NCJ Number
132953
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Issue: 429 Dated: (March-April 1991) Pages: 2-8
Date Published
1991
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The nature of the relationship between the police and the public affects everything that police do and preparing the police service to deal with a multicultural society is inextricably tied to that relationship.
Abstract
The British Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has a philosophy of policing that centers on recognizing the importance of a close and positive relationship between police and the society it serves. A historical review of groups constituting British society indicates the importance of police/community relations. The MPS philosophy is based on several propositions: the community itself should be the primary focus of police/community relations rather than the police; the community is not homogenous; relations within the community between different groups are outside of police control; members of the community are normally engaged in a great deal of informal social control; the community should determine whether police are to be involved in resolving conflicts; and police need to understand the feelings and perceptions of minority ethnic groups and the difficulties created by language and cultural differences. Success in revitalizing community relations and thus in preparing for policing in a multicultural society lies in raising community consciousness and in improving relations between the community and the police. The essence of improving the MPS means enhancing public access so that the community shares some police knowledge, power, and responsibility. An overview of employment and training practices that help police officers deal with cultural differences in society is presented. The emphasis is on communication, consultation, and the recruitment of members of minority ethnic groups into the police service.