Policing on the Cheap Whatever it was that Michael Brown did or did not do it is obvious that the Ferguson/St. Louis County response was heavy handed and incompetent. Assuming that the individual officers are reasonably intelligent why did such a response occur? Academics in Criminal Justice have been studying the problem of deteriorating police community relations for decades. They have come to one overwhelming conclusion. Policing on the cheap does not work. In the famous Kansas City study, police patrols were doubled in one precinct and removed in a second. The result was that crime remained stable in both precincts. The patrols were shown to have absolutely no value. However what the patrols did do is isolate the officers from the community. Thus what interactions the officers had with community members were always negative. This isolation created the feeling that the officers were separate from the community and endangered by people who they saw only through their negative experiences. Officers saw themselves as being at war on dangerous streets. Foot patrols have a great effect in preventing crime and improving community relations. An officer on foot knows the individuals in his community. He/she can recognize both neighbors and strangers. Lastly police can even use a word to parents as a tool of enforcement. Every police force in the country is aware of the value of foot patrols but no community is willing to pay for them. This means police are held responsible for working within a system they know does not work. Another problem with the police is their lack of diversity. In the United States over 80% of officers are white males. Many departments have sought to increase diversity by seeking out women and minority candidates. Unfortunately these diverse well qualified candidates are highly valued and depts. cannot offer competitive salaries. Secondly the Supreme Court has actively blocked any efforts to use targeted hiring. In the end the problem with our police force is the fault of our citizenry. At present our miserly approach results in more crime, fewer jobs, lowered property values, and police brutality. If we want a better product we need to pay for it. That means raising taxes. Yes, taxes those things we pay for corporately in order to provide a better life for all. I submitted this to the Post Dispatch letters to the editor but I doubt it will make the cut.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Aug 2014 18:31:17 +0000