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What’s “Good” Changes Over Time

Throughout this book, in the “Good Policing” feature, certain police practices and strategies are highlighted as examples of good police work. It is important to understand, however, that what was thought of as good policing years ago may not be good today and what is recognized as “good” today may not be thought of in the same way in the future. Notions of “good policing” are always changing and can be influenced by many factors. In particular, human values and morality can influence what is thought to be good policing. As an example, slave patrols used to be considered good policing, as was the practice of torture (the “third degree”) to obtain confessions. As beliefs about human rights and values changed, so too did ideas about the best ways to conduct police work. Research findings can also influence notions of good policing. For instance, reliance on preventive patrol and fast police response time used to be considered the ultimate in good policing strategy. Subsequent research has strongly questioned this belief. Good policing is also dependent on technology. Use of police body-worn cameras is considered a good practice today, but because they were not yet invented, their use years ago was not even possible. Good policing may also be situational dependent; what is good policing in one community may not be considered as such in another. Good policing depends on the views and needs of citizens. As you read the “Good Policing” features in this book, remember that what is “good” is time and situation specific.