10 Things That Fuel Negative Police Image Among The Public


Negative Police Image

People always think negatively about the police, and maintaining a good profile is difficult for the administration. In old times, portals and community relationships were good, but nowadays, it isn’t easy due to the advanced internet. Police have to understand the things that develop their negative profile.

Negative public perception has ripple effect on local law enforcement  agencies | News | kezi.com

This article will discuss things that fuel negativity in the community. If you want to find the reason, then keep reading. I hope this article will enhance your knowledge.

Patrol-community relations:

The community is where people live, and the world faces different challenges. Issues like the economic problem, the amount of street crime, murder, educational problems, drugs, child abuse, rape, etc.

Most of the social problems are dealt with by the police; the role of the police in society is to ensure the implementation of law in society. People in the communities do not trust the police. You can say that the relationship between guards and the community is worst.

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A good relationship between the police-the society is essential. For the implementation of laws and to make the work of police effective, the relationship between police and the people should be improved.

Officers are trying hard to establish the relationship, but some things are fueling a negative officer image among the public. Let’s see what those things are.

10 things that fuel a negative police image among the public:

The public doesn’t trust the soldiers and doesn’t feel safe around them because of some big reasons. Let’s discuss them.

Perception of privileges:

The use of positions by officers to gain an advantage is the big reason behind the negative image of the police. The police officers are already highly privileged by the government but still use their posts to get privileges that offend the community very much. This false narrative of officers is not good for the country.

The public has to remove this mindset because most servants are not using additional privileges. A writer General Norman Schwarzkopf many years ago, mentioned a very heartwarming incident in his book. He told about a general the general visited the troops at mealtime.

The soldier gives him respect and asks the general to eat ahead of the troops at the front of the line; the general denies their offer and stands at the back of the line and says that, like other soldiers, he would stand in line to wait for his turn.

People should seek awareness from this story that this world is filled with bad and good people, so all the officers are not the same!

Treating people disrespectfully:

Police are public servants and should listen to every person properly and try hard to solve their problems. Most of the time, constables posted in the stations do not deal with the public correctly; they usually disrespect them, which portrays a very bad image of police in the community.

Protection is tough; they have to deal with crimes and problems daily, so it isn’t easy to stay calm and maintain courage. The soldiers must understand that respecting and helping the public is the main part of their job and dealing with crimes. Respectful behavior is important to developing a good relationship with the community.

Not wearing the proper uniform:

Uniform represents the discipline of a person, and there was a time when the officers were strict about wearing their uniforms. Nowadays, officers are not restricted to uniforms; they wear anything they want during their duty time. Not wearing uniforms creates a very negative image of officers among the public.

Accepting discounts:

Accepting police discounts is the main factor of negative police imagery. Some places offer the patrols special discounts or meals because of their post, called police discounts. Accepting discounts is forbidden for the officers, but not all policemen accept them. Every time an officer takes a discount, the community losses trust in them.

Although the discount policy is so pathetic because we all are the same, the public can stop this if all of the community stand against this policy and the police will win. People should stop offering a discount to soldiers; offering discounts is the law’s violence. So if we want to improve our police image, we should stop offering discounts and privileges to forces.

Role of media:

The media’s influence plays a big role in the public view of the police. The media does not portray a good image of the police in dramas, commercials, and news. Sometimes when the media conduct interviews, they ask very rude and disrespectful questions from the officers that show a bad image of the police.

The media should stop promoting the bad image of police as it negatively influences them. The news channels and journalists should also consider discussing their hard work for the country. They should also promote the positive and negative sides, and it will help the public and police to develop a good relationship.

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Inappropriate use of government vehicles:

Police vehicles are provided to serve the community, but cops are not using them correctly. The public can see vehicles of officers speeding by or driving unethically on the road, which builds a very bad image of the police.

The public thinks that living in a community, and everyone should obey the rules, even if you are the country’s prime minister.

Victim blaming:

Victim blaming is the most common problem in our society. Every time a crime is committed, the victim is always blamed. Some unprofessional officers do victim blaming to save themselves from trouble and the effort of searching for the criminal.

Victim blaming is not a good action. It negatively affects the image of the police. Victim blaming is an awful action that everyone in the community should stop, especially officers.

Using mobiles while driving:

People think cops become violent and use mobiles while driving; using mobiles during the drive is not allowed according to our law. Texting and calling during drive fuels negative images and is dangerous for the community. The public forgets that police are allowed to use phones and take calls while driving because it is part of their job.

Not wearing seatbelts:

The other name is police is law enforcement officers, but they do not obey the law. Public except officers to obey the law, as they ask the public to follow the laws. The seatbelt is very important for the safety of soldiers.

Parking the vehicle in no parking zone:

Police are allowed to park the vehicles anywhere in case of emergency, but parking the government vehicle outside the coffee shop to pick up coffee or to collect laundry is not acceptable.

FAQ’S

Why is the police important for the community?

Police are responsible for maintaining law and discipline in the country; they deal with crimes and social problems and detect and investigate criminals. Officers are public servants making sure the peace of the community.

How to improve the police image in public?

To improve the guards’ image, the government should take serious action against officers who don’t follow the law. Police should serve the community and deal with them respectfully.

The public should also respect and support the police, as they work for the community’s welfare. Administration can also help them by improving their salaries, providing good working conditions and high-quality equipment.

How can media help in improving the public-policy relationship?

Media can help a lot in developing a good relationship. People in the community should be aware of the effort’s patrols are making to give them peaceful lives.

The media can help by publishing soldier’s reports and articles, and people need to know the good progress of officers. When people know what the police are up to, it will be much easier to develop trust.

Does the negative publicity affect the police?

Yes, the negative image among the public affects the progress of the police. Sometimes police have to face very mean public comments that affect them. Protecting a job is already very tough; it is too difficult to deal with negatively and work properly.

Why is public confidence important for the police?

Public confidence in the police is very important. A strong public and police connection strengthens the soldiers to work harder and is good for the welfare of the community and country. The officers will feel proud to serve the people who trust them.

Conclusion:

In this article, we have discussed a social problem. The problem that leads to various problems is poor community-public relations. The people in the community do not trust the police, and police officers feel bad.

To conclude the article, we want to say that good person and police relationships are very important. People, government, and soldiers should take serious steps to remove the negative patrol image. I hope this article will help. CWP

Community Watch Paper posts:

Police, Law Enforcement and Trust in Our Communities

Good Police Officers: We do not acknowledge

References

https://www.police1.com/police-leader/articles/10-things-that-fuel-negative-police-image-among-the-public-jBQRrwJN1lHmhtcS/

https://crimeandjusticeresearchalliance.org/rsrch/negative-publicity-impacts-police-officers/

https://thewire.in/security/public-image-of-police-in-country-is-negative-often-seen-as-insensitive-parl-panel

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