Police Officers' Problems in the 21st Century Research Paper

Police Officers' Problems in the 21st Century - Research Paper Example Issues like international terrorism have become burning issues for the Police. The old model of policing has changed and the way the role of Police was perceived has changed too. Access to information, the changes in the way Police responded to the new situation, the pre-emptive strikes, immigration etc are some of the key issues which have created significant challenges for the police and other authorities. 9/11 was one of the events which changed many things and virtually shifted the existing paradigm for the security and policing methods. It not only exposed the vulnerabilities of the existing security and policing procedures but also provided an opportunity to look into the better ways to manage the risk and threat posed to the society by the negative elements. It is therefore critical to understand that the challenges and opportunities available to Police are unique in nature and need to be viewed from the perspective of the changes which have taken place since 9/11. The policing model and the resulting changes therefore need to be discussed in order to fully understand the practical origins of the challenges faced by the police during 21st century. This paper will therefore make an attempt to discuss the challenges faced by Police during 21st century while discussing the difference between the challenges faced by the Police in past.The original duty or the mission of Police, as outlined by Sir Robert Peel, is to prevent crime and disorder. however, the overall sensitivity and the responsibilities of Policies have radically changed in the wake of current situation. The founder of modern model for Policing, Sir Robert Peel outlined the basic duty of police to ensure the safety of the general public and the preservation of peace within an in creasingly pluralist society The police’s role is now not just limited to the prevention of crime at the community level however, it now also entails a broader scope for activities which are considered as essential for controlling and preventing terrorist activities. The traditional community policing model was based on gaining and developing the trust within the public to achieve the overall aim of public safety. This model therefore required a closer link with the community to continuously look for information and intelligence which cannot help to prevent the crime but also allow the police to track down those who committed the crimes. (Bayley and Shearing) The shift towards intelligence led policing from the traditional investigative and reactive policing approach and than to the more pro-active military like policing model has been due to the changing nature of crime. As mentioned above that with the war on terrorism and the change in the way society face internal and ext ernal threats, the role of policing and the approaches of policing have changed. The above changes in the way society now perceives the role of Police and other law enforcement agencies therefore suggest that Police may face significant challenges during 21st Century. Counter-terrorism One of the most important challenges to be faced by the Police during 21st century is the counter- terrorism and anti-terrorism. The events of 9/11 have changed the way security was generally perceived by the societies. The increasing threat to the life and property of innocent citizens and the State itself therefore necessitated that the traditional role of Police should change. Earlier the significant challenge faced by the Police was to keep the criminals in check while ensuring that the general environment of peace and harmony exists in society. However, the anti-terrorism has forced police to face the significant challenge of meeting the new requirements. (Cooley) Terrorism has emerged as a pheno menon