There are different approaches to the evaluation of the programs implemented by police. In particular, much attention is usually paid to its effect on the level of crime in the community. Nevertheless, there are other important aspects that should not be overlooked. For instance, one can speak about the responsiveness of police officers.
It is possible to argue that the evaluation of the policies implemented by law-enforcement officers cannot be based only on quantitative dimensions because they do not fully reflect the work of these organizations. These are the main issues that should be discussed more closely.
Overall, the use of multiple criteria is partly based on the premise that police officers should be empowered by the administrators of law-enforcement agencies (Nowicki, 1997, p. 364). The main problem is that they are often deprived of this opportunity because of the criticism that police often encounters.
Yet, it is critical for law-enforcement professionals to take independent initiatives. This premise should be considered while developing a police program. Apart from that, one should focus on the experiences of people who live in a particular community. The opinions of these individuals can also be used to assess the efficiency of police officers.
At first, it is critical to consider such a factor as the responsiveness of the police officers. These people should be able to help people resolve conflicts between the residents of the community. They are not necessarily related to crime (Wadman, 2009). Nevertheless, people often expect police officers to play the role of mediators. This is one of the points that should be taken into account. More importantly, one cannot suppose that the level of crime is the only standard according to which a program can be assessed.
Additionally, law-enforcement agencies should gain insights the common problems faced by the community. In this way, they can better understand the causes of conflicts of crime in the community. Therefore, this approach is based on the premise that police-officers should understand and minimize the factors that contribute to various crimes such youth violence (Braga, Kennedy, Waring, & Piehl, 2001). This is one of the goals that police should achieve.
In turn, it is critical to improve the communication between law-enforcement agencies and the public (Eck & Spelman, 1987, p. 43). For instance, foot patrols do not necessarily reduce the level of crime (Eck & Spelman, 1987, p. 43). Nevertheless, the use of this approach is important for gaining the trust of community.
Moreover, this strategy is important for increasing the perceived sense of security (Wadman, 2009, p. 88). For instance, in many cases, police officers need to make sure that people are not afraid of leaving their houses after dark. This strategy is not directly related to the level of crime in the community. Yet, it is important for the sustainable development of any neighborhood.
On the whole, these examples indicate that police effectiveness cannot be measured only with the help of quantitative measurements such as the number of crimes in the community. Provided that I had managed a police department, I would focus on the ability of officers to resolve conflicts between the residents of the community. This aspect is important because in many cases, crime is the result of the unsettled conflicts between citizens (Davids, 2008).
This is one of the details that should be singled out. Secondly, the ability of a program to enlist the support of the community is another criterion that should be considered. This element is critical for the long-term efficiency of the law-enforcement agencies. It should be kept in mind that in many cases, various crimes can be effectively prevented and investigated, if police departments can interact with the members of the community (Reed, 2013, p. 28).
This is why this outcome should not be disregarded by legislators and policy-makers who decide whether a program should be continued or not. They need to bear in mind that the opinions of people cannot be dismissed.
Therefore, a program should not be cancelled only because it does not immediately reduce the number of crimes in the community. Police administrators should pay attention to other outcomes such as those ones which were discussed in this paper. Nevertheless, under such circumstances, police administrators should also consider the costs of a program.
If the implementation does not divert resources from other important activities such as the investigation of crimes, the program should be continued. These are the factors that should not be disregarded by the decision-makers since they need to understand what initiatives are most beneficial.
Overall, this discussion suggests that police effectiveness cannot be evaluated only according to a single standard such as the level of crime in the community. It is not sufficient for the objective evaluation. In turn, law-enforcement agencies should pay attention to such factors as the perceived safety of the community or their ability to establish relations with the community. This approach is more productive, and it can improve the work of many police departments. These are the main arguments that can be put forward.
Reference List
Braga, A., Kennedy, D., Waring, E., & Piehl, A. Problem-Oriented Policing, Deterrence, and Youth Violence: An Evaluation of Boston’s Operation Ceasefire. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 39(3), 195-225.
Davids, C. (2008). Conflict of Interest in Policing: Problems, Practices, and Principles. New York, NY: Institute of Criminology.
Eck, J., & Spelman, W. (1987). Who Ya Gonna Call? The Police as Problem-Busters. Crime & Delinquency, 33(1), 31-52.
Nowicki, D. (1997). Mixed Messages. New York, NY: Gary Hayes Lunchen.
Reed, W. (2013). The Politics of Community Policing: The Case of Seattle. New York, NY: Routledge.
Wadman, R. (2009). Police Theory in America: Old Traditions and New Opportunities. New York, NY: Charles C Thomas Publisher.