POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY (CED SUPPLEMENTARY PAPER)

• NCJ Number: 7323
• Author(s): R STEADMAN
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 103 pages
• Corporate Author: Cmtte for Economic Development
• Sale Source: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: SUPPLEMENTARY PAPER OF THE COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Annotation

ESSAYS BY THREE SPECIALISTS IN DIFFERENT FIELDS COMPRISE THIS STUDY OF THE ROLE OF THE POLICE IN URBAN AMERICA.

Abstract

BERNARD L. GARMIRE, MIAMI CHIEF OF POLICE, STARTS WITH THE THEORY THAT IT IS TOO MUCH TO EXPECT THE POLICEMAN TO FUNCTION EFFECTIVELY AS BOTH CRIME FIGHTER AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS EXPERT. HE RECOMMENDS THAT POLICE DEPARTMENTS BE DIVIDED INTO SEPARATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITYSERVICE DIVISIONS. PSYCHIATRIST JESSE RUBIN DISCUSSES PROBLEMS OF THE RECRUIT WHO MUST FORM HIS ADULT IDENTITY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LEARN THE TECHNIQUES OF HIS PROFESSION. RUBIN SUGGESTS THAT MEN BE RECRUITED SPECIFICALLY FOR SPECIALIZED ROLES, SUCH AS CRIME FIGHTING OR COMMUNITY RELATIONS IN ORDER TO CLARIFY THE ROLE EXPECTATIONS OF EACH POLICEMAN. A PESSIMISTIC VIEW OF PAST COMMUNITY-RELATIONS PROGRAMS IS PRESENTED BY JAMES Q. WILSON, A POLITICAL SCIENTIST. IN LIEU OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS, DISCUSSION GROUPS OR POLICE HUMAN RELATIONS TRAINING, HE OFFERS SEVERAL SPECIFIC ACTION PROPOSALS. HE RECOMMENDS INCREASED PATROL MANPOWER, HIGHER SALARIES, AND THE USE OF SHORT-TERM RECRUITS TO SERVE ON THE POLICE FORCE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO MILITARY SERVICE. LIKE THE OTHER TWO AUTHORS, HE RECOMMENDS A COMMUNITY-RELATIONS UNIT BUT WARNS THAT SUCH A UNIT SHOULD NOT BE ISOLATED FROM THE REST OF THE FORCE. (SNI ABSTRACT)