As a police officer, the location to which one is dispatched varies in regard to economic characteristics. However, it is important that law enforcement applies dignity, respect, and consideration regardless of the individuals they are to interact with or the neighborhood in which they operate. In the case study, the situation highlights a situation in which Arnold, a homeless drug user, refuses to leave the entrance of a building in a low-income apartment complex without causing disturbances. I would apply discretion to communicate with Andrew and decide on the best possible outcome without disturbing the person in question or the individual living in the area. Namely, I would approach Andrew and share the possibilities that he has in regard to being assisted to a homeless shelter or a hospital if medical care is needed. It is especially important to think about the safety of the tenants and Andrew himself, as the temperature puts the individual in question in danger. Thus, helping him with transportation and being put in a homeless shelter would significantly improve the situation from all viewpoints, both the individuals who feel uncomfortable with Andrew staying at the building entrance and Andrew himself.
My reaction would not be different if the same circumstances were taking place in a high-income apartment building and a politically-connected tenant would call. It is vital for police officers to remain unbiased and treat people equally, as the opposite generates situations in which minorities or demographics that are often targeted by the police are unfairly punished or violated. Thus, the status of a person is redundant as well as that of the person whom the police are being called on. This attitude is an excellent way to create a legally fair system in which people are judged through their actions rather than their socioeconomic position.
Work Cited
Elkins, Faye “Police and Private Security Partnerships: Collaborating to Meet Growing Challenges.” Community Policing Dispatch, vol. 15, no. 2. 2022. Web.