Читать книгу Police in America - Steven G. Brandl - Страница 33

 Our views toward the police are shaped by our experiences with officers, by other people’s experiences with officers, and by media portrayals.

 Research provides a good basis on which to develop an accurate understanding of the police.

 The United States is a free society because citizens have freedoms from the government, but this puts the police in a peculiar situation. Officers are expected not to infringe on citizens’ rights and to protect citizens’ rights, but at the same time, they are expected to regulate citizens’ conduct.

 The Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution set forth the freedoms citizens have from the government.

 The system of an elected government and increasing the transparency of law enforcement agencies are supposed to provide for accountability of the police to the citizenry.

 There are many controversies and difficulties associated with policing:The police are expected to control crime but they do not control many of the factors associated with criminal behavior. In addition, they are reactive, they have to follow the law, and they have limited resources.Citizens may not cooperate with the police and may even do them harm.The police pay more attention to some crimes, some people, and some areas than others. This can lead to criticisms about overpolicing and underpolicing.The local police department is often the social agency of first resort for people with many different problems. The twenty-four-hour-a-day availability of the police compounds this issue.Police very often use discretion, or their own judgment, in making decisions. Police discretion can affect people’s lives in major ways. Often it involves taking action against someone in order to protect someone else. These decisions can be controversial.Discretion that relates to use of force is especially controversial.Measuring good police performance is problematic.The news and entertainment media do not accurately depict the police and their work. This can distort the reality of policing and/or create unrealistic expectations of the police.

 In a fair and just society, the police are obligated to use their power and authority responsibly, fairly, and ethically.

 Many ethical concerns for the police relate to whether they use unethical (dirty) means to achieve good goals.