NCJ Number
16566
Date Published
1968
Length
58 pages
Annotation
CITES AND EXAMINES BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN FOR REFORM.
Abstract
IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE MAJOR PROBLEM IN POLICE AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS LIES IN POLICE ATTITUDES THAT INVOLVE A NONOBJECTIVE PATTERN OF DISCRIMINATION AND BIAS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTERACTION WITH THE CITIZENRY. POLICE TRAINING, LEGISLATIVE REFORM, AND EFFECTIVE POLICE CONTROLS ARE THE MAJOR MEANS RECOMMENDED FOR POSITIVE CHANGE. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL POLICE DEPARTMENT IS URGED TO TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF VARIOUS PROGRAMS FOR SOCIAL CONTROL. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SCRUTINY AND CONTROL PROCESSES ARE DISCUSSED. AN ARTICULATED POSITION OF COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRATIC VALUES, AND SENSITIVE AND JUST TREATMENT OF CITIZENS BY POLICE IS ENCOURAGED AS A POLICY BY POLICE LEADERSHIP. SENSITIVITY TRAINING FOR POLICE IS SUGGESTED, AND LEGISLATION THAT PROVIDES FOR POLICE TO COMPENSATE FOR INCOMPETENT TREATMENT OF CITIZENS IS RECOMMENDED. THE FORMATION OF POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS UNITS IS ALSO PROPOSED. QUESTIONABLE LAWS SWEEPING IN SCOPE AND HEAVY IN PENALTY THAT DO NOT RECEIVE WIDE PUBLIC SUPPORT ARE CONSIDERED SOURCES OF UNNECESSARY FRICTION BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY.