Police work can sometimes be unsatisfying in certain situations. Police are responsible for protecting citizens from crime. The police are expected to be treated with respect by the public. In other cases, however, police can be seen as enemies of the public. This happens because people think the police want to punish and imprison citizens. The film “Community Policing” demonstrates that it’s possible to dispel certain preconceptions regarding the police by having intimate contact.
Majority of the police activities take place at stations. The siren sounds indicate the presence and status of police officers. Occasionally, the sounds of police vehicle sirens cause even the innocent to flee (Smith Lee & Robinson, 2019). Problematic is the separation between police officers and citizens. The film shows that the tension is lessened by the police’s willingness to mix openly with the public. The video shows instances where the officer touching the pet of a community member. This approach would allow the public to begin to view police officers as ordinary citizens. But distrust can develop when police officers are distant from their citizens. It is possible because the police have less contact with the people. Routine encounters work best because police are a part the community, and it is easy to have confidence.
It also shows how security problems can be addressed by police. A suspect is captured in the supermarket by police officers conducting normal patrols (Arizona Public Media 2016). The situation might have been very different if the police were called to the spot to arrest the victim. Illegal arrests could be made against those not involved in the crime. The public can feel intimidated even if the police are called to an area where there is suspicion of a crime. The police will likely arrest anyone who appears to have any connection to the crime in this case. Some of the people arrested are innocent. This leads to antagonism between the police force and the rest of the population. People will view the police as cruel when this happens. Terrorism associated with police spectacular arrests is reduced when the suspect is arrested during regular police patrols.