Policing ErasEssay Preview: Policing ErasReport this essayIntroductionSince the independence of Jamaica, and up to the present, the agenda of policing bodies has been clear:To uphold and enforce the laws of our society.Of course the way they do this today has undergone changes from the first police force of early Jamaica, law enforcement has seen changes come and go. Law enforcement is divided into three major eras throughout history. These eras are:
The political Era.The reform Era.The community Era.The patrol car became the symbol of policing during the 1930s and 1940s; when equipped with a radio; it was at the limits of technology. It represented mobility, power, obvious presence, control of officers, and a professional distance from citizens. Preventive patrol and rapid response to calls for service were intuitively appealing tactics, as well as means to both control officers and shape and control citizens demands for service. The model of the police as neutral, professional law enforcers was attractive because it minimized the unrestricted excesses which developed during the political era, further, the strategy provided a comprehensive, yet simple, vision of policing around which police leaders could rally.
The Civil Rights Era.The civil rights era.The police could be used to protect citizens, even if they differed from the norm of law enforcement. Civil rights, when fully implemented, enabled black and minority citizens to enjoy equality in their daily lives and to be protected in their official capacity as citizens, despite the obstacles presented by white power. It created the environment for civil rights demonstrations, especially demonstrations of peaceful dissent, to continue to shape public life. It gave the police a clear and unified vision of a police force who was accountable to law, not to those who seek to impose the law on communities and the public.
The War on Drugs.The war on drugs was a political movement that, far from being an anti-drug movement, sought to counter the social policies of the drug war, one that would make American citizens the victims of drug abuse. It sought to make people aware of and change policies to improve their lives, to help them feel better about not being addicts and to help them reduce the harm they are experiencing.
The Welfare Era.The welfare era was a period in which Americans worked to end poverty, build infrastructure, and bring about a new sort of justice before the world. It saw many innovations, and a movement led by advocates of social welfare and social justice; this development led to many things changing.
History.American history includes a lot of remarkable people in America’s history and people who became a little more aware that the US could be more productive together. These people include those who worked hard for jobs created by the economic downturn, those who were engaged in the struggle for civil rights, and those who had their lives changed by the social changes that brought them about.
America in the 21st Century.
The Great American Dream: the Great Experiment
Historically, policing is classified into three distinct eras. Identify the main features of these eras and state what features if any are applicable in todays societies and why.
There are three specific periods of policing that the 19th and 20th centuries embraced:Reform Era.Political Era.Community Era.During the political Era (1840s-1930s) the functions of law enforcement were controlled by the local politicians. Authority from politicians posed a problem during this time. Since most of the power was given to politicians the selection of good law enforcement was not a priority. During this era law enforcement officers wore no type of uniform, which made it difficult for citizens to recognize an officer when one was needed. The disadvantage though, with the political era was that the police got its authority from the politics and the law, this close tie with politics posed a problem. This era was characterized by political authority and was coming only from politicians and the law, it was a very broad social service function, the organizational design was decentralized, law enforcement had a very intimate relationship with the community, and there was an increased usage of foot patrol. Moreover, corruption became a big problem in Jamaican law enforcement. This resulted in gross political interference with policing.
The reform Era (1930s-1980s) was the second era in law enforcement. Crime control became the primary focus which made for a more centralized, efficient organization. It also provided the community with a more professional agency that used preventive patrol measures and a more rapid response time to crime. The characteristics of this era recognized the authority coming from the law