Police Force You Are Memo: The Need

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Memo: The need to increase our members of the city police force

Recently, there has been a heated debate in the city council regarding crime rates. Representative Brown has alleged that crime rates are skyrocketing and says that increased members of the police are necessary to engage in effective policing. Although members of our force have taken umbrage at these allegations that we are not performing our duties in an effective manner, I would contend that this is a critical juncture for law enforcement in our town. Although the actual crime rates have not been going up, there is still a vital need to increase members of our force. Our city is changing, and the police force must change with it likewise.

Our city is classified as a mid-sized metropolis of approximately 75,000 residents. However, for the past several years we have been steadily expanding at a rate of 3 and 5% per year. Currently we only have thirty uniformed officers and 12 support staff. One of the reasons that there may be a perception that crime is on the rise is that this is simply not enough to have a visible police presence on the streets. A lack of a viable police presence could easily create trouble in the future. "Broken window theory suggests promoting walking-the-beat form of policing on the basis that indicators of neighbourhood disrepair such as a broken window foster criminality. The logic is that signs of neighbourhood decay lead residents to withdraw from public life of the neighbourhood and thereby reduce the efficacy of informal social control, leaving the area open for serious criminal misdemeanours" (Broken windows theory, 2012, Sociology Index).

Given the expanding nature of our city, it is only a matter of time before people begin to 'test the limits' of our sparse police department, and broken windows begin to be seen everywhere. In fact, the perception in the rise of crimes indicates that the 'broken windows' phenomenon may already be beginning. It is critical that police are vigilant in creating the perception that this is a crime-free area that has zero tolerance for lawlessness. We cannot rest upon our statistical laurels that crime is not on the increase.

Of course, it will be protested that we cannot afford to pay new officers by some members of the city council who oppose raising taxes. But given that economic development is at such a fragile juncture for our town and we have only just begun to recover from the recent recession, surely we wish to ensure that the town looks like an attractive place in which to invest? 30% of our current tax base is commercial, and 10% industrial. We would ideally like to expand the commercial tax base to create more job opportunities for our young people, but this will prove impossible if the town does not look like a viable, vibrant, and above all safe community. If the perceived safety of the area attracts more businesses, this will ultimately mean more revenue in the long run. Conversely, trying to save money by holding down the numbers of police officers is an exercise in being 'pennywise but pound foolish.'

Perceptions are just as important as realities: indeed 'broken window' theory suggests that perceptions create realities. When people believe that they are living in a low-crime area, they are less likely to commit crimes and more likely to treat residences and businesses with respect. The presence of a 'cop on the beat,' the visibility of police cars, and the announcement that we are hiring new officers will all conspire to create an image of safety that will actually make community members more safe. "Social psychologists and police officers tend to agree that if a window in a building is broken and is left unrepaired, all the rest of the windows will soon be broken. This is as true in nice neighborhoods as in rundown ones. Window-breaking does not necessarily occur on a large scale because some areas are inhabited by determined window-breakers whereas others are populated by window-lovers; rather, one unrepaired broken window is a signal that no one cares, and so breaking more windows costs nothing" (Broken windows theory, 2012, Sociology Index).

Adding to the police force at this time will also be an opportunity to increase the diversity of the force. As well as growing in size, our community is more diverse than ever before. We need more representatives of historically-discriminated against groups to create an image that the police department represents all community members, not just some community members. Expanding the diversity of the force would be an ideal way to engage in outreach efforts. Also, there are members of the city that have had historically stormy relationships with the police because they do not feel they represent their needs. Increasing the number of beat cops but using officers who know the community well in which they are patrolling will improve safety in a non-threatening fashion. It will encourage young people to believe that the force represents and reflects their needs.

These new members of the force will be better-equipped to engage in community outreach to young people, another cornerstone of an effective policing effort that treats the needs of the whole community. Going into schools, mentoring at-risk students, lecturing students about drugs would all be better accomplished with a younger, more representative police force. It will also take additional staff to achieve these ambitious goals. Regarding budgeting for this activity, some of the money may be shouldered by the school board or the department can receive assistance from national organizations that are committed to creating programs to ensure a drug-free next generation.

Six years has passed since any new staff was added to the department -- six years of great change and development in the city. If the force does not keep pace with these changes, there is a real risk of crime increasing over the long-term, and the vision of Representative Brown becoming a statistical reality. It has been suggested that more effective policing can still be attained with current staff if members of the force are shifted around to different time slots or by taking on some part-time or temporary workers. But these solutions do not address the fundamental, systemic needs of the community.