The role of police?
In the United States there has long been concern about the role of police in creating a safe, economically vibrant welcoming community. In recent months there has been calls to dissolve the police as it currently functions and to reevaluate its role. Is the role “merely” as some would maintain “protecting its citizens from criminal activities.” ? In fact, one council person in my adopted city of Wheeling, WV suggested that was the sole role of the city although I suspect he did not mean to imply that the city should eliminate road/street maintenance, water, garbage and waste disposal, or facilitating the economic and cultural life and growth.
Over the years the role of the police has grown to include responding to domestic disputes, mental illness and a variety of other social service jobs for which others are better qualified. They have also become professional forces who numbers include those who see themselves separate from others in the community; an us and then division and the protector of status quo.
Within these parameters the shoot to kill mentality has been normalized. The person who is perceived as potentially committing an illegal act is seen as an enemy and not as “family members” who may be struggling. We citizens have often, it seems, mandated that the police react to symptoms and not the underlying problems. In many cities across the nation and even here in Wheeling, West Virginia many in the community are reevaluating the role we, as a community, have foisted on the police force. I deliberately word it that way because this is not a police issue but a community issue. It is long past time that we quit blaming the police and take responsibility for the often-contradictory directives we have given them.
If we perceive the job of the police or even the city government of protecting its citizens from criminal activity then we can expect the same “criminal activity” to continue and even increase. Any professional problem solver knows that if one merely responds to symptoms eventually one will have an issue which exponentially increases. Whether one is repairing a main city water line with duct tape or addressing substance abuse deaths with the criminal justice system one is merely addressing the symptoms. This approach does not work long term in any area of life. Yet, it seems as if us humans continue to use “treat the symptom” approach in many areas of our life. Attempting to address decreasing demand for coal by sabotaging clean energy sources, solving the age-old infrastructure issues with patches, criminalizing the addict, criminalizing sexual activity which is not harmful, labeling minimum wage workers as lazy or otherwise condemning the symptoms of larger issues will always result long term in a crisis management approach which is expensive and ineffective.
It is time that we, the community, work with the police to not only respond to behavior which requires immediate attention but to assist in identifying the underlying issues and to then work with representatives of various agencies and organization to formulate plans to address the root causes.
It is also time that we admit that we need to identify safe, effective means to diffuse perceived potentially dangerous situations with non-lethal weapons; that we address systemic racism without a “got you” mentality and we deal with the reality that first responders may not know whether a person is reaching for a gun or a cell phone. It is also time that we quit thinking of police persons and the community as distinct groups of people instead of all being community members.
Written September 7, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
In the United States there has long been concern about the role of police in creating a safe, economically vibrant welcoming community. In recent months there has been calls to dissolve the police as it currently functions and to reevaluate its role. Is the role “merely” as some would maintain “protecting its citizens from criminal activities.” ? In fact, one council person in my adopted city of Wheeling, WV suggested that was the sole role of the city although I suspect he did not mean to imply that the city should eliminate road/street maintenance, water, garbage and waste disposal, or facilitating the economic and cultural life and growth.
Over the years the role of the police has grown to include responding to domestic disputes, mental illness and a variety of other social service jobs for which others are better qualified. They have also become professional forces who numbers include those who see themselves separate from others in the community; an us and then division and the protector of status quo.
Within these parameters the shoot to kill mentality has been normalized. The person who is perceived as potentially committing an illegal act is seen as an enemy and not as “family members” who may be struggling. We citizens have often, it seems, mandated that the police react to symptoms and not the underlying problems. In many cities across the nation and even here in Wheeling, West Virginia many in the community are reevaluating the role we, as a community, have foisted on the police force. I deliberately word it that way because this is not a police issue but a community issue. It is long past time that we quit blaming the police and take responsibility for the often-contradictory directives we have given them.
If we perceive the job of the police or even the city government of protecting its citizens from criminal activity then we can expect the same “criminal activity” to continue and even increase. Any professional problem solver knows that if one merely responds to symptoms eventually one will have an issue which exponentially increases. Whether one is repairing a main city water line with duct tape or addressing substance abuse deaths with the criminal justice system one is merely addressing the symptoms. This approach does not work long term in any area of life. Yet, it seems as if us humans continue to use “treat the symptom” approach in many areas of our life. Attempting to address decreasing demand for coal by sabotaging clean energy sources, solving the age-old infrastructure issues with patches, criminalizing the addict, criminalizing sexual activity which is not harmful, labeling minimum wage workers as lazy or otherwise condemning the symptoms of larger issues will always result long term in a crisis management approach which is expensive and ineffective.
It is time that we, the community, work with the police to not only respond to behavior which requires immediate attention but to assist in identifying the underlying issues and to then work with representatives of various agencies and organization to formulate plans to address the root causes.
It is also time that we admit that we need to identify safe, effective means to diffuse perceived potentially dangerous situations with non-lethal weapons; that we address systemic racism without a “got you” mentality and we deal with the reality that first responders may not know whether a person is reaching for a gun or a cell phone. It is also time that we quit thinking of police persons and the community as distinct groups of people instead of all being community members.
Written September 7, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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