Dangers in Police Work Are Realized When Police Die in Line of Duty

Globally, many people have had and developed the thought that day-to-day responsibility or job of a police officer is marred by the full potential of dangers. This statement is justified however by everyday news and stories we see and hear in televisions and other social platforms. "Police officers somewhere in the US have been hurt and scores dead" these are just but a few of the news that we keep on hearing. The scenario has made people aware that there are bad people out there willing to harm any law enforcement officer who gets in their way (Bryant, 2016). The contentious issue is, are we aware, and understand some of the real dangers that befall police officers especially when they are in a line of duty? The public many a times have had an intense relationship with law enforcers. Little concern has been given to them until they perish in the line of duty trying to protect the wellbeing of the public is when dangers inherent in their work comes to the mind of the people. In spite of the user to be a weak relationship between police and the public, things have drastically changed as most people are becoming aware and appreciating the job that the law enforcement officers are doing.

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The availability of bad people in the society willing to harm and even kill police offices in the line of duty has sparked a lot of concern with many psychologists and theorists delving into what make an individual pursue crime and criminal behavior. This has made people dissect criminological theory that sums up all that an individual may deem fit to consider harming a law enforcer. In criminology, finding out why people commit a crime makes one of the essential debates as well as how crime could be prevented and handled when it occurs (Bryant, 2016). The rational choice theory depicts criminals as acting in their self-interest to make decisions as to whether they commit a crime or refrain having weighed its potential risks. Social disorganization theory outlines how a person's social and physical environment acts as the primary reasons for the behavioral choices in committing a crime. On the other hand, strain theory asserts that most people aspire to achieve good, but when they lack means, they turn to dubious means, which spells out criminal activities. All these theories tend to agree that crime and criminal behaviors are choices made by an individual.

As far as law enforcement is concerned, a relationship between the community and the police officer matters a great deal. Therefore successful law enforcement within a community or a country depends mainly on the police-community relations (Isher & Dawsonera, 2010). A good police-community relation translates to developing trust between the citizens and the police. Without trust, the police work becomes less effective. As much as the officers are working around the clock to give service to all, the people may in certain situations feel not being safe if there is no trust (Gilling, 1997). This has made the work of officers to be much tricky especially when the relationship between them and the public is severed. The police consequently face numerous challenges to get the community to work along with them in fighting crime. Currently, there is a little doubt concerning the relationship between the police and community, which has been generally far affected by national political dynamics as well as some of the extrajudicial killings the police commit against the citizens. For instance, a vivid and horrifying video showing how Alton Sterling died in the hands of Philando Castile, a police officer, and other dramatic murders they have elicited the attention of how fatal police shootings becomes serious (Isher & Dawsonera, 2010). In the same manner, when police commit brutality to citizens', the relationship no, longer exists, and people castigate them. This only change when an officer dies in the line of duty protecting the citizens, but until then, no one cares to understand that they are also falling in the hands of brutal criminals.

However, it is worrying that the trend of officers losing their lives in the line of duty gradually increases as time goes. One typical example is the Dallas commotion. A terrifying ambush claimed the lives of five officers while wounding scores, this presenting just one of the heinous acts the police receive eliciting public reaction on the danger in the work of the police. In regards to this, the hotly debated topic of police brutality, the character of militarization has been highly criticized as the cause of less concern to the public. The militarization of police is one of the issues that seemingly deny the public peace (Isher & Dawsonera, 2010). Militarization is the use of military equipment as well as military tactics by the law enforcement officers. It includes the use of submachine guns, grenade launchers, armored personnel carriers, assault rifles, and sniper weapons among others. Observers have noted with concern the impact of militarization of police officers against protesters (O'keeffe, 2016). Since the 1970s, it has been observed that riot police officers used to fire at the protesters as they use guns mounted with rubber bullets, tear gas, or plastic bullets. Concepts about the militarization of the police have since been raised by both ends even within the political spectrum of US, where American civil liberties union have voiced criticism of the practice.

In spite of the public uproar due to police militarization, the federal order of the police came out to defend them and speak in favor of giving protective equipment to the law enforcers because it increases the officer's safety as well as enabling them to protect their first responders and the members of the public (Balko, 2013). Concerning the positive theory that explains the cause of criminality, we realize that criminals are born and not made, and this notion reminisces the function of nature and nurture. In psychological positivism, Sigmund Freud intersected human personality into id, (the primitive drives), the superego (the internalized values), and ego which constitute memory and perception (Balko, 2013). Freud postulate that criminal behavior comes because of mental illness and sometimes a weak conscience may cause it. Evidently, the police officers have no motive to commit harm to the public since they are trained and in, minimal cases; they can be influenced by the concept of positivist theory.

Alongside police militarization, policing have been improved by the introduction of body-worn cameras. These are wearable photographic recording system and audios, which are used to record daily events in which police officers are involved. The body-worn cameras are utilized in law enforcing department to enhance recording police interaction with the public as well as gathering real-time evidence at crime scenes (Balko, 2013). These devices have improved both officer and citizen accountability. However, these technological devices are person-controlled. It is found that they must be activated manually when they interact with civilians or when they are recording statements during investigations. The use of body cams also discourages credible witnessing during an investigation and people being fearful due to the thought of relation. Additionally, the equipment is not only expensive but can also malfunction at times (Hagan, 2011). However incredible the body cams are, wearing them has brought in the picture of the "Big Brother' which is an environment where there is a feeling of being often watched (O'keeffe, 2016). Another problem with the body cams is the fact that there is an ongoing recording of even the officer's misconduct when he is at risk. However, the technology has exonerated them in many cases and transparency.

References

Balko, R. (2013). Rise of the warrior cop: The militarization of America's police forces.

Bryant, D. (2016). The stop: Improving police & community relations.

Gilling, D. (1997). Crime prevention: Theory, policy, and politics. Psychology Press.

Hagan, F. E. (2011). Introduction to criminology: Theories, methods, and criminal behavior. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.

Isher, J., & Dawsonera. (2010). SWAT madness and the militarization of the american police: A national dilemma. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger.

O'keeffe, D. E. N. N. I. S. (2016). Implementation Of Body Worn Cameras For Police Officers. S.L.: Grin Publishing.