Community Policing Strategies to Reduce Crime in Macom

Introduction: The Challenge of Policing in Macom

Policing today is a complex and dangerous service provided to a community that is often inconsiderate and ungrateful. The crime rate appears to dictate a community's feelings about its police force. On the other hand, it has too often happened that the very same maligned force tends to absorb criticism without attempting to remedy departmental shortcomings in accordance with the community's voiced needs. Having recognized this apparent segregation between the police force and the community it serves, critics and researchers have begun to investigate ways in which to remedy the difficulties in this relationship. The concept arising from this work has come to be known as community policing.

In light of these issues, this paper focuses on the community of Macom and its police force. The problems as they are currently experienced are explored and analyzed in order to make recommendations and suggest improvements. In summary, Macom's problem is two-fold: the drop in morale in the police force as a result of rising crime rates, and the increasing fearfulness of the community for the same reason. Specifically, the police appears to have major difficulties in its relationship with the community it serves, and in turn, the community no longer appears to trust the Macom police.

Researchers and writers on the problem of rising crime rates have focused on a variety of aspects that could cause this phenomenon. Some have gone as far as noting that parents should take greater responsibility for their children, which would result in a more stable society. While this may be true to a certain extent, it is also true that there are other major influences on a young person's life as soon as he or she leaves for school, a friend's house, a club, or any location away from the parental home.

This report will address the problems as they are currently experienced in Macom. Specifically, this is a process that includes defining a mission statement for the department, addressing the problem of rising crime rates and its possible causes, examining theories and philosophies of policing, and making recommendations based upon the findings. Specific aspects of the problems in Macom are addressed and analyzed in order to integrate with existing research. It is important to recognize that various points of view exist surrounding these problems.

It does appear that Macom's police department needs to implement changes in order to address its problems. In light of the demographic conditions described, it is unlikely that the crime rate will drop without intervention. The very purpose of the police should be to prevent crime and to seriously address rising crime rates. As such, it is imperative that targeted changes be made within the police department in order to address the community's crime problems.

Primary Mission of the Macom Police Department

A clear mission statement is vitally important in any organizational environment. It is particularly important for a service provider such as a police department, where more is at stake than a financial bottom line. The police function within a community, and the department's effectiveness within any specific community is integrated with the community's perception of the department. If a community believes, for example, that the police are corrupt or biased, there will be an innate distrust whenever the police attempt to enforce the law. Such negativity also makes it difficult to implement strategies such as community policing. The police are then seen as a kind of heavy-handed authority, assuming guilt and taking no great pains to prove innocence before punishing.

The Macom police need to decide what their primary goal is within the community. According to the communication received, the disagreement with the police chief revolves around whether a change in basic strategy is needed to curb the upsurge of crime. The opposing view holds that the surge will simply subside — as it did during the 1990s — and that no change should be made within the department. The fundamental problem with this latter position is that the primary function of any police department is to fight crime. If there is an upsurge of crime and the police department makes no change in strategy, this does not correlate well with that primary function. The progression can be presented simply as follows:

The police department works to fight crime. Crime rises. The police department works harder.

Ignoring the problem would simply exacerbate the already strained relationship between the community and the police. In creating the mission statement, the Macom police department should therefore consider the primary problems that currently present themselves: the attitude of the community, and the current strategies of the police department. These are outlined in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Community and Police Relationship in Macom

Community: Fear of rising crime levels; negative perceptions that police are biased; no engagement from police with community leaders on these issues.

Police: Continuation of existing strategies accompanied by demoralization; no attempt to meet with community leaders to discuss the issues; attempts to justify existing patrol patterns.

The table makes it clear that the lack of action on the part of the Macom police has perpetuated negative perceptions and feelings within the community. Delineating the problem in this way also makes it clear that no change is simply not an option. Ignoring the problem will exacerbate it to eventually unmanageable levels. This should be kept in mind when constructing a mission statement. The statement should also take into account the nature of the problems, and how these can be addressed while also curbing the crime problem.

The following mission statement is suggested:

"The purpose and mission of the Macom police department is to control the criminal element within the community, ensure community safety and security, and build community relationships in order to reach these goals optimally."

The rise in crime levels indicates that the police need to change their strategies to target the factors responsible for the phenomenon. They should also do so publicly, and where possible, involve community leaders in order to enhance mutual trust and respect. Tim Berry (2008) suggests that the mission statement should be a team effort to ensure that it represents the entire department. In these terms, the mission statement should be made available to all police officers. It should be discussed and modified through departmental meetings, and finally displayed at prominent locations throughout the department. In this way, it can be ensured that all police officers are in agreement as to the purpose and projected results of change.

The Crime Rate and Police Strategy

The rise in crime rates can be directly related to the demographic changes in Macom, particularly the disproportionate increase of young people and the ethnic minority community. Young people often succumb to peer pressure when committing crimes. Such pressure — and the desire to be seen as accepted by their peers — could encourage even children from law-abiding homes to become involved in petty crimes such as property damage or shoplifting, or in drug-related offenses. Ethnic minority residents, in turn, could be influenced by their perceived position within the broader community. Crime could serve as a way to retaliate against victimization by either the police or the community at large. Furthermore, ethnic minority communities are often economically disadvantaged, which could result in crime as an attempted source of income.

Table 2: Criminal Activity Among Youth and Ethnic Minorities

Youth: Peer pressure; problems at home; academic and learning difficulties; gangsterism.

Ethnic Minorities: Strained relationships with police that could encourage criminal activity; victimization by police and the general community; perception of marginalized social position; poverty.

The above are hypotheses of possible reasons for the rise in crime rates. The demographic groups most likely to be involved should be investigated and monitored closely in order to delineate the extent of the problem and construct problem-solving strategies. In forming such strategies, it is important that the police take a community-oriented approach, working with parents and community leaders. A foundation of mutual trust should be used as a basis from which to positively influence youth and ethnic minority demographics. Punitive measures tend to have a negative effect on the community and will exacerbate the already negative perception of racism within the Macom police.

A major problem specifically among the youth is gangsterism and offenses perpetrated as part of a gang. This is also a concern for the Macom community, with reports of loud music, graffiti, vandalism, and other misdemeanors that could be gang-related. According to the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center (2008), youth join gangs for a number of reasons, but fear is not generally one of them. The general age of youth involved in gangs is 12–24, with the average being 17–18, and most gang members leaving after belonging to the gang for approximately one year. Another significant statistic is that youth belonging to gangs commit the greatest percentage of violent crime among young people — as high as 89% of serious violent crimes by gang members were reported in Denver, where only 14% of the youth population belonged to gangs. This is an issue that should be seriously addressed in Macom.

In terms of ethnic minorities, the statistics are less conclusive than those related to gangs. According to a study of crime in Miami conducted by Liliana Cordero, ethnicity plays a far less significant role in the occurrence of homicide than factors such as drugs, alcohol, arguments, and killings in the course of other felonies such as robbery. In the case of Macom, it may therefore be wiser to make the primary target of investigation the youth in general, rather than a specific ethnic group. This approach could have the added advantage of repairing the damaged relationship between the police and the minority community.

In short, the police not only can, but should take action regarding the rising crime rates in the Macom community. This is indicated by the mission statement above and, indeed, by the primary function of the police force itself.

Conclusion and Recommendations

At bottom, the Macom police department should concentrate on programs to nurture its youth through wholesome activities and educational programs, while at the same time building its community relations by cultivating positive relationships with all community leaders. Addressing gangsterism, drug abuse, and poverty through cooperative, community-oriented strategies — rather than punitive measures alone — offers the most promising path toward reducing crime and restoring public trust in the Macom police force.

Bibliography

Berry, Tim. (2008). Writing a Mission Statement. Bplans.com. http://articles.bplans.com/index.php/business-articles/writing-a-business-plan/writing-a-mission-statement/

Cordero, Liliana. The Perpetration of and Victimization by Violence in Ethnic Minorities: Issues, Findings, and Considerations. Texas Tech University.

Ellison, John. (2006, April). Community policing: Implementation issues. The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. FindArticles.com. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2194/is_4_75/ai_n16133604/print

National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center. (2008). Youth Gangs and Violence.

Stephens, Gene. (2008, May). Proactive policing: The key to successful crime prevention and control. USA Today. FindArticles.com. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1272/is_2672_129/ai_74572242/print