Paramilitary vs. Community-Oriented Police Models

Introduction

The paramilitary model provides a degree of discipline and training to police officers that they might not otherwise obtain. It not only gives law enforcement officers knowledge and skills regarding how to use force effectively, it also gives police a type of professionalism that helps them to be more organized and resistant to corrupting influences (Potter, 2013). The paramilitary model adopted by police organizations is effective in some ways but has its limitations in others. For that reason, it should be balanced by a model of policing that takes into account the fact that police are not engaged in a military campaign against an enemy but are actually working among civilians in communities, where their role is to serve and protect. Because police routinely interact with communities, there is a need to apply a community-oriented model of policing so that officers are not constantly applying military principles and militaristic uses of force on members of the community who would rather see a more open, supportive, and communicative relationship develop between law enforcement and civilians.

Why the Paramilitary Model Can Help

Military training and discipline can bring a level of professionalism to a law enforcement organization that helps officers take their role seriously, maturely, and with great care and commitment. The paramilitary model is rooted in a hierarchical order — a chain of command — in which decisions are made by leaders at the top (Cruickshank, 2013). Individual officers, like soldiers in the field, are expected to follow orders; failure to do so results in disciplinary action. The focus is on obeying the chain of command, which means that police departments must have strong leaders capable of making sound decisions and training their officers to follow commands in the line of duty.

The paramilitary model can also help officers feel more confident, united, and aligned, as there is less of a sense of individualism and more of a sense of serving a greater ideal defined by the organization at the top. The model insists that officers reflect the values and principles of the organization in all their actions, because every officer is viewed as the face of the department. If an officer puts a blemish on the organization by behaving contrary to its ethics and principles, that officer will be out of employment very quickly. Under this model, values and principles are ingrained into officers' thinking so that they manifest them in their everyday conduct.

Finally, the paramilitary model gives officers access to greater weapons and tools, making them safer and more capable of responding with force when necessary. Because the world presents increasingly dangerous scenarios — including terrorist threats involving armed adversaries — police must be able to respond in a forceful and effective manner. The paramilitary model provides exactly this kind of operational support.

Why the Paramilitary Model Is Limited

Not every community is a war zone, nor do its members want to feel as if they live in one. When residents see local officers driving vehicles such as Humvees previously used in Iraq, they may feel uncomfortable or even offended — as though their own streets are being patrolled by an occupying force. This projection of military power can undermine community-law enforcement relations and cause tension, fear, and resentment to grow. The paramilitary model is therefore not a sufficient or appropriate model for every law enforcement department in every community.

Another limitation is that law enforcement is not the same as military service. Police officers must constantly make judgment calls and exercise personal discretion while on duty. Protocol should always be followed, but many situations do not fit neatly into any category for which protocol has been provided. In those cases, officers must assess what is in front of them and make a decision in the moment. There is not always time — or even the possibility — of radioing back to headquarters, explaining the situation to the chief, and awaiting a response. In fact, most police chiefs want officers trained to make decisions independently, guided by their training, the organization's values, and the demands of the situation. The paramilitary model can make officers feel empowered through the ability to use force, but it is limited when it comes to de-escalating situations, navigating gray areas, or knowing how to respond appropriately to suspects, bystanders, and community members in ambiguous circumstances.

The paramilitary model can also attract the wrong type of candidate to the police force. People oriented toward battlefield combat should join the armed forces. Police officers carry a different duty: serving and protecting the public. It is not a job in which officers should expect to go out and neutralize an enemy. There are frequent media reports of over-eager officers using lethal force against unarmed civilians — outcomes that are unnecessary and damaging to community trust. The example of an Arizona officer who scratched the words "You're f***ed" into his service weapon, which he used to kill a teenager in a hotel, illustrates how some officers are more psychologically oriented toward a battlefield than toward the streets and neighborhoods they serve (Friedersdorf, 2017). The paramilitary model may attract this type of individual precisely because of its emphasis on military-style weapons, force, training, and discipline — presenting a real risk in communities where the goal is not warfare but civilian service. In this sense, the paramilitary model can cultivate a culture that becomes a breeding ground for contradiction, and it should be moderated — where applied — by a model that consistently reminds officers they are peace officers, not soldiers.

Conclusion

The paramilitary police model can help officers develop discipline, structure, and a clear understanding of the values, principles, ethics, and ideals they should reflect on duty, as well as a sense of unity and the importance of following the chain of command. However, this model is most useful in a training context rather than in the field, where officers must make judgment calls and subjective decisions daily. In practice, officers must also be able to work with community members, listen attentively, and communicate in a positive and non-threatening manner. These capacities are more naturally developed through a community-oriented model of policing than through the paramilitary model alone.

References

Brunetto, Y., Teo, S. T., Shacklock, K., & Farr-Wharton, R. (2012). Emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, well-being and engagement: Explaining organisational commitment and turnover intentions in policing. Human Resource Management Journal, 22(4), 428–441.

Cruickshank, D. (2013). Evaluating the paramilitary structure and morale. Retrieved from https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/perspective/perspective-evaluating-the-paramilitary-structure-and-morale

Friedersdorf, C. (2017). Footage of police shooting that jurors chose not to punish. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/12/footage-of-a-police-killing-that-jurors-didnt-punish/547868/

Potter, G. (2013). The organization of policing. Retrieved from http://plsonline.eku.edu/insidelook/organization-policing