Challenges to Public Safety Administration

Public Safety Administration Challenges; Annotated Bibliography

Cook, C. (September 1, 2012). The Challenges and Opportunities for Public Safety Communications: The Adams County Case Study. Silicon Flatirons Center

On the 23rd of September in the year 2011, scholars, law professionals and members of public safety communications industry were brought together by the Silicon Flatirons Center to discuss issues that faced the industry in the 21st century, both in terms of benefits and challenges that would emerge upon the creation of a countrywide broadband public safety communications network as stipulated and envisaged in the National Broadband Plan. The experts gathered at University of Colorado's School of Law where the discussions were being held. The discussions were chaired by a Mr. Phil Weiser, who is not only the dean of the said School of Law, but also the head of the Silicon Flatirons Centre and also an adjunct professor at the same university. The dialogue surrounded the creation of a modern countrywide public safety broadband network via study and discussions surrounding the creation of such a network at Colorado's Adams County. The discussions began with the participants going through the developments that had occurred in Adams county and also the then overall state of public safety networks. The participants also discussed the inadequacies and challenges with regards to technology in public safety networks relative to commercial markets. Participants also discussed the many benefits of an interoperable public safety network compared to the current networks. Through comparing different situations with the progress made in Adams County, Participants discussed the advantages of having a broadband network, especially the successes that were easily seen in networks that were entirely broadband. In spite of the many advantages, the dialogue also delved into the many challenges that were linked to the creation and integration of a public safety network (broadband). The challenges discussed entailed: technological challenges, financing, administration or governance and sustainability. The experts who were gathered recommended various important solutions with regards to what should be taken into account when developing new public safety broadband communication networks. The experts gathered were also optimistic about the effectiveness of such a project. If the mentioned challenges were to be circumvented, public safety will reap the advantages of implementing a countrywide interoperable public safety communications network.

Shiraishi, Y. (2012). Challenges to Elderly Safety in Safe Community Movements in Japan. International Journal of Injury Control & Safety Promotion, 19(3), 260-266. doi:10.1080/17457300.2012.674047

Japan has held the title of the country with the longest life expectancy globally over the last twenty years, and that has been due to the amount of care that is focused on the well-being and the safety of the elderly. Meanwhile, the idea of Safe Community (SC) Model has of late been thought of as one of the key measures of sustaining and enhancing the health conditions of the elderly. For the purpose of enhancing the efficiency and the success of the efforts being focused on the safety of the elderly, the model offers an outline for the provision of features that will assist communities to make the best use of the little resources they have. In the book, six communities were chosen to work for the promotion of safety using the SC model that was selected for the research. Even though there was a number of information missing due to lack of enough experience in practicing the Safe Community Model in Japan, it was established that 2 features make the Safe Community model important, which are: (1) systematic evidence -- in that they are grounded on plan-do-check-action procedures and (2) a guide for cross-sectoral co-operation. However, to evaluate and determine SC's effectiveness on the well-being of the elderly, more methods are applied at the same time to acquire longitudinal data. The feature of organizational cooperation and cross-sectoral is somewhat challenging in Japan. In situations where there is strict sectionalism, various institutions and companies usually start to operate individually, with little in the way of collaboration between organizations. However, working with the Safe Community model, relevant institutions and organizations are required to join efforts so as to achieve shared objectives. Through cooperation, such organizations in collaboration, tend to share solutions, programs and data, and will make the best use of the resources they have available, including informal assets, such as neighborhood activity and community programs.

Almklov, P. G., & Antonsen, S. (2010). The Commoditization of Societal Safety. Journal of Contingencies & Crisis Management, 18(3), 132-144. doi:10.1111/j.1468-5973.2010.00610.x

The current public management has resulted in huge institutional transformations in the areas operating key infrastructure. The previously huge integrated utility firms have now been split and managed, monitored and regulated, more like private companies. Important infrastructures are important societal lifelines. The effective operations of such infrastructures are necessary for the life we live in the modern world. This paper suggests ideas that may help in the analyses of the new organizational improvements and the implications that it might end up having on the safety of the society. Commoditization is a process, which seeks to revolutionize products by turning them into modern, uniform products that could be market-ordered (standardizing them). Modularization is the creation of separate entities that are interlinked by standardized interfaces and market mechanisms. The article contends that modularization of organizations and commoditization of business processes results in difficulties to some of the non- formal features of organizations, with significant influences, particularly, for crisis management; this is shown by a few examples from Norwegian power utility operators. The authors' of the paper utilize the idea of modularization to highlight how the power supply and utility forms are organized; the splitting of organizations, such as splitting the producer from his/her network companies. And also the internal market processes and the outsourcing within each branch in their network, is based on the concept that independent branches are integrated by direct and standardized input/output technique. More specifically, this paper delves into the question of who is responsible for the long-term business development competency, and also who is responsible for sustaining the personnel redundancy and other assets of huge emergencies. The basics of contractual dynamics and interfaces are that they are most likely to strengthen everyday system reliability; however, such concerns, which, although crucial for the safety of the society, must be transformed into commodities that individuals can buy. The idea of commoditization also deals with several micro issues and is utilized to show trends shifting towards revolutionizing work into separate, singular organizations that may have the biggest possible vendor market. The key differentiating point between highly-regulated employment and commoditization is in the transactional aspect. What becomes specified is the product. Commoditization suppresses the non-formal dimensions of a company, since they are not aspects of the product, which are at the core of the business. We have shown that a number of organizational aspects of safe operations, particularly, for crisis management and emergency, do not fit well in such a discourse. For societal safety, it is important that government institutions become aware of their role in ensuring that a society is safe via the product standards they set for vital industries.

Murray, J. (2005). Policing Terrorism: A Threat to Community Policing or Just a Shift in Priorities? Police Practice & Research, 6(4), 347-361. doi:10.1080/15614260500293986

The terror events of 9/11 and the consequent rise in concern for national security have understandably changed the policing priorities. However, many law enforcement agencies in their "war on terror," have tried to assume community policing, and to go back to the prior policing model that stressed on paramilitarism. Such reversions are both counterproductive and ill-advised, since they would destroy the developments that have been made over the last 20 years, enabling law enforcement agencies to enjoy relatively high levels of social acceptance. On one hand, political leaders are trying to save their faces by seemingly recommending tougher and "more effective measures," while on the other hand, police commissioners are facing the challenges of trying to preserve the gains made in the last few decades by attempting to retain community policing; such counter-efforts by two different sides have resulted in more tension, as many officers crave for action, and are highly likely to favor the paramilitary approach. Instead of abandoning community policing, law enforcement agencies should look within and apply the founding principles of that model, which often have led to better results than the traditional model. It is not a surprise, given the powers and the freedom of choice held by the law enforcement officers, that they have the potential to make dramatic changes on the freedoms and lives of the population. In terms of importance, policing has been regarded as perhaps the most important human service agency that cannot be taken for granted. It then definitely follows that the preconceptions, principles, values and ideologies, which are held by the majority of law enforcement officers, and which in turn, determine the police culture, are of important consideration. Unlike many other professions, the freedom to make decisions is emphasized at the lowest ranks of the employee hierarchy, while the decisions to apprehend are the ones which can be scrutinized. However, most of the decisions made by law enforcement officers often involve actions rather than apprehensions, thus, most of the police conduct is largely not scrutinized. The past model of policing (the one focused on paramilitarism) will separate the law enforcement agencies from the society, while on the other hand, community policing has enabled law enforcement agencies to build a relationship of mutual benefits and respect -- the kind of relationship that would be more effective in assisting the police to get information about potential terror attacks.

Ikuteyijo, L. O. (2009). The Challenges of Community Policing in Nigeria. International Journal Of Police Science & Management, 11(3), 285-293. doi:10.1350/ijps.2009.11.3.130

In Nigeria, the police's latest approach towards fighting crime and criminal related activities is a community-based approach. The success of the community-based approach is, however, facing several difficulties, including: financial challenges, police corruption, the bad image of the law enforcement agencies, and people in power who can change the course of justice. This paper discusses all these challenges plus how they are affecting community policing. As crucial as the objectives of community-based policing may be, the ability to apply such an approach in the Nigerian situation is clouded by several concerns. Some of these concerns are looked into in this section. The first concern is the lack of trust in the police by many communities in Nigeria, and this may have a great negative impact on the approach if it is not dealt with. Throughout the history of Nigeria, there has been an antagonistic relationship between community members and law enforcement officers, and such a relationship is likely to adversely impact community policing efforts. One of the other factors that may impede the effectiveness of community policing in Nigeria is the issue of "Godfatherism" in the country. Godfatherism is the financing and allowing of criminal activities, and shielding of certain criminals from the course of justice by highly placed government officials. Such highly placed individuals are the ones who are supposed to be spearheading the prosecution of such criminals yet they do the opposite. Another crucial factor is the social infrastructure aspect, which affects both the degree and scope of crimes, and also the ability of law enforcement officers to respond to the needs of the populations they are serving. The author is of the idea that for community policing to serve its purpose in Nigeria, these difficulties must be addressed by taking into account the distinctiveness of the Nigerian situation.

Casey, J. (2005). Introducing Policing: Challenges for Police and Australian Communities. Australian & New Zealand Journal Of Criminology (Australian Academic Press), 38(1), 155-158.

This is a very interesting and informative book on many different levels. The author squeezes into the 175 pages an intelligent and coherent discussion of the majority of the issues challenging the Australian police. The initial 2 chapters highlight the history of policing in the country, and give an introduction into fundamental concepts of law enforcement in modern societies. The current Australian police originated from many different colonial outfits that kept order in highly segregated colonies and also frequently engaged with indigenous communities in violent clashes outside white settlements. However, the current law enforcement agencies are quite different from their predecessors. In that, these modern agencies have formed accommodating relationships with many different communities. Community policing is at the heart of law enforcement in all the states in Australia, however, many people are still questioning the manner in which the managerial strategies flow through the agencies to the operational levels, especially, how the alienation of the law enforcement agencies from the communities they are supposed to serve usually makes community policing difficult to effect. This book concentrates on the functions of the police, alternative policing approaches, and also how the police in Australia utilize the freedom they have. The decisions the police make in Australia are influenced by their internal cultures and challenges, and also the pressures of expediency, media representation of facts and community expectations. The police have to balance the maintenance of law and order with welfare and prevention roles via more and more complicated strategies, including partnerships with both members of the private and public sector. The last chapter of the book, Agendas for Reform, discusses various reforms that are being undertaken in the Australian police, and whether they will be effective in bringing about shift to better crime prevention and more responsible community policing or not.

Kempa, M., & Johnston, L. (2005). Challenges and Prospects for the Development of Inclusive Plural Policing in Britain: Overcoming Political and Conceptual Obstacles. Australian & New Zealand Journal Of Criminology (Australian Academic Press), 38(2), 181-191.

Policing entails both state and non-state institutions. In this article, the focus is on the latest government efforts towards addressing the new realities of "pluralized" policing in the UK. Instead of focusing on the concepts behind these efforts, we look into the main challenges so far encountered and which are more likely to continue, with regards to achieving inclusive pluralized policing approaches. Using studies done at the London's MPS (Metropolitan Police Service), this paper looks at the prospects of neighborhood policing. For the principal reason that Britain did not suffer from civil strife to the same extent as Northern Ireland, the country had higher levels of progress in terms of neighborhood policing. Neighborhood policing aims to circumvent the challenges of plural policing by flooding communities with CSOs, and thus, manipulating the communities to their favor. The policing also rationalizes police forces through auxilarization, making them more flexible and multi-level with many entry points and modularized training. However, such programs had their own difficulties, including the lack of support structures and inadequacies in training. Minority CSOs also tended to be more at a disadvantage compared to the white CSOs, yet it is the minority CSOs who tended to have the biggest support needs. The article also highlights several other challenges, and then gives some strategies that can be used to overcome these challenges.

Rokkas, P., Cornell, V., & Steenkamp, M. (2014). Disaster preparedness and response: Challenges for Australian public health nurses - A literature review. Nursing & Health Sciences, 16(1), 60-66. doi:10.1111/nhs.12134

In the history of Australia, the country has never even once had to respond to a countrywide disastrous event. However, over the last ten years, floods, cyclones, bushfires, and heat waves, have hugely challenged the country's disaster preparedness, and the emergency capacity of both regional and domestic hospitals. Given that catastrophic events are predicted to rise both in terms of frequency and impact, there is a need for healthcare professionals to be better prepared at effectively handling disasters. Nurses are often considered to be at the frontline with regards to disaster management, and studies have revealed that they are one of the most trusted societies of professionals, and are thus a group or society that both communities and the government at large, are willing to turn to for help, advice and protection, in the 21st century. This paper delves into the challenges that public health nurses face in terms of disaster preparedness and response in Australia, given their central standing in public health and their unique set of skills.