People who are paid for something others might do voluntarily should be considered professionals. However, the level of professionalism is not primarily based on the payment for the job but on the level of responsibility before the community for the quality of the work done. Indeed, volunteers or samaritans might make their contribution to the wellbeing and safety of a neighborhood but they do not have any responsibilities imposed by duty. According to Meese (1993), a professional police officer is the one whose duty is not only to react to crimes but also take initiatives in preventing them. Therefore, a professional takes responsibility for a great range of duties, including those requiring making crucial decisions in life-or-death situations. The profession of policing imposes such responsibilities on officers; thus, to be professionals and to be qualified representatives of the occupation, the police should be “held accountable for their professional performance” (Meese, 1993). Thus, it is a responsibility that makes police officers professionals.
Education is crucial in achieving the level of a professional in community policing. Moreover, it contributes to the development of a set of necessary skill that a person must have in both daily job and emergency situations. However, I do not think that the simplification of an educational process will benefit the quality of the police’s work. As Glenn et al. (2003) emphasize, training throughout the police force is the key element in achieving professionalism. Therefore, continuous and far-reaching education is a must for a competent police officer.
References
Glenn, R.W., Panitch, B.R., Barnes-Proby, D., Williams, E., Christian, J., Lewis, M.W., … Brannan, D. W. (2003). Training the 21st-century police officer: Redefining police professionalism for the Los Angeles Police Department. Santa Monica, CA: Rand Public Safety and Justice.
Messes, E. III. (1993). Community policing and the police officer. Perspectives on Policing, 15, 1-11.