NCJ Number
64038
Journal
Justitiele verkenningen Issue: 9 Dated: (1976) Pages: 446-453
Date Published
1977
Length
12 pages
Annotation
THE ROLE OF THE DUTCH POLICE IN PROVIDING SOCIAL SERVICES AND SPECIAL TRAINING REQUIRED FOR THAT ROLE ARE EXPLORED.
Abstract
THE ROLE OF THE POLICE IS DEFINED DIFFERENTLY BY VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION, AND MANY OF THE PROBLEMS FACED BY THE POLICE RESULT FROM CONFLICTING DEMANDS RELATING TO POLICE FUNCTION. FURTHERMORE, AS THE POLICE HAVE BECOME MORE PROFESSIONAL AND BETTER EQUIPPED, THEY HAVE ALSO BECOME MORE DISTANT FROM THE GENERAL POPULATION. POLICE OFFICERS TEND TO ATTACH LITTLE IMPORTANCE TO SOCIAL SERVICES IN THEIR WORK. YET RESULTS OF TWO STUDIES ON THE NATURE OF CALLS TO POLICE INDICATE THAT ONLY A FIFTH OF THE CALLS RELATE TO CRIME AND THE MAJORITY HAVE TO DO WITH ASSISTANCE OR INFORMATION. TRAFFIC CALLS AND CALLS RELATING TO CRIMES ARE MORE COMMON IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT THAN IN CITIES, WHILE RURAL AREAS HAVE MORE CALLS THAN URBAN AREAS CONCERNING INFORMATION OR VIOLATIONS OF HUNTING LAWS AND SIMILAR REGULATIONS. RURAL POLICE HAVE MORE CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC THAN DO URBAN POLICE. WOMEN REQUEST ASSISTANCE MORE THAN MEN, AND ADULTS MORE THAN JUVENILES. COLORED, LONG-HAIRED, AND UNKEMPT PERSONS AS WELL AS WHITE, SHORT-HAIRED, AND NEAT PERSONS ASK FOR ASSISTANCE. ASSISTANCE AND INFORMATION ARE THUS IMPORTANT PARTS OF POLICE WORK, ALTHOUGH DEMANDS ARE NOT THE SAME FOR ALL PARTS OF THE POPULATION. FOR POLICE EFFECTIVENESS IN SOCIAL FUNCTIONS, POLICE TRAINING SHOULD GIVE TRAINEES INSIGHT INTO THE TYPE OF WORK THAT THEY WILL ENCOUNTER AND SHOULD IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO WORK WITH OTHERS WHILE EXERCISING SELF-CONTROL. RECRUITS SHOULD ALSO BE TAUGHT TO UNDERSTAND SOCIAL CHANGE AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS. POLICE TRAINING MUST EMPHASIZE THE VALUE OF TOLERANCE, FLEXIBILITY, AND INSIGHT INTO THE HETEROGENEITY OF SOCIETY. POLICE NEED NOT BECOME SOCIAL WORKERS IF THEY CAN INTERVENE IN CRISES AND THEN REFER THE PARTIES INVOLVED TO OTHER AGENCIES FOR LONG-TERM ASSISTANCE. PREPARATION FOR THIS WORK SHOULD TEACH PROFICIENCY IN GATHERING INFORMATION AND SELF-CONFIDENT BEARING, CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS OF POLICE WITH REGARD TO THE PUBLIC AND BOUNDS OF POLICE RESPONSIBILITY, AND PROMOTE THE FACILITY FOR RAPIDLY MASTERING UNCLEAR SITUATIONS. NOTES ARE SUPPLIED.