Page 8 - TPA Journal July August 2017
P. 8
Police Experts
by Dr. Paul Thompson
he national discussion about policing is what underwrites our fearless
policing in the United States has moment as a society that involves; the
Tallowed a significant number of protection of our homes, safety on
experts a platform through various media roadways, security for our children at
outlets. Insightfully, experts who are; Self- schools, a sense of freedom in our choice of
proclaimed, media made, social media employment, ability to carelessly enjoy
reporters, and those whose has expertise in entertainment, run free in the parks,
a particular area of policing. A broad range protection of our finance, and yes, the 911
of expertise in policing exist from political, number to call if the situation is
social, psychological, psychosocial, overwhelming. Moreover, notwithstanding
neuroscientific, and criminological the enormous duties and contribution of the
perspectives. Consequently, if a person United States Military for primarily external
Googles, "American Police", over threats; the internal duties of state police,
314,000,000 results will appear (Google, sheriff deputies, local police officers,
2017). In fact, the first few results contained constables, marshals and federal agents,
headlines that included, "what's wrong with become the first and sometimes the last
the police, editorials with focuses on race, defense of the daily implementation of
use of force, and yes opinions of experts”. Constitutional protection granted in the
The overwhelming impulsion of most law United States for its citizens. As a result, we
enforcement practitioners is to take a all have a vested interest in policing and its
defensive posture towards non-law outcomes.
enforcement experts and reject their
opinions. There is an amount of validity in Therefore, many opinions are generated
discounting those whose clear agenda is from actual police interactions, the evening
usurping the authority of government in all news, social media commentaries,
areas, for the benefit of anarchy. neighbors talking, and television shows. The
community perception of what police
However, the way police agencies officers "should be doing" historically had
functions in a democracy touches almost been left to non-policing voices to explain.
every part of society and as such opinions Notedly, the all-out assault on policing both
may be an unsolicited measurement tool of physically and otherwise has created an
effectiveness. Uniquely, policing is the opportunity for police agencies to take
adhesiveness that binds the internal safety charge, in defining; what they are, who they
aspect of a society, where personal liberties are, and why they are important to our
can be pursued and flourish. To clarify, society. It cannot be left to those experts
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