality and Misuse of Information
• Mental Illness Emergencies and Police Response
• Ethical Dilemma of Stopping City Authority
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, March 21). Police Brutality: Is There a Solution? https://ivypanda.com/essays/police-brutality-is-there-a-solution/

"Police Brutality: Is There a Solution?" IvyPanda , 21 Mar. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/police-brutality-is-there-a-solution/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Police Brutality: Is There a Solution'. 21 March.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Police Brutality: Is There a Solution?" March 21, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/police-brutality-is-there-a-solution/.

1. IvyPanda . "Police Brutality: Is There a Solution?" March 21, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/police-brutality-is-there-a-solution/.

Bibliography

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A better path forward for criminal justice: Police reform

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Rashawn ray and rashawn ray senior fellow - governance studies clark neily clark neily senior vice president - cato institute.

• 20 min read

Below is the first chapter from “A Better Path Forward for Criminal Justice,” a report by the Brookings-AEI Working Group on Criminal Justice Reform. You can access other chapters from the report here .

Recent incidents centering on the deaths of unarmed Black Americans including George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Elijah McClain, Breonna Taylor, William Green, and countless others have continued to apply pressure for wide sweeping police reform. To some, these incidents are the result of a few “bad apples.” 1

To others, they are examples of a system imbued with institutional and cultural failures that expose civilians and police officers to harm. Our article aims to combine perspectives from across the political spectrum on sensible police reform. We focus on short-, medium-, and long-term solutions for reducing officer-involved shootings, racial disparities in use of force, mental health issues among officers, and problematic officers who rotten the tree of law enforcement.

Level Setting

Violent crime has significantly decreased since the early 1990s. However, the number of mass shootings have increased and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security report being worried about domestic terrorism, even within law enforcement. Nonetheless, despite recent increases that some scholars associate with COVID-19 spillovers related to high unemployment and underemployment, violent crime is still much lower than it was three decades ago.

Some scholars attribute crime reductions to increased police presence, while others highlight increases in overall levels of education and employment. In the policy space, the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 and the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 are often noted. We believe there is some validity to all of these perspectives. For example, SWAT deployment has increased roughly 1,400 percent since 1980. Coinciding with the 1986 Drug Bill, SWAT is often deployed for drug raids and no-knock warrants. 2 The death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman killed in her home in Louisville, Kentucky, is most recently highlighted as an example that demonstrates some of the problems with these tactics. 3

The 1994 Crime Bill ushered the COPS program and an increase in prisons around the country. 4 This legislation also coincided with stop-and-frisk policies and a rise in stand-your-ground laws that disproportionately disadvantaged Black Americans and led to overpolicing. It is an indisputable fact that Black people are more likely to have force used on them. In fact, Black people relative to white people are significantly less likely to be armed or be attacking at the time they are killed by police. This is a historical pattern, including during the 1960s when civil rights leaders were being beaten and killed. However, officer-involved killings, overall, have increased significantly over the past two decades. 5 And, we also know that if drugs were the only culprit, there would be drastically different outcomes for whites. Research shows that while Blacks and whites have similar rates of using drugs, and often times distributing drugs, there are huge disparities in who is arrested, incarcerated, and convicted for drug crimes. However, it is also an indisputable fact that predominately Black communities have higher levels of violent crime. Though some try to attribute higher crime in predominately Black neighborhoods to biology or culture, most scholars agree that inequitable resources related to housing, education, and employment contribute to these statistics. 6   7 8 Research documents that after controlling for segregation and disadvantage, predominately Black and white neighborhoods differ little in violent crime rates. 9

These are complex patterns, and Democrats and Republicans often differ on how America reached these outcomes and what we do about them. As a result, bipartisan police reform has largely stalled. Now, we know that in March 2021 the House of Representatives once again passed The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. States and localities are also presenting and passing a slew of police reforms, such as in Maryland where the state legislature passed the Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021. We are not here to debate the merits of these legislations, though we support much of the components, nor are we here to simply highlight low-hanging fruit such as banning no-knock warrants, creating national databases, or requiring body-worn cameras. People across the political aisle largely agree on these reforms. Instead, we aim to provide policy recommendations on larger-scale reforms, which scholars and practitioners across the political aisle agree needs to occur, in order to transform law enforcement in America and take us well into the twenty-first century. Our main themes include accountability, training, and culture.

Accordingly, our recommendations include:

Short-Term Reforms

Reform Qualified Immunity

• Create National Standards for Training and De-escalation

Medium-Term Reforms

Restructure Civilian Payouts for Police Misconduct

Address officer wellness.

Long-Term Reforms

Restructure Regulations for Fraternal Order of Police Contracts

Change police culture to protect civilians and police, short-term reforms.

Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine that courts invented to make it more difficult to sue police and other government officials who have been plausibly alleged to have violated somebody’s rights. 10 11 We believe this doctrine needs to be removed. 12 13 States also have a role to play here. The Law Enforcement Bill of Rights further doubles down on a lack of accountable for bad apples.

We are not out on a limb here. A recent YouGov and Cato poll found that over 60 percent of Americans support eliminating qualified immunity. 14 Over 80 percent of Americans oppose erasing historical records of officer misconduct. In this regard, most citizens have no interest making it more difficult to sue police officers, but police seem to have a very strong interest in maintaining the policy. However, not only do everyday citizens want it gone, but think tanks including The Brookings Institution and The Cato Institute have asserted the same. It is a highly problematic policy.

Though police chiefs might not say it publicly or directly, we have evidence that a significant number of them are quite frustrated by their inability to get rid of the bad apples, run their departments in ways that align with best practices they learn at Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers and National Association of Chiefs of Police, and discipline and terminate officers who deserve to be held accountable and jeopardize not only the public perception of their own department but drag down the social standing of the entire law enforcement profession. As noted above, The Law Enforcement Bill of Rights at the state level needs to be addressed. It further doubles down on qualified immunity and removes accountability for law enforcement.

National Standards for Training and De-escalation

In 2016, Daniel Shaver was fatally shot and killed by officer Philip Brailsford. Brailsford was charged but found not guilty. At the time of the killing, Shaver was unarmed as he lay dead in a hotel hallway. Police experts critiqued Brailsford’s tactics to de-escalate the situation. As he entered the scene, he had both hands on his M4 rifle and eliminated all other tools or de-escalation tactics. Brailsford was fired, tried for murder, and then rehired. He ultimately retired due to PTSD. Highlighting the roles of militarization, mental health, qualified immunity, and other policy-related topics, this incident shows why there is a need for national standards for training and de-escalation. Many officers would have approached this situation differently, suggesting there are a myriad of tactics and strategies being taught.

Nationally, officers receive about 50 hours of firearm training during the police academy. They receive less than 10 hours of de-escalation training. So, when they show up at a scene and pull their weapon, whether it be on teenagers walking down the street after playing a basketball game or someone in a hotel or even a car (like in the killing of Daunte Wright in a Minneapolis suburb), poor decisions and bad outcomes should not be surprising.

Police officers regardless of whether they live in Kentucky or Arizona need to have similar training. Among the roughly 18,000 law enforcement agencies across the country, there is wide variation in the amount of training that officers have to complete as well as what type of training they complete. With the amount of travel that Americans engage in domestically, law enforcement has not kept up to speed with ensuring that officers receive the same training. Consequently, police officers may be put in positions to make bad decisions because of a lack of the implementation of federal standards. Funding can be provided to have federally certified trainers who work with localities within states, counties, and cities.

MEDIUM-TERM REFORMS

From 2015–2019, the 20 largest U.S. municipalities spent over $2 billion in civilian payouts for police misconduct. Rather than the police department budget, these funds mostly come from general funds. 15 So, not only is the officer absolved from civil or financial culpability, but the police department often faces little financial liability. Instead, the financial burden falls onto the municipality; thus, taxpayers. This money could be going toward education, work, and infrastructure.

Not only are the financial settlement often expensive, like the $20 million awarded to William Green’s family in Prince George’s County, Maryland, but the associated legal fees and deteriorated community trust are costly. In a place like Chicago, over the past 20 years, it has spent about $700 million on civilian payouts for police misconduct. New York City spent about $300 million in the span of a few years.

We assert that civilian payouts for police misconduct must be restructured. Indemnification will be eliminated, making the officer responsible, and requiring them to purchase professional liability insurance the exact same way that other occupations such as doctors and lawyers do. This would give insurance companies a strong incentive to identify the problem officers early, to raise their rates just the way that insurance companies raise the rates on a bad driver or a doctor who engages in malpractice. In this regard, the cost of the insurance policy would increase the more misconduct an officer engaged in. Eventually, the worst officers would become uninsurable, and therefore unemployable. This would help to increase accountability. Instead of police chiefs having difficulties removing bad officers through pushback from the Fraternal Order of Police Union, bad officers would simply be unemployable by virtue of the fact that they cannot secure professional liability insurance.

Bottom line, police almost never suffer any financial consequences for their own misconduct.

Shifting civilian payouts away from tax money and to police department insurance policies would instantly change the accountability structure.

Shifting civilian payouts away from tax money and to police department insurance policies would instantly change the accountability structure. Police are almost always indemnified for that misconduct when there is a payout. And, what that means is simply that their department or the city, which is to say us, the taxpayers, end up paying those damages claims. That is absolutely the wrong way to do it.

Most proposals for restructuring civilian payouts for police misconduct have included some form of liability insurance for police departments and/or individual officers. This means shifting the burden from taxpayer dollars to police department insurance policies. If a departmental policy, the municipality should pay for that policy, but the money should come from the police department budget. Police department budget increases should take settlement costs into account and now simply allow for increased budgets to cover premium increases. This is a similar approach to healthcare providers working in a hospital. If individual officers have liability insurance, they fall right in line with other occupations that have professional liability insurance.

Congress could approve a pilot program for municipalities to explore the potential impacts of police department insurance policies versus individual officer liability insurance, and even some areas that use both policies simultaneously. Regardless, it is clear that the structure of civilian payouts for police misconduct needs to change. We believe not only will the change provide more funding for education, work, and infrastructure, but it will increase accountability and give police chiefs and municipalities the ability to rid departments of bad apples that dampen an equitable and transparent cultural environment.

Mental Health Counseling

In this broader discussion of policing, missing is not only the voices of law enforcement themselves, but also what is happening in their own minds and in their own bodies. Recent research has highlighted that about 80 percent of officers suffer from chronic stress. They suffer from depression, anxiety. They have relationship problems, and they get angered easily. One out of six report being suicidal. Another one out of six report substance abuse problems. Most sobering, 90 percent of them never seek help. 16  We propose that officers should have mandatory mental health counseling on a quarterly basis. Normalizing mental health counseling will reduce the stigma associated with it.

It is also important for law enforcement to take a serious look into the role of far-right extremism on officer attitudes and behaviors. There is ample evidence from The Department of Homeland Security showing the pervasive ways that far-right extremists target law enforcement. 17 Academic research examining social dominance ideation among police officers may be a key way to root out extremism during background checks and psychological evaluations. Social dominance can be assessed through survey items and decision-making simulations, such as the virtual reality simulations conducted at the Lab for Applied Social Science Research at the University of Maryland.

Community Policing

Community police is defined in a multitude of ways. One simple way we think about community policing is whether officers experience the community in everyday life, often when they are not on duty. Do they live in the community, send their children to local schools, exercise at the neighborhood gym, and shop at the main grocery store? Often times, police officers engage in this type of community policing in predominately white and affluent neighborhoods but less in predominately Black or Latino neighborhoods, even when they have higher household income levels. Police officers also live farther away from the areas where they work. While this may be a choice for some, others simply cannot afford to live there, particularly in major cities and more expensive areas of the country. Many police officers are also working massive amounts of over time to make ends meet, provide for their families, and send children to college.

Altogether, community policing requires a set of incentives. We propose increasing the required level of education, which can justify wage increases. This can help to reduce the likelihood of police officers working a lot of hours and making poor decisions because of lack of sleep or stress. We also propose requiring that officers live within or near the municipalities where they work. Living locally can increase police-community relations and improve trust. Officers should receive rent subsidies or down payment assistance to enhance this process.

LONG-TERM REFORMS

Unions are important. However, the Fraternity Order of Police Union has become so deeply embedded in law enforcement that it obstructs the ability for equitable and transparent policing, even when interacting with police chiefs. Police union contracts need to be evaluated to ensure they do not obstruct the ability for officers who engage in misconduct to be held accountable. Making changes to the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights at the state helps with this, but the Congress should provide more regulations to help local municipalities with this process.

Police have to be of the people and for the people. Often times, police officers talk about themselves as if they are detached from the community. Officers often view themselves as warriors at war with the people in the communities they serve. Police officers embody an “us versus them” perspective, rather than viewing themselves to be part of the community. 18

It must be a change to police culture regarding how police officers view themselves and view others. Part of changing culture deals with transforming how productivity and awards are allocated. Police officers overwhelmingly need to make forfeitures in the form of arrests, citations, and tickets to demonstrate leadership and productivity. Police officers rarely get credit for the everyday, mundane things they do to make their communities safe and protect and serve. We believe there must be a fundamental reconceptualization of both the mission of police and the culture in which that mission is carried out. Policing can be about respecting individuals and not using force. It is an ethical approach to policing that requires incentives positive outcomes rather than deficits that rewards citations and force.

T here must be a fundamental reconceptualization of both the mission of police and the culture in which that mission is carried out.

Recommendations for Future Research

First, research needs to examine how community policing and officer wellness programs can simultaneously improve outcomes for the community and law enforcement. The either/or model simply does not work any longer. Instead, research should determine what is best for local communities and improves the health and well-being of law enforcement. Second, future research on policing needs to examine the role that protests against police brutality, particularly related to Black Lives Matter protests, are having on reform at the local, state, and federal levels. It is important for policymakers to readily understand the demands of their constituents and ways to create peace and civility.

Finally, research needs to fully examine legislation to reallocate and shift funding away from and within police department budgets. 19  By taking a market-driven, evidence-based approach to police funding, the same methodology can be used that will lead to different results depending on the municipality. Police department budgets should be fiscally responsible and shift funding to focusing on solving violent crime, while simultaneously reducing use of force on low-income and racial/ethnic minority communities. It is a tall order, but federal funding could be allocated to examine all of these important research endeavors. It is a must if the United States is to stay as a world leader in this space. It is clear our country is falling short at this time.

We have aimed to take a deep dive into large policy changes needed for police reform that centers around accountability, finances, culture, and communities. Though there is much discussion about reallocating police funding, we believe there should be an evidence-based, market-driven approach. While some areas may need to reallocate funding, others may need to shift funding within the department, or even take both approaches. Again, with roughly 18,000 law enforcement agencies, there is wide variation in funds provided for policing and how those funds are spent. This is why it is imperative that standards be set at the federal level to help municipalities grapple with this important issue and the others we highlight in this report.

RECOMMENDED READING

Alexander, Michelle. 2010. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness . The New Press.

Brooks, Rosa. 2021. Tangled Up in Blue: Policing the American City : Penguin.

Horace, Matthew. 2019. The Black and the Blue: A Cop Reveals the Crimes, Racism, and Injustice in America’s Law Enforcement . Hatchette Books.

Ray, Rashawn. “ How Should We Enhance Police Accountability in the United States? ” The Brookings Institution, August 25, 2020.

• Ray, Rashawn. “Bad Apples come from Rotten Trees in Policing.” The Brookings Institution. May 30, 2020. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/how-we-rise/2020/05/30/bad-apples-come-from-rotten-trees-in-policing/
• Neily, Clark. “Get a Warrant.” Cato Institute. October 27, 2020. Available at: https://www.cato.org/blog/get-warrant
• Brown, Melissa and Rashawn Ray. “Breonna Taylor, Police Brutality, and the Importance of #SayHerName.” The Brookings Institution. September 25, 2020. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/how-we-rise/2020/09/25/breonna-taylor-police-brutality-and-the-importance-of-sayhername/
• Galston, William and Rashawn Ray. “Did the 1994 Crime Bill Cause Mass Incarceration?” The Brookings Institution. August 28, 2020. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/08/28/did-the-1994-crime-bill-cause-mass-incarceration/
• Edwards, Frank, Hedwig Lee, and Michael Esposito. “Risk of Being Killed by Police Use of Force in the United States by Age, Race-Ethnicity, and Sex.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , 2019. 116(34):16793 LP – 16798.
• Peterson, Ruth D. and Lauren J. Krivo.  Divergent Social Worlds: Neighborhood Crime and the Racial-Spatial Divide , 2010. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
• Friedson, Michael and Patrick Sharkey. “Violence and Neighborhood Disadvantage after the Crime Decline,”  The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2015. 660:1, 341–58.
• Jeffrey D. Morenoff and Robert J. Sampson. 1997. “Violent Crime and The Spatial Dynamics of Neighborhood Transition: Chicago, 1970–1990,”  Social Forces  76:1, 31–64.
• Peterson, Ruth D. and Lauren J. Krivo. 2010.  Divergent Social Worlds: Neighborhood Crime and the Racial-Spatial Divide , New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
• Sobel, Nathaniel. “What Is Qualified Immunity, and What Does It Have to Do With Police Reform?” Lawfare. June 6, 2020. Available at: https://www.lawfareblog.com/what-qualified-immunity-and-what-does-it-have-do-police-reform
• Schweikert, Jay. “Qualified Immunity: A Legal, Practical, and Moral Failure.” Cato Institute. September 14, 2020. Available at: https://www.cato.org/policy-analysis/qualified-immunity-legal-practical-moral-failure
• Neily, Clark. “To Make Police Accountable, End Qualified Immunity. Cato Institute. May 31, 2020. Available at: https://www.cato.org/commentary/make-police-accountable-end-qualified-immunity
• Ray, Rashawn. “How to Fix the Financial Gymnastics of Police Misconduct Settlements.” Lawfare. April 1, 2021. Available at: https://www.lawfareblog.com/how-fix-financial-gymnastics-police-misconduct-settlements
• Ekins, Emily. “Poll: 63% of Americans Favor Eliminating Qualified Immunity for Police.” Cato Institute. July 16, 2020. Available at: https://www.cato.org/survey-reports/poll-63-americans-favor-eliminating-qualified-immunity-police#introduction
• Ray, Rashawn. “Restructuring Civilian Payouts for Police Misconduct.” Sociological Forum, 2020. 35(3): 806–812.
• Ray, Rashawn. “What does the shooting of Leonard Shand tell us about the mental health of civilians and police?” The Brookings Institution. October 16, 2019. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/how-we-rise/2019/10/16/what-does-the-shooting-of-leonard-shand-tell-us-about-the-mental-health-of-civilians-and-police/
• Allen, John et al. “Preventing Targeted Violence Against Faith-Based Communities.” Homeland Security Advisory Council, U.S. Department of Homeland Security. December 17, 2019. Available at: https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/preventing_targeted_violence_against_faith-based_communities_subcommittee_0.pdf >.
• Ray, Rashawn, Clark Neily, and Arthur Rizer. “What Would Meaningful Police Reform Look Like?” Video, Project Sphere, Cato Institute, 2020. Available at: https://www.projectsphere.org/episode/what-would-meaningful-police-reform-look-like/
• Ray, Rashawn. “What does ‘Defund the Police’ Mean and does it have Merit?” The Brookings Institution, June 19, 2020. Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/06/19/what-does-defund-the-police-mean-and-does-it-have-merit/

Governance Studies

U.S. States and Territories

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Russell Wheeler

June 20, 2024

Norman Eisen

June 14, 2024

William A. Galston

March 8, 2024

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What Police Are For: A Look Into Role Of The Police In Modern Society

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Barry Friedman, the director of New York University's Policing Project, about the role of the police in modern society.

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Police Brutality: Exploring Arguments and Solutions

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Breaking the Blue Wall of Silence: Changing the Social Narrative About Policing in America

By The Learning Network

• June 3, 2019

This essay, by Narain Dubey , age 17, is one of the Top 12 winners of our Sixth Annual Student Editorial Contest , for which we received 10,509 entries.

We are publishing the work of all the winners and runners-up this week, and you can find them here as they post. Excerpts from some will also be in the special Learning print section on Sunday, June 9.

As a child, I thought of police officers with veneration — if I saw a cop in the park, I felt safer. I told myself that when I got older, I would be wearing the badge too.

At 12 years old, I learned about police brutality. When I first saw the video of Eric Garner being thrown to the ground by police officers, I thought it was a movie. Despite knowing that the officers were at fault, I refused to change my internal rhetoric; I thought the media was only portraying the bad side of the people I saw as heroes.

Then on July 31, 2017, a police officer shot and killed my cousin, Isaiah Tucker, while he was driving. Isaiah wasn’t just my cousin. He was also a young, unarmed, African-American man. I no longer dreamt of becoming a police officer.

But the issue is much larger than what happened to Isaiah. As highlighted in The New York Times, the Center for Policing Equity found that African-Americans are 3.6 times more likely to experience force by police officers as compared to whites.

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10 things we know about race and policing in the U.S.

Days of protests across the United States in the wake of George Floyd’s death in the custody of Minneapolis police have brought new attention to questions about police officers’ attitudes toward black Americans, protesters and others. The public’s views of the police, in turn, are also in the spotlight. Here’s a roundup of Pew Research Center survey findings from the past few years about the intersection of race and law enforcement.

How we did this

Most of the findings in this post were drawn from two previous Pew Research Center reports: one on police officers and policing issues published in January 2017, and one on the state of race relations in the United States published in April 2019. We also drew from a September 2016 report on how black and white Americans view police in their communities. (The questions asked for these reports, as well as their responses, can be found in the reports’ accompanying “topline” file or files.)

The 2017 police report was based on two surveys. One was of 7,917 law enforcement officers from 54 police and sheriff’s departments across the U.S., designed and weighted to represent the population of officers who work in agencies that employ at least 100 full-time sworn law enforcement officers with general arrest powers, and conducted between May and August 2016. The other survey, of the general public, was conducted via the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP) in August and September 2016 among 4,538 respondents. (The 2016 report on how blacks and whites view police in their communities also was based on that survey.) More information on methodology is available here .

The 2019 race report was based on a survey conducted in January and February 2019. A total of 6,637 people responded, out of 9,402 who were sampled, for a response rate of 71%. The respondents included 5,599 from the ATP and oversamples of 530 non-Hispanic black and 508 Hispanic respondents sampled from Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel. More information on methodology is available here .

Majorities of both black and white Americans say black people are treated less fairly than whites in dealing with the police and by the criminal justice system as a whole. In a 2019 Center survey , 84% of black adults said that, in dealing with police, blacks are generally treated less fairly than whites; 63% of whites said the same. Similarly, 87% of blacks and 61% of whites said the U.S. criminal justice system treats black people less fairly.

Black adults are about five times as likely as whites to say they’ve been unfairly stopped by police because of their race or ethnicity (44% vs. 9%), according to the same survey. Black men are especially likely to say this : 59% say they’ve been unfairly stopped, versus 31% of black women.

White Democrats and white Republicans have vastly different views of how black people are treated by police and the wider justice system. Overwhelming majorities of white Democrats say black people are treated less fairly than whites by the police (88%) and the criminal justice system (86%), according to the 2019 poll. About four-in-ten white Republicans agree (43% and 39%, respectively).

Nearly two-thirds of black adults (65%) say they’ve been in situations where people acted as if they were suspicious of them because of their race or ethnicity, while only a quarter of white adults say that’s happened to them. Roughly a third of both Asian and Hispanic adults (34% and 37%, respectively) say they’ve been in such situations, the 2019 survey found.

Black Americans are far less likely than whites to give police high marks for the way they do their jobs . In a 2016 survey, only about a third of black adults said that police in their community did an “excellent” or “good” job in using the right amount of force (33%, compared with 75% of whites), treating racial and ethnic groups equally (35% vs. 75%), and holding officers accountable for misconduct (31% vs. 70%).

In the past, police officers and the general public have tended to view fatal encounters between black people and police very differently. In a 2016 survey  of nearly 8,000 policemen and women from departments with at least 100 officers, two-thirds said most such encounters are isolated incidents and not signs of broader problems between police and the black community. In a companion survey of more than 4,500 U.S. adults, 60% of the public called such incidents signs of broader problems between police and black people. But the views given by police themselves were sharply differentiated by race: A majority of black officers (57%) said that such incidents were evidence of a broader problem, but only 27% of white officers and 26% of Hispanic officers said so.

Around two-thirds of police officers (68%) said in 2016 that the demonstrations over the deaths of black people during encounters with law enforcement were motivated to a great extent by anti-police bias; only 10% said (in a separate question) that protesters were primarily motivated by a genuine desire to hold police accountable for their actions. Here as elsewhere, police officers’ views differed by race: Only about a quarter of white officers (27%) but around six-in-ten of their black colleagues (57%) said such protests were motivated at least to some extent by a genuine desire to hold police accountable.

White police officers and their black colleagues have starkly different views on fundamental questions regarding the situation of blacks in American society, the 2016 survey found. For example, nearly all white officers (92%) – but only 29% of their black colleagues – said the U.S. had made the changes needed to assure equal rights for blacks.

A majority of officers said in 2016 that relations between the police in their department and black people in the community they serve were “excellent” (8%) or “good” (47%). However, far higher shares saw excellent or good community relations with whites (91%), Asians (88%) and Hispanics (70%). About a quarter of police officers (26%) said relations between police and black people in their community were “only fair,” while nearly one-in-five (18%) said they were “poor” – with black officers far more likely than others to say so. (These percentages are based on only those officers who offered a rating.)

An overwhelming majority of police officers (86%) said in 2016 that high-profile fatal encounters between black people and police officers had made their jobs harder . Sizable majorities also said such incidents had made their colleagues more worried about safety (93%), heightened tensions between police and blacks (75%), and left many officers reluctant to use force when appropriate (76%) or to question people who seemed suspicious (72%).

• Criminal Justice
• Discrimination & Prejudice
• Racial Bias & Discrimination

Drew DeSilver is a senior writer at Pew Research Center .

Michael Lipka is an associate director focusing on news and information research at Pew Research Center .

Dalia Fahmy is a senior writer/editor focusing on religion at Pew Research Center .

Most Black Americans Believe U.S. Institutions Were Designed To Hold Black People Back

Cultural issues and the 2024 election, what the data says about crime in the u.s., fewer than 1% of federal criminal defendants were acquitted in 2022, before release of video showing tyre nichols’ beating, public views of police conduct had improved modestly, most popular.

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Solving racial disparities in policing

Colleen Walsh

Harvard Staff Writer

Experts say approach must be comprehensive as roots are embedded in culture

“ Unequal ” is a multipart series highlighting the work of Harvard faculty, staff, students, alumni, and researchers on issues of race and inequality across the U.S. The first part explores the experience of people of color with the criminal justice legal system in America.

It seems there’s no end to them. They are the recent videos and reports of Black and brown people beaten or killed by law enforcement officers, and they have fueled a national outcry over the disproportionate use of excessive, and often lethal, force against people of color, and galvanized demands for police reform.

This is not the first time in recent decades that high-profile police violence — from the 1991 beating of Rodney King to the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in 2014 — ignited calls for change. But this time appears different. The police killings of Breonna Taylor in March, George Floyd in May, and a string of others triggered historic, widespread marches and rallies across the nation, from small towns to major cities, drawing protesters of unprecedented diversity in race, gender, and age.

According to historians and other scholars, the problem is embedded in the story of the nation and its culture. Rooted in slavery, racial disparities in policing and police violence, they say, are sustained by systemic exclusion and discrimination, and fueled by implicit and explicit bias. Any solution clearly will require myriad new approaches to law enforcement, courts, and community involvement, and comprehensive social change driven from the bottom up and the top down.

While police reform has become a major focus, the current moment of national reckoning has widened the lens on systemic racism for many Americans. The range of issues, though less familiar to some, is well known to scholars and activists. Across Harvard, for instance, faculty members have long explored the ways inequality permeates every aspect of American life. Their research and scholarship sits at the heart of a new Gazette series starting today aimed at finding ways forward in the areas of democracy; wealth and opportunity; environment and health; and education. It begins with this first on policing.

Harvard Kennedy School Professor Khalil Gibran Muhammad traces the history of policing in America to “slave patrols” in the antebellum South, in which white citizens were expected to help supervise the movements of enslaved Black people.

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The history of racialized policing

Like many scholars, Khalil Gibran Muhammad , professor of history, race, and public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School , traces the history of policing in America to “slave patrols” in the antebellum South, in which white citizens were expected to help supervise the movements of enslaved Black people. This legacy, he believes, can still be seen in policing today. “The surveillance, the deputization essentially of all white men to be police officers or, in this case, slave patrollers, and then to dispense corporal punishment on the scene are all baked in from the very beginning,” he  told NPR  last year.

Slave patrols, and the slave codes they enforced, ended after the Civil War and the passage of the 13th amendment, which formally ended slavery “except as a punishment for crime.” But Muhammad notes that former Confederate states quickly used that exception to justify new restrictions. Known as the Black codes, the various rules limited the kinds of jobs African Americans could hold, their rights to buy and own property, and even their movements.

“The genius of the former Confederate states was to say, ‘Oh, well, if all we need to do is make them criminals and they can be put back in slavery, well, then that’s what we’ll do.’ And that’s exactly what the Black codes set out to do. The Black codes, for all intents and purposes, criminalized every form of African American freedom and mobility, political power, economic power, except the one thing it didn’t criminalize was the right to work for a white man on a white man’s terms.” In particular, he said the Ku Klux Klan “took about the business of terrorizing, policing, surveilling, and controlling Black people. … The Klan totally dominates the machinery of justice in the South.”

When, during what became known as the Great Migration, millions of African Americans fled the still largely agrarian South for opportunities in the thriving manufacturing centers of the North, they discovered that metropolitan police departments tended to enforce the law along racial and ethnic lines, with newcomers overseen by those who came before. “There was an early emphasis on people whose status was just a tiny notch better than the folks whom they were focused on policing,” Muhammad said. “And so the Anglo-Saxons are policing the Irish or the Germans are policing the Irish. The Irish are policing the Poles.” And then arrived a wave of Black Southerners looking for a better life.

In his groundbreaking work, “ The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America ,” Muhammad argues that an essential turning point came in the early 1900s amid efforts to professionalize police forces across the nation, in part by using crime statistics to guide law enforcement efforts. For the first time, Americans with European roots were grouped into one broad category, white, and set apart from the other category, Black.

Citing Muhammad’s research, Harvard historian Jill Lepore  has summarized the consequences this way : “Police patrolled Black neighborhoods and arrested Black people disproportionately; prosecutors indicted Black people disproportionately; juries found Black people guilty disproportionately; judges gave Black people disproportionately long sentences; and, then, after all this, social scientists, observing the number of Black people in jail, decided that, as a matter of biology, Black people were disproportionately inclined to criminality.”

“History shows that crime data was never objective in any meaningful sense,” Muhammad wrote. Instead, crime statistics were “weaponized” to justify racial profiling, police brutality, and ever more policing of Black people.

This phenomenon, he believes, has continued well into this century and is exemplified by William J. Bratton, one of the most famous police leaders in recent America history. Known as “America’s Top Cop,” Bratton led police departments in his native Boston, Los Angeles, and twice in New York, finally retiring in 2016.

Bratton rejected notions that crime was a result of social and economic forces, such as poverty, unemployment, police practices, and racism. Instead, he said in a 2017 speech, “It is about behavior.” Through most of his career, he was a proponent of statistically-based “predictive” policing — essentially placing forces in areas where crime numbers were highest, focused on the groups found there.

Bratton argued that the technology eliminated the problem of prejudice in policing, without ever questioning potential bias in the data or algorithms themselves — a significant issue given the fact that Black Americans are arrested and convicted of crimes at disproportionately higher rates than whites. This approach has led to widely discredited practices such as racial profiling and “stop-and-frisk.” And, Muhammad notes, “There is no research consensus on whether or how much violence dropped in cities due to policing.”

Gathering numbers

In 2015 The Washington Post began tracking every fatal shooting by an on-duty officer, using news stories, social media posts, and police reports in the wake of the fatal police shooting of Brown, a Black teenager in Ferguson, Mo. According to the newspaper, Black Americans are killed by police at twice the rate of white Americans, and Hispanic Americans are also killed by police at a disproportionate rate.

Such efforts have proved useful for researchers such as economist Rajiv Sethi .

A Joy Foundation Fellow at the Harvard  Radcliffe Institute , Sethi is investigating the use of lethal force by law enforcement officers, a difficult task given that data from such encounters is largely unavailable from police departments. Instead, Sethi and his team of researchers have turned to information collected by websites and news organizations including The Washington Post and The Guardian, merged with data from other sources such as the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the Census, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A Joy Foundation Fellow at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, Rajiv Sethi is investigating the use of lethal force by law enforcement officers,

Courtesy photo

They have found that exposure to deadly force is highest in the Mountain West and Pacific regions relative to the mid-Atlantic and northeastern states, and that racial disparities in relation to deadly force are even greater than the national numbers imply. “In the country as a whole, you’re about two to three times more likely to face deadly force if you’re Black than if you are white” said Sethi. “But if you look at individual cities separately, disparities in exposure are much higher.”

Examining the characteristics associated with police departments that experience high numbers of lethal encounters is one way to better understand and address racial disparities in policing and the use of violence, Sethi said, but it’s a massive undertaking given the decentralized nature of policing in America. There are roughly 18,000 police departments in the country, and more than 3,000 sheriff’s offices, each with its own approaches to training and selection.

“They behave in very different ways, and what we’re finding in our current research is that they are very different in the degree to which they use deadly force,” said Sethi. To make real change, “You really need to focus on the agency level where organizational culture lies, where selection and training protocols have an effect, and where leadership can make a difference.”

Sethi pointed to the example of Camden, N.J., which disbanded and replaced its police force in 2013, initially in response to a budget crisis, but eventually resulting in an effort to fundamentally change the way the police engaged with the community. While there have been improvements, including greater witness cooperation, lower crime, and fewer abuse complaints, the Camden case doesn’t fit any particular narrative, said Sethi, noting that the number of officers actually increased as part of the reform. While the city is still faced with its share of problems, Sethi called its efforts to rethink policing “important models from which we can learn.”

Fighting vs. preventing crime

For many analysts, the real problem with policing in America is the fact that there is simply too much of it. “We’ve seen since the mid-1970s a dramatic increase in expenditures that are associated with expanding the criminal legal system, including personnel and the tasks we ask police to do,” said Sandra Susan Smith , Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Professor of Criminal Justice at HKS, and the Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at the Radcliffe Institute. “And at the same time we see dramatic declines in resources devoted to social welfare programs.”

“You can have all the armored personnel carriers you want in Ferguson, but public safety is more likely to come from redressing environmental pollution, poor education, and unfair work,” said Brandon Terry, assistant professor of African and African American Studies and social studies.

Kris Snibble/Harvard file photo

Smith’s comment highlights a key argument embraced by many activists and experts calling for dramatic police reform: diverting resources from the police to better support community services including health care, housing, and education, and stronger economic and job opportunities. They argue that broader support for such measures will decrease the need for policing, and in turn reduce violent confrontations, particularly in over-policed, economically disadvantaged communities, and communities of color.

For Brandon Terry , that tension took the form of an ice container during his Baltimore high school chemistry final. The frozen cubes were placed in the middle of the classroom to help keep the students cool as a heat wave sent temperatures soaring. “That was their solution to the building’s lack of air conditioning,” said Terry, a Harvard assistant professor of African and African American Studies and social studies. “Just grab an ice cube.”

Terry’s story is the kind many researchers cite to show the negative impact of underinvesting in children who will make up the future population, and instead devoting resources toward policing tactics that embrace armored vehicles, automatic weapons, and spy planes. Terry’s is also the kind of tale promoted by activists eager to defund the police, a movement begun in the late 1960s that has again gained momentum as the death toll from violent encounters mounts. A scholar of Martin Luther King Jr., Terry said the Civil Rights leader’s views on the Vietnam War are echoed in the calls of activists today who are pressing to redistribute police resources.

“King thought that the idea of spending many orders of magnitude more for an unjust war than we did for the abolition of poverty and the abolition of ghettoization was a moral travesty, and it reflected a kind of sickness at the core of our society,” said Terry. “And part of what the defund model is based upon is a similar moral criticism, that these budgets reflect priorities that we have, and our priorities are broken.”

Terry also thinks the policing debate needs to be expanded to embrace a fuller understanding of what it means for people to feel truly safe in their communities. He highlights the work of sociologist Chris Muller and Harvard’s Robert Sampson, who have studied racial disparities in exposures to lead and the connections between a child’s early exposure to the toxic metal and antisocial behavior. Various studies have shown that lead exposure in children can contribute to cognitive impairment and behavioral problems, including heightened aggression.

“You can have all the armored personnel carriers you want in Ferguson,” said Terry, “but public safety is more likely to come from redressing environmental pollution, poor education, and unfair work.”

Policing and criminal justice system

Alexandra Natapoff , Lee S. Kreindler Professor of Law, sees policing as inexorably linked to the country’s criminal justice system and its long ties to racism.

“Policing does not stand alone or apart from how we charge people with crimes, or how we convict them, or how we treat them once they’ve been convicted,” she said. “That entire bundle of official practices is a central part of how we govern, and in particular, how we have historically governed Black people and other people of color, and economically and socially disadvantaged populations.”

Unpacking such a complicated issue requires voices from a variety of different backgrounds, experiences, and fields of expertise who can shine light on the problem and possible solutions, said Natapoff, who co-founded a new lecture series with HLS Professor Andrew Crespo titled “ Policing in America .”

In recent weeks the pair have hosted Zoom discussions on topics ranging from qualified immunity to the Black Lives Matter movement to police unions to the broad contours of the American penal system. The series reflects the important work being done around the country, said Natapoff, and offers people the chance to further “engage in dialogue over these over these rich, complicated, controversial issues around race and policing, and governance and democracy.”

Courts and mass incarceration

Much of Natapoff’s recent work emphasizes the hidden dangers of the nation’s misdemeanor system. In her book “ Punishment Without Crime: How Our Massive Misdemeanor System Traps the Innocent and Makes America More Unequal ,” Natapoff shows how the practice of stopping, arresting, and charging people with low-level offenses often sends them down a devastating path.

“This is how most people encounter the criminal apparatus, and it’s the first step of mass incarceration, the initial net that sweeps people of color disproportionately into the criminal system,” said Natapoff. “It is also the locus that overexposes Black people to police violence. The implications of this enormous net of police and prosecutorial authority around minor conduct is central to understanding many of the worst dysfunctions of our criminal system.”

One consequence is that Black and brown people are incarcerated at much higher rates than white people. America has approximately 2.3 million people in federal, state, and local prisons and jails, according to a 2020 report from the nonprofit the Prison Policy Initiative. According to a 2018 report from the Sentencing Project, Black men are 5.9 times as likely to be incarcerated as white men and Hispanic men are 3.1 times as likely.

Reducing mass incarceration requires shrinking the misdemeanor net “along all of its axes” said Natapoff, who supports a range of reforms including training police officers to both confront and arrest people less for low-level offenses, and the policies of forward-thinking prosecutors willing to “charge fewer of those offenses when police do make arrests.”

She praises the efforts of Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins in Massachusetts and George Gascón, the district attorney in Los Angeles County, Calif., who have pledged to stop prosecuting a range of misdemeanor crimes such as resisting arrest, loitering, trespassing, and drug possession. “If cities and towns across the country committed to that kind of reform, that would be a profoundly meaningful change,” said Natapoff, “and it would be a big step toward shrinking our entire criminal apparatus.”

Retired U.S. Judge Nancy Gertner cites the need to reform federal sentencing guidelines, arguing that all too often they have been proven to be biased and to result in packing the nation’s jails and prisons.

Stephanie Mitchell/Harvard file photo

Sentencing reform

Another contributing factor in mass incarceration is sentencing disparities.

A recent Harvard Law School study found that, as is true nationally, people of color are “drastically overrepresented in Massachusetts state prisons.” But the report also noted that Black and Latinx people were less likely to have their cases resolved through pretrial probation ­— a way to dismiss charges if the accused meet certain conditions — and receive much longer sentences than their white counterparts.

Retired U.S. Judge Nancy Gertner also notes the need to reform federal sentencing guidelines, arguing that all too often they have been proven to be biased and to result in packing the nation’s jails and prisons. She points to the way the 1994 Crime Bill (legislation sponsored by then-Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware) ushered in much harsher drug penalties for crack than for powder cocaine. This tied the hands of judges issuing sentences and disproportionately punished people of color in the process. “The disparity in the treatment of crack and cocaine really was backed up by anecdote and stereotype, not by data,” said Gertner, a lecturer at HLS. “There was no data suggesting that crack was infinitely more dangerous than cocaine. It was the young Black predator narrative.”

The First Step Act, a bipartisan prison reform bill aimed at reducing racial disparities in drug sentencing and signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2018, is just what its name implies, said Gertner.

“It reduces sentences to the merely inhumane rather than the grotesque. We still throw people in jail more than anybody else. We still resort to imprisonment, rather than thinking of other alternatives. We still resort to punishment rather than other models. None of that has really changed. I don’t deny the significance of somebody getting out of prison a year or two early, but no one should think that that’s reform.”

 Not just bad apples

Reform has long been a goal for federal leaders. Many heralded Obama-era changes aimed at eliminating racial disparities in policing and outlined in the report by The President’s Task Force on 21st Century policing. But HKS’s Smith saw them as largely symbolic. “It’s a nod to reform. But most of the reforms that are implemented in this country tend to be reforms that nibble around the edges and don’t really make much of a difference.”

Efforts such as diversifying police forces and implicit bias training do little to change behaviors and reduce violent conduct against people of color, said Smith, who cites studies suggesting a majority of Americans hold negative biases against Black and brown people, and that unconscious prejudices and stereotypes are difficult to erase.

“Experiments show that you can, in the context of a day, get people to think about race differently, and maybe even behave differently. But if you follow up, say, a week, or two weeks later, those effects are gone. We don’t know how to produce effects that are long-lasting. We invest huge amounts to implement such police reforms, but most often there’s no empirical evidence to support their efficacy.”

Even the early studies around the effectiveness of body cameras suggest the devices do little to change “officers’ patterns of behavior,” said Smith, though she cautions that researchers are still in the early stages of collecting and analyzing the data.

And though police body cameras have caught officers in unjust violence, much of the general public views the problem as anomalous.

“Despite what many people in low-income communities of color think about police officers, the broader society has a lot of respect for police and thinks if you just get rid of the bad apples, everything will be fine,” Smith added. “The problem, of course, is this is not just an issue of bad apples.”

Efforts such as diversifying police forces and implicit bias training do little to change behaviors and reduce violent conduct against people of color, said Sandra Susan Smith, a professor of criminal justice Harvard Kennedy School.

Community-based ways forward

Still Smith sees reason for hope and possible ways forward involving a range of community-based approaches. As part of the effort to explore meaningful change, Smith, along with Christopher Winship , Diker-Tishman Professor of Sociology at Harvard University and a member of the senior faculty at HKS, have organized “ Reimagining Community Safety: A Program in Criminal Justice Speaker Series ” to better understand the perspectives of practitioners, policymakers, community leaders, activists, and academics engaged in public safety reform.

Some community-based safety models have yielded important results. Smith singles out the Crisis Assistance Helping Out on the Streets program (known as CAHOOTS ) in Eugene, Ore., which supplements police with a community-based public safety program. When callers dial 911 they are often diverted to teams of workers trained in crisis resolution, mental health, and emergency medicine, who are better equipped to handle non-life-threatening situations. The numbers support her case. In 2017 the program received 25,000 calls, only 250 of which required police assistance. Training similar teams of specialists who don’t carry weapons to handle all traffic stops could go a long way toward ending violent police encounters, she said.

“Imagine you have those kinds of services in play,” said Smith, paired with community-based anti-violence program such as Cure Violence , which aims to stop violence in targeted neighborhoods by using approaches health experts take to control disease, such as identifying and treating individuals and changing social norms. Together, she said, these programs “could make a huge difference.”

At Harvard Law School, students have been  studying how an alternate 911-response team  might function in Boston. “We were trying to move from thinking about a 911-response system as an opportunity to intervene in an acute moment, to thinking about what it would look like to have a system that is trying to help reweave some of the threads of community, a system that is more focused on healing than just on stopping harm” said HLS Professor Rachel Viscomi, who directs the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program and oversaw the research.

The forthcoming report, compiled by two students in the HLS clinic, Billy Roberts and Anna Vande Velde, will offer officials a range of ideas for how to think about community safety that builds on existing efforts in Boston and other cities, said Viscomi.

But Smith, like others, knows community-based interventions are only part of the solution. She applauds the Justice Department’s investigation into the Ferguson Police Department after the shooting of Brown. The 102-page report shed light on the department’s discriminatory policing practices, including the ways police disproportionately targeted Black residents for tickets and fines to help balance the city’s budget. To fix such entrenched problems, state governments need to rethink their spending priorities and tax systems so they can provide cities and towns the financial support they need to remain debt-free, said Smith.

Rethinking the 911-response system to being one that is “more focused on healing than just on stopping harm” is part of the student-led research under the direction of Law School Professor Rachel Viscomi, who heads up the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program.

Jon Chase/Harvard file photo

“Part of the solution has to be a discussion about how government is funded and how a city like Ferguson got to a place where government had so few resources that they resorted to extortion of their residents, in particular residents of color, in order to make ends meet,” she said. “We’ve learned since that Ferguson is hardly the only municipality that has struggled with funding issues and sought to address them through the oppression and repression of their politically, socially, and economically marginalized Black and Latino residents.”

Police contracts, she said, also need to be reexamined. The daughter of a “union man,” Smith said she firmly supports officers’ rights to union representation to secure fair wages, health care, and safe working conditions. But the power unions hold to structure police contracts in ways that protect officers from being disciplined for “illegal and unethical behavior” needs to be challenged, she said.

“I think it’s incredibly important for individuals to be held accountable and for those institutions in which they are embedded to hold them to account. But we routinely find that union contracts buffer individual officers from having to be accountable. We see this at the level of the Supreme Court as well, whose rulings around qualified immunity have protected law enforcement from civil suits. That needs to change.”

Other Harvard experts agree. In an opinion piece in The Boston Globe last June, Tomiko Brown-Nagin , dean of the Harvard Radcliffe Institute and the Daniel P.S. Paul Professor of Constitutional Law at HLS, pointed out the Court’s “expansive interpretation of qualified immunity” and called for reform that would “promote accountability.”

“This nation is devoted to freedom, to combating racial discrimination, and to making government accountable to the people,” wrote Brown-Nagin. “Legislators today, like those who passed landmark Civil Rights legislation more than 50 years ago, must take a stand for equal justice under law. Shielding police misconduct offends our fundamental values and cannot be tolerated.”

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