An effective relationship between the police and the community they’re paid to protect requires finding common ground on what defines "the purpose of policing” in order to align values, enhance trust, reduce conflicts, efficiently allocate resources, promote accountability and combat bias and discrimination. When different opinions exist regarding this matter it can lead to distrust, inefficiency, community discontentment and increased tensions.

There are many reasons it is crucial for communities and police departments to collaborate in defining "the purpose of policing.” Some of those are:

Alignment With Community Values and Expectations

Policing that adheres to community expectations and values is more likely to be effective and trusted, since when both the police department and community come to understand why law enforcement efforts exist it ensures they focus on meeting those needs and wants in an equitable fashion.

Enhanced Trust and Collaboration

An agreement on the purpose of policing can increase trust between community members and law enforcement, increasing cooperation as more people feel like their needs and priorities are being addressed by police forces, making them more likely to report crime or suspicious activities to law enforcement authorities.

Reduced Conflicts and Tensions

Disagreements between community members and police can lead to conflicts, tensions and even protests between them over policing goals. A shared understanding between them helps prevent or resolve such tensions by addressing dissatisfaction or mistrust at its source.

Effective Resource Allocation

When there is consensus among police agencies as to their purpose for policing, resources can be allocated more efficiently. Law enforcement can focus their efforts and resources on strategies and initiatives which align with community priorities for increased effectiveness and cost efficiency in public safety services delivery.

Accountability

When both the community and police department agree on the purpose and goals of policing, holding law enforcement accountable becomes easier. Both parties can assess performance based on shared goals and expectations.

Reduce Bias and Discrimination

Policing as a collective effort can play an essential role in combatting issues of bias and discrimination in communities. By framing police work as serving all community members equally, this sends out a powerful message against discriminatory practices.

Determining the purpose of a community’s policing is critical to meaningful organizational change and sustainable community relationships. It even has direct connections to recruiting and hiring of police officers as Gen Z candidates consider more deeply the community connection and value system of the police agencies they are considering joining.

When there is disagreement between a community and its police department over the purpose of policing, multiple challenges will manifest themselves. These include, but are certainly not limited to, the following:

Loss of Trust and Confidence in the Police

Differing views may erode trust between the police and community members, who may feel that police do not listen or respond adequately to their needs and concerns, leading to decreased cooperation and increased mistrust between these groups.

Inefficiency and Ineffectiveness

Disagreements on the purpose of policing can result in misallocation of resources and efforts, with the police often emphasizing priorities that do not correspond with local needs or desires.

Community Discontent

Differing opinions can lead to community discontent and even protests when residents believe that police aren't serving in the best interest of their locality.

Rising Tensions

Tensions may rise rapidly, potentially escalating into confrontations or conflicts between community members and police officers. The likelihood that these confrontations will be recorded – and posted on social media – by someone with a smartphone is high. The public consumption of the footage can easily exacerbate the level of tension and things can rapidly get out of hand.

Conclusion

To address the challenges mentioned above, it is crucial for communities and police departments to engage in constructive dialogue, listen carefully to each other's perspectives, and work collaboratively towards finding common ground, shared values and a mutually acceptable definition for that community’s policing. This process will likely require revisiting policies, procedures, or practices in order to better reflect community priorities and expectations, leading to a community policing model that is effective, empathetic and just.