Approaches to Community Policing

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the implications of the Dirty Harry's approach to policing relative to everyday community expectations for those who serve and protect. Specifically, the paper explores the moral dilemma that results when police officers employ rough or unseemly tactics to combat crime. The paper also notes the tightrope the police must walk between being seen as responsive to crime and being seen as overly aggressive and even threatening.

From the Paper:

"Few occupations are as stressful as police work. The long hours, the dangers involved and the enormous responsibilities all add up to a job that requires a willingness to shoulder burdens that most people would literally avoid at any cost. At the same time, police work is fraught with complications because police officers are often forced to make moral judgments that do not have an easy answer. For example, is it appropriate to pull over certain members of a specific group to combat terrorism even if to do so violates the civil liberties of some? That is a tough question to answer because, while terrorism is a very real threat, a democratic society is really only as strong as its fidelity to individual rights. "

More papers on Approaches to Community Policing:

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• Analytical Essay # 138300 : "Community Policing: An Assessment of Two Articles"

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