Law Enforcement Services

Term Paper # 116125

Criminology
Public Administration

An overview of methods to enhance the quality of law enforcement services.

2,714 words () | 10 sources | APA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how there are a variety of ways for a law enforcement agency to improve upon the quality of the services it provides. The paper looks at how, generally speaking, all of these various approaches can be categorized into one of three kinds - the enhancement of law enforcement's technological resources, outreach programs, and steps to improve officers' health and wellness. The paper concludes that none of these strategies can be expected to succeed without the implementation of the others and that any plan to improve the quality of a department's services must be integrated and consistent.

Outline:
Introduction
Information Technology and the Enhancement of Services
The Importance of Community Outreach
Other Service Improvements: Customer Training and Officer Recruitment
Improving Services by Enhancing Morale: The Value of Health and Wellness Programs
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In order to provide quality services, for instance, it is essential that agencies possess a sufficient degree of information technology. The lack of an adequate computer network leads to a lessening of the kinds of services that an agency can offer to its citizen customers, even as it creates additional and unnecessary time constraints on a department's employees. According to Nunn (2001), the acquisition of information technology provides "a direct means of improving administrative functions, service delivery, information processing, and intelligence gathering" (p. 221). Given the enhanced records-keeping and communications functions that a computer network now provides, it is an indisputable fact that any law department agency without one will inevitably face additional demands on the time needed to provide basic services. The lack of an effective database system also creates unnecessary work for the agency's staff, creating higher levels of both customer and employee dissatisfaction. "

Sample of Sources Used:

Capsambelis, C. R. (2004). Effective recruitment to attract the ideal law enforcement officer Candidate. Sheriff. Retrieved April 10, 2008 from <http://www.highbeam.com /doc/1P3-671970741.html>.
Ebling, P. (2002). Physical fitness in law enforcement: Follow the yellow brick road. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin. 71 (10): 1 -5.
Electronic access, state by state. (2003). News Media and the Law. Retrieved April 10, 2008 from <http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-356306501.html>.
Goetz, B. & Mitchell, R. (2003). Community-building and reintegrative approaches to community policing: the case of drug control. Social Justice 30 (1): 222-247.
Kontos, A. P., Remley, T. P., & Tanigoshi, H. (2008). The effectiveness of individual wellness counseling on the wellness of law enforcement officers. Journal of Counseling and Development 86 (1): 64-74.