Читать книгу Police in America - Steven G. Brandl - Страница 71

Although most scholars believe that policing today is still within the community and problem-solving era, much has changed in policing since the 1970s. For instance, many police departments have made strides in the hiring of minority and female officers. In 1970, only approximately 2% of police officers were women; by 2017, that percentage was nearly 13%.⁴⁸ In 1970, less than 10% of police officers were racial or ethnic minorities; now that percentage is close to 25%. Police departments have also greatly incorporated technology into their daily operations. This includes computers in patrol cars, DNA banks, automated fingerprint identification systems (AFIS), license plate readers (LPRs), gunshot detection systems, weaponry less likely to be lethal (e.g., Tasers), body armor vests, squad car global positioning systems, cameras in squad cars, and body-worn cameras. With regard to technology in general, policing is quite different than it was just a few decades ago (Exhibit 2.2). Some of this technology is intended to better monitor the actions of officers and increase officer accountability, not unlike how call boxes and the two-way radio were used in the past.

Community policing and the community problem-solving era in general may seem like a “kind and gentle” police orientation. However, even in the era of community policing, crime control is still controversial. The police have not shed their primary responsibilities, nor is the use of force any less significant to the role of the police than it used to be. Even with a velvet glove, there is an iron fist.⁴⁹

Some scholars have suggested the law enforcement changes that occurred and continue to occur as a result of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, represent the beginning of the end of the community problem-solving era of policing. If this is true, it is possible that the new style of policing will represent a trend already firmly in place before 2001: the increased militarization of the police and the blurring of the lines between the police and the military. Chapter 15 explores this possibility in greater detail. The remainder of this book (Chapter 15 as a noted exception) provides a detailed discussion of the current state of policing.