Community policing and intelligence-led policing

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-58
Author(s):  
Jeremy G. Carter ◽  
Bryanna Fox
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Convergent Validity ◽  
Structural Models ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Conceptual Foundation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Community Oriented Policing ◽  
Exploratory Factor Analyses ◽  
The Usa

Purpose Despite increased scholarly inquiry regarding intelligence-led policing (ILP) and popularity among law enforcement agencies around the globe, ambiguity remains regarding the conceptual foundation and appropriate measurement of ILP. Although most scholars agree that ILP is indeed a unique policing philosophy, there is less consensus regarding the relationship between ILP and the ever-present model of community-oriented policing (COP). Consequently, there is a clear need to study the empirical distinctions and overlaps in these policing philosophies as implemented by US law enforcement agencies. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Data were gleaned from the 2007 LEMAS and 2009 NIJ Intelligence surveys. A total of 227 unique police agencies in the USA are included. A series of bivariate, exploratory factor analyses and structural models are used to determine discriminatory or convergent validity across COP and ILP constructs. Findings The goal was to answer the question: are these two policing philosophies are being implemented as separate and distinct strategies? Results of our exploratory and structural models indicate that COP and ILP loaded on unique latent constructs. This affirms the results of the bivariate correlations, and indicates that COP and ILP have discriminant measurement validity. In other words, COP and ILP are conceptually distinct, even when implemented in police departments across the USA. Implications of these findings and suggestions for future research are discussed. Originality/value This is the first study to empirically test the discriminant or convergent validity of COP and ILP.

Improving Police-Community Relations in the USA

2021 ◽  
pp. 40-55
Author(s):  
Marty Allen Hatfield
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Community Relations ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Hiring Process ◽  
Community Oriented Policing ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Model Law ◽  
Police Community Relations ◽  
The Impact

To prevent and control crime using the community-oriented policing model, law enforcement agencies must develop positive relationships and partnerships with the communities they serve. Unfortunately, several obstacles impede the development and maintenance of police-community partnerships, particularly excessive force and other forms of misconduct, and negative coverage of law enforcement by the media. To restore public trust in the police, agencies must implement competency-based interviews and assessments during the hiring process; develop a recruitment plan to attract more diverse applicants; provide regular crisis intervention, de-escalation, and implicit bias training to all officers; and evaluate and make any necessary improvements to existing use-of-force and disciplinary policies. Future research should continue to evaluate the impact of community policing on crime rates, the impact of body-worn cameras on misconduct, and the correlation between higher education and misconduct.

College cops: a study of education and policing in California

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 648-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christie Gardiner
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
College Graduates ◽  
The State ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Police Education ◽  
The Usa ◽  
College Educated

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the state of police education in California. There is limited national data on the topic and this study aims to improve our knowledge by studying the state with the highest number of law enforcement officers in the USA. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 162 local law enforcement agencies (police and sheriffs’ departments) in California completed a 32-question electronic survey about police education and training. Findings – Findings reveal that California agencies are more likely than agencies nationwide to offer incentives to encourage officers to pursue higher education. Although most departments require only a high school diploma, 35 percent of sworn officers are college graduates. Most college-educated officers are employed by medium and large sized agencies in urban counties which pay above-average salaries. Research limitations/implications – This paper demonstrates how the prevalence of educated police officers varies and that higher education requirements do not adversely affect the hiring of female officers. It also provides insight from police managers regarding their concerns about requiring a four-year degree and perceptions of whether college-educated officers are actually better officers than non-college-educated officers. Practical implications – Research findings may be instructive to police managers wanting to increase the number of sworn officers in their agency who hold a college degree. Originality/value – It adds to the literature by describing the education level of police officers in California and providing information about the educational requirements and incentives offered to officers by law enforcement agencies. No previous study has addressed this topic, even though California employs 12 percent of all sworn peace officers in the USA.

Community policing and the organizational structure of campus law enforcement agencies

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherah L. Basham
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Organizational Structure ◽  
Community Policing ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Campus Law Enforcement ◽  
Reported Crime

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which community policing within campus law enforcement agencies is influenced by the organizational structure, agency characteristics and campus characteristics.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilizes ordinary least squares regression modeling to examine community policing implementation. Data were drawn from a sample of 242 US colleges and universities included in the 2011–2012 Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) Survey of Campus Law Enforcement Agencies (SCLEA).FindingsFindings show that within-campus law enforcement agencies, greater levels of community policing are associated with more formalization, larger numbers of employees, a higher task scope and higher rates of on-campus property crime.Research limitations/implicationsUse of secondary data and reported crime rate limits the study. Future research should implement specialized surveys and qualitative methods to identify the specific needs and implementations of community policing.Originality/valueThis paper adds to the limited body of literature on the community policing in campus law enforcement through more recent data and the inclusion of campus community variables.

Policing in a pandemic: how law enforcement communicates with the public

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley K. Farmer ◽  
Allen Copenhaver
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Police Departments ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The Usa

PurposeThis study, a content analysis, aims to analyze general communications from law enforcement via agency websites about the COVID-19 pandemic and how this affected police roles. The authors study the extent to which police departments used their websites to inform the public about COVID-19, changes to their policies and additional information they felt necessary to give members of the public. This is important for understanding how the police inform the public during a pandemic and how the pandemic affected their police role.Design/methodology/approachThe data gathered for this project came from a content analysis of the official websites of the largest municipal police departments in the USA. The researchers collected quantitative data from the official websites of law enforcement agencies who serve the 200 largest cities in the USA in March 2020 and coded the information from the websites to determine what themes were most prevalent.FindingsThe messages most often provided on department websites included information about COVID-19 (52% of websites included this information), modifications to services (33%) and informing users that services such as fingerprinting would be altered (42%). Websites also reminded the public of restrictions on public gatherings (25%) and stay-at-home orders (38%). Further logistic regression analyses explored significant associations among these variables to understand how police/public communications influenced the role of law enforcement during the pandemic.Originality/valueLittle is known about how law enforcement communicates online with the public during a global pandemic like COVID-19 or how this might affect the police role. Police departments can use their websites to communicate important information to citizens and keep communities updated. Policy implications suggest that agencies continue to update websites with important information and be direct about expectations from the public regarding compliance while also being transparent about how police roles might change.

Campus law enforcement: the relationship between emergency preparedness and community policing

2020 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 741-753
Author(s):  
Sherah L. Basham
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Community Policing ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Campus Law Enforcement ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between emergency preparedness and community policing within campus law enforcement agencies, as well as agency and campus characteristics that impact the level of emergency preparedness activities.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from the 2011–2012 Survey of Campus Law Enforcement Agencies, this study employs ordinary least squares regression modeling to examine emergency preparedness and community policing relationships within 298 campus law enforcement agencies.FindingsCommunity policing is the greatest predictor of emergency preparedness in campus law enforcement agencies. This finding refutes arguments that emergency preparedness and community policing are incompatible policing innovations.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited by the use of secondary data. Future research should utilize survey measures to better isolate the roles and functions of community policing and emergency preparedness.Practical implicationsThe findings have implications for campus law enforcement agencies to view emergency preparedness and community policing activities as interrelated. Specifically, agency administration can benefit by taking a holistic approach to campus policing and preparedness.Originality/valueThis paper extends the current research in municipal policing to the campus police environment. This paper also adds to the limited body of literature on the relationships between community policing and emergency preparedness.

Law enforcement agencies’ participation in the military surplus equipment program

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 791-806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas C. Johnson ◽  
J. Andrew Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Program Participation ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Law Enforcement ◽  
Military Vehicles ◽  
The Usa ◽  
State And Local ◽  
The Military

Purpose The police response to the protests in Ferguson, Missouri refocused attention on law enforcement agencies’ participation in the military surplus equipment program, or 1,033 Program. Given the extensive media coverage, particularly regarding the acquisition of military vehicles and weapons, it is important to empirically investigate the 1,033 Program. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 1,205 law enforcement regarding 1,033 Program participation and the types of equipment acquired. This study also explores whether significant differences exist by region, agency type, and size. Findings The results demonstrated that while a majority of state and local law enforcement agencies participated in the 1,033 Program, a significant number of agencies did not. Acquisition of military surplus weapons, vehicles, and other types of equipment was not the norm. Significant differences were discerned for overall participation and equipment acquisition based on region, agency type, and size. Research limitations/implications This study does not address other concerns such as how surplus military equipment is used or policies agencies may have to govern that use, which provide avenues for further research to discern best practices. Practical implications Law enforcement agencies do not appear to acquire military vehicles and weapons to the extent that has been dramatized by the media. Originality/value This study contributes empirical data to inform the discussion of law enforcement agencies’ acquisition of military surplus equipment in the USA.

The secret life of PETs

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Makin ◽  
Leanna Ireland
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Legal Environment ◽  
Dual Use ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Press ◽  
Privacy Enhancing Technologies ◽  
Using Data

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore to what extent the legal environment influences a user’s choice to employ privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs). Drawing upon existing theoretical frames specific to arbitrariness and uncertainty, this research examines whether interest in PETs is influenced by the legal environment of a country. Design/methodology/approach Using data from Google Trends, the International Property Rights Index, Freedom House and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the research analyzes interest in Tor, VPN technology and pretty good privacy (PGP) in 153 countries between 2012 and 2016. Findings Findings suggest both countries with both higher and lower arbitrariness and uncertainty of law are associated with an increased interest in Tor and PGP. However, interest in VPN technology does not appear influenced by the legal environment and, instead, is influenced by freedom within the press. Research limitations/implications The dual use nature of Tor and PGP is influenced by law enforcement and judiciary effectiveness and transparency and arbitrariness contributing to the public’s interest in decentralized technological protections. Practical implications Law enforcement should continue to police via the technologies rather than shutting them down to protect the identities of those needing to use these technologies for legitimate purposes. Only by embracing the technologies, as opposed to seeing them as hurdles to be banned, may law enforcement agencies remain vigilant to the threats posted by nefarious actors. Originality/value In this study, the authors introduce a more robust measure of interest in PETs, and do so with a larger, more substantive sample. By situating this interest within the context of policing, the authors can document the dual use nature of the technology, which can be useful in guiding future research, specifically in the area of policy development and officer training.

Perspectives of directors of civilian oversight of law enforcement agencies

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 435-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Rosenthal
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Past Experiences

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to involve interviews with civilian oversight of law enforcement (COLE) directors from throughout the USA with the purpose of obtaining their perspectives on what it takes to create and sustain successful COLE programs. Design/methodology/approach The project involved 24 semi-structured interviews with experienced COLE directors. The interviews were transcribed and coded and this paper presents these perspectives according to patterns identified during analysis. Findings The research identified themes and patterns in the attitudes of the oversight directors which included numerous conditions necessary for success of an oversight agency. Amongst the most important conditions included agency independence, director job security, the need for professional qualified staff, unfettered access to information, the ability to publicly report on the agency’s work and a willingness on the part of government officials to tolerate criticism of the police. Originality/value This is the first study to identify the challenges and impediments to sustainable COLE mechanisms from the point-of-view of experienced agency directors. The findings can be used by future practitioners to learn from past experiences.

Self-perceptions of English and Welsh constables and sergeants preparedness for online crime

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Burruss ◽  
Christian Jordan Howell ◽  
Adam Bossler ◽  
Thomas J. Holt
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Individual Response ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Online Fraud ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
On Line

Purpose Cybercrime is the greatest threat facing law enforcement agencies in England and Wales. Although these crimes are transnational by nature, the burden of response has been placed on line officers. Not all officers, however, believe they are capable of responding to calls involving cybercrime. The current study, using latent class analysis (LCA) on a large sample of English and Welsh officers, finds two types of officers: those prepared (39 percent) and those unprepared (61 percent). Using logistic regression to predict who falls into either classification, the authors find that training and age are the best predictors of latent membership. Implications for policy and future research are discussed. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach In this study, the authors used LCA to determine the number and character of unobserved categories of officers in how they deal with cybercrime. Findings The LCA indicated there are two distinct categories of police in the English and Welsh constabulary: those prepared (39 percent) and those unprepared (61 percent). Training and age were the two key determinants of this classification. Research limitations/implications LCA is an exploratory analysis technique that requires additional validation to confirm the findings of any one study. Practical implications The salience of training in helping officers feel prepared to deal with cybercrime cases as well as victims was demonstrated. A full 60 percent of the officers in this study fell in the “unprepared” category, which continues to highlight the limitations of local police to handle cybercrime cases; nevertheless, almost 40 percent of officer could be considered ready when responding to cybercrimes. Social implications As the harm cybercrime brings to our financial and social well-being, law enforcement agencies will be required to improve their response capabilities. Most current cybercrime responses address technical issues related to online fraud and abuse, but officers often perceive the problem as outside their legal and geographic jurisdiction. Knowing how officers perceive cybercrime as well as their own capabilities will allow us to begin changing enforcement policies, training capacity and individual response efficacy. Originality/value This study involved a sample of English and Welsh constables and sergeants to classify their cybercrime readiness. The analysis and particular data are unique to the study of cybercrime.

The rapid diffusion of license plate readers in US law enforcement agencies

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 376-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Lum ◽  
Christopher S. Koper ◽  
James Willis ◽  
Stephen Happeny ◽  
Heather Vovak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
State Funding ◽  
License Plate ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Police Agencies ◽  
The Usa ◽  
History Of ◽  
Law Enforcement Leaders ◽  
License Plate Readers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to document the diffusion of license plate readers (LPRs) in the USA, examining the variety, evolution and tracking of their uses through a national survey. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a national, stratified, representative survey of US law enforcement agencies with 100 or more officers. Findings LPR technology is currently used by at least two-thirds of larger police agencies, which represents a more than threefold increase in LPR acquisition in the last 10 years. The number of LPRs per agency, while small (about eight on average), has also more than doubled. Federal and state funding, advocacy by law enforcement leaders, and the intuitive appeal of LPRs have likely contributed to this rapid adoption. While LPRs are still primarily used to detect and recover stolen automobiles in patrol, their use has expanded into other types of investigative and security functions. Despite the increased use and numbers of LPRs in policing, their use is highly discretionary and infrequently tracked. Practical implications LPRs continue to be widely used in law enforcement, despite a lack of strong research evidence for their crime prevention benefits. Further studies are needed on the most effective ways for agencies to utilize small numbers of LPRs and the potential return on investment for acquiring larger numbers of the devices. Originality/value This study tracks the history of LPR diffusion and use and goes beyond prior law enforcement surveys by examining specific uses of LPRs and the extent to which agencies track their uses and outcomes.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document