Policing Within a Professional Framework

A heightened interest in law enforcement exists today primarily for unfortunate reasons. Misconduct and serious mistakes at the federal, state, and municipal levels of law enforcement have generated a level of interest by the public and the courts that has not been seen since the civil rights and Vietnam War eras, when law enforcement was caught between conflicting values and pressures and did not always react in professional ways. The current scrutiny stems from officer misconduct in the streets, during investigations, and in court, often involving high-profile cases that saturate the media on a daily basis. This scrutiny results in criticism that sometimes is well deserved, but at other times it is not, especially when people who have agendas antithetical to effective law enforcement create it. Whether or not this criticism is well founded, it highlights the concept that the law enforcement community and its officers must make some significant changes if they are to regain and retain the respect of the public and the courts. The theme of this book revolves around this question: How can law enforcement officers increase their level of professionalism in order to work in maximally ethical and effective ways? This growth is necessary because it is the right thing to do, will better serve society, and will increase respect for law enforcement, which is a requirement for better public cooperation. In this context, "law enforcement" includes federal, state, and municipal agencies, and "officer" denotes all sworn personnel; from city police, county sheriffs, state police, and federal agents of all ranks, from entry level to senior executives. The concept I have striven to make the hallmark of this book is balance. I believe it is important to strike a balance between: Theory, research, and practice with each informing the other What is ideal (nice) in law enforcement and what is real (necessary) Positive and critical attitudes toward law enforcement, the latter being necessary if law enforcement is to advance to more professional levels A focus on the organizational dynamics of law enforcement and the dynamics of its individual officers The principles of law enforcement and those of psychology, with each informing the other A professional and a personal understanding of the issues that form the basis of ethical and professional law enforcement The content and tenor of this book stem from my over 25 years of experience in law enforcement and psychology, which is reflected in many of the examples used to clarify theoretical points. The book is aimed at a diverse audience: students simply interested in the law and/or law enforcement or majoring in some aspect of law enforcement, law enforcement recruits, academy instructors, field training officers, and other officers, supervisors, and administrators. The topics addressed are summarized in the following chapter descriptions. Chapter 1: Ethics in Law Enforcement.Ethics is the foundation of law enforcement; hence, it is the first chapter. What are "ethics"? Why are they important? What can go wrong? How can ethics become woven into the fabric of law enforcement instead of being relegated to codes and mission statements? Chapter 2: Professionalism in Law Enforcement.Professionalism is the framework within which law enforcement must function. What professional standards can law enforcement measure itself against? What are the elements of a professional agency? What part do respect and professional education play? How important is a college education in law enforcement? Chapter 3: Models of Enforcement.There are several methods of law enforcement. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the crime control, problem centered, and community oriented models? Chapter 4: The Individual Officer.A great deal has been written about law enforcement colleCavanagh, Michael E. is the author of 'Policing Within a Professional Framework' with ISBN 9780130395702 and ISBN 0130395706.