Running

head: 21ST CENTURY POLICING 1

21st Century Policing

Steven Shea

University of San Diego

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In examining papers prepared for the Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership

program, four stand out as exemplifying knowledge and skills needed for 21st century policing.

Race and Police Response provides specific data to help understand the relationship between

law enforcement and the community we serve. Responding to Motor Vehicle Thefts in Clark

County demonstrates the usefulness of specific data to combat a given crime. Beyond data,

Collaboration examines how law enforcement can work with community partners to improve

conditions. Body Worn Cameras shows data and the expectations of the community.

George Santayana wrote, in Life of Reason, Those who cannot remember the past are

condemned to repeat it (National Churchill Museum, 2012). Race and Police Response

examines the history of law enforcement and race relations and considers reactions by certain

communities to racially charged incidents. In order to better understand how to build positive

relationships, modern law enforcement must consider data on the subject. For example, 79%

of African-Americans and only 37% of whites believe police are more likely to use deadly force

against blacks than whites (Sussman, 2015). The outdated uniform crime reporting system fails

to collect data regarding police use of deadly force or the race of those involved (Comey, 2015).

Modern law enforcement must be willing to utilize and report meaningful data as one prong of

dealing with community relations.

Another use of data is examined in Responding to Motor Vehicle Thefts in Clark County.

Data tells law enforcement that the Clark County community experiences a significantly higher

auto theft rate than the national average and helps to define the problem faced. Data from

various surveys indicate white youths commit felony theft at the same or higher rate than black

youths, but blacks are arrested at a higher rate (Mosher, Mieth, & Hart, 2011). Much the same
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as responding to race relations, law enforcement must utilize data to clarify the mission and

ensure the correct criminals are targeted.

Use of data is critical to effective law enforcement, but collaboration with community

partners is another essential element to success. Collaboration considers the need to partner

with schools to reduce violence, team with faith based organizations to develop resources, and

the use of various media to better involve the community. Data helps target criminals while

collaboration allows the community to participate.

Data and collaboration combine to inform law enforcement of expectations of modern

police departments. Body Worn Cameras demonstrates that, according to one poll, 88% of

Americans want law enforcement to use the devices (Edwards-Levy, 2015). The take away is

that the citizens we serve are demanding a higher level of accountability.

Data has many uses and is critical to modern, effective law enforcement and can help

guide relationships with diverse communities. Data can also assist in the basic function of

solving and preventing crime. While data is important, collaboration with community members

is and will continue to be a primary component to effective law enforcement. Finally, listening

to community demands for more accountability will reinforce the collaboration and gains due

to data driven law enforcement.

For additional information, please click: http://shea167.weebly.com/

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REFERENCE

Comey, James. (2015, February 12) Law enforcement and race relations. Speech given at

Georgetown University. Retrieved from http://www.c-

span.org/video/?c4528067/james-comey-full-speech

Edwards-Levy, A. (2015, April 16) Police body cameras receive near-universal support in poll.

The Huffington Post. Retrieved from

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/body- cameras-poll_n_7079184.html

National Churchill Museum. (2012) National Churchill Museum Blog. Retrieved from

https://www.nationalchurchillmuseum.org/blog/category/winston-churchill-quotes/

Sussman, D. (2015, May 4) Negative view of U.S. race relations grows, poll finds. The New York

Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/05/us/negative-view-of-us-

race-relations-grows-poll-finds.html?_r=0