Terrorism could be classified as a grave crime against humanity. Terrorism is an act of violence or intimidation that causes civilians to be hurt. Terrorism can be caused by ideologic differences between extremist groups and society/the public (Helfstein 2012). Technological advancements are increasing the threat of terrorist attacks. Consequently, it is the law enforcement agencies and the community’s responsibility to collaborate in combating terrorism. It is vital that local law enforcement agencies work with the communities to combat terrorist acts of violence. To prevent terrorist activities and to respond, it is important that security personnel and civilians communicate effectively.
The emergence of the community police changed American policing forever. It evolved in the 1970s and became popular in the 1990s (Guler & Sevinc, 2016). Terrorism is a major issue of the 21st-century.St century, and the police had to cooperate with all stakeholders in the community (Guler & Sevinc, 2016). Counterterrorism is a key aspect of law enforcement. Accordingly, community policing offer intelligence to the police and awareness of civilians (Guler & Sevinc, 2016). Social, economic, and political structures were the foundation of community policing. In this case, the Civil Rights Movement, protest against the Vietnam War, and loss of trust in police laid the foundation for community policing (Guler & Sevinc, 2016). Community policing is necessary because of the negative interactions that have occurred between police officers with civilians.
Ethnic and racial groups face many problems. The main issue is rampant terrorist attacks. The main problem is increased hate, extremisms and radicalization. Ethnic or racial conflict can be caused by differences in political, economic, and social ideologies. These groups are also more vulnerable to radicalization or extremism. Helfstein (2012) claims that Jihadist propaganda may lead to extremism. Radicalized people seek to establish social ties. For example, Al-Qa’ida implements indoctrination by taking advantage of the candidates with limited religious knowledge and enhancing their social ties with the terror groups (Helfstein, 2012). The extremism of the left can cause prejudice against minority groups. An apparent disconnection between police and community members has resulted in a lack of trust, and even dissatisfaction.
Police officers should concentrate on the development of relationships within their communities in order to identify terrorist actors and agents. Guler (2016), Sevinc (2016) claim that community policing can be a form soft power. It is an effective way to fight terrorists on the local level. It will facilitate the creation of a strong police-community network. As such, the philosophy boost trust between the law enforcement authorities and the people (Guler & Sevinc, 2016). Trustworthiness results in increased tipping and reporting suspicious behaviour. Police officers need to be able integrate with their community in order to recognize and solve local problems. The police department should be aware of radicalization within the community. A significant focus should be on the recruitment stage to eliminate the root cause of terrorism (Guler & Sevinc, 2016). It is important that police officers work hard to develop healthy relationships with their local communities.