6 Pros and Cons of Community Policing

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6 Pros and Cons of Community Policing

Community policing is the practice of designating police officers to specific areas of the community and keeping them there so they become highly familiar with the location. This is enforced in many communities and neighbourhoods, but has been questioned by many others who claim that it might not actually be the safest of security schemes. Find out more about the pros and cons of community policing by reading these short pointers.

List of Pros of Community Policing

1. Deters Crime
Robbers, thieves, and other criminals are likely to be dissuaded from performing a crime if they’re aware that a police officer is on constant watch in a certain area. What’s more, having a police officer learn the ins and outs of a specific location will make it possible for him to pick up on any inconsistencies and unusual activity related to crimes faster than those who aren’t accustomed to the area.

2. Sense of Security
With a constant guard on watch in a community, the members are more likely to feel safe. Getting to know the police officers also develops a sense of trust among the people knowing that they’re in good hands.

3. Faster Response to Accidents and Incidents
With police constantly on guard, it will be unlikely for accidents and other untoward incidents to go unnoticed. For example, if a homeowner were observed by the designated police to garden at a specific hour of the day and were somehow out of sight on that particular time frame, police officers could further investigate the inconsistency and provide help in the event that the homeowner was involved in an accident or injury.

List of Cons of Community Policing

1. Not Immune to Inside Jobs
If a police officer designated to a specific area had ulterior motives, they could easily enact crimes within the community without being noticed. This is especially true if the members become accustomed to their presence, if they start to feel comfortable and lax with the security, and if the officers themselves get a grasp of the schedules of homeowners.

2. Relaxed Homeowners
Just because there are police officers in the area, doesn’t mean the community is completely safe. But because the presence of police officers makes homeowners feel safe, they’re likely to become complacent, overlooking important details and leaving themselves vulnerable to thefts, robberies, and break ins.

3. Uneasy
While some homeowners might feel comfortable with police officers patrolling the area, others would much rather do without the constant eyes on their property, not because they’re law breakers, but simply because they want more privacy.