The Assignment
There are many different characteristics concerning police culture that can exist simultaneously as a positive and negative. By this I mean the characteristic can be very valuable in accomplishing the mission of the police, but this same feature, when not properly regulated, can become an impediment to providing effective policing.
Police culture is very powerful and manifested itself out of the need for officers to be able to perform their duties in an environment that does not always provide the tools needed to address the wide variety of duties they are expected to perform. The culture serves to protect police officers from oversite by outsiders, as well as, offering a layer of protection from the administration of the police department itself. Understanding the culture empowers our society to develop a more effect, productive, and professional police force.
Read the "Mission Statement" listed below. It is a model police mission statement for a police department that emphasizes the community police model. You must also read Chapters 5,6,9,10,14,15,16,17,19,20,21,22, and 23 in the Understanding Police Culture text book.
Please identify at least four areas where the mission statement which is listed below attempts to limit negative aspects of police culture identified in the assigned readings.
In addition identify at least four areas where this mission statement attempts to accentuate some of the positive aspects of the police subculture that were noted in the readings.
The essay should illustrate understanding of the relevant material by thoroughly and correctly addressing the relevant content; identifying and explaining all of the key concepts/ideas; using correct terminology explaining the reasoning behind key points/claims and substantiating, as necessary/useful, points with several accurate and informative examples.Please be specific when referencing the readings, indicating the page number.
The essay should be clear, concise, and a pleasure to read.The assignment should be able to be completed in six (6) to seven (7) pages and will be worth 200 points. You will lose points if there are numerous grammar errors and/or the paper does not make sense. Edit your paper.
You must complete the listed readings in Understanding Police Culture.
The readings will enable you understand some of the negative aspects as well as the positive aspects of police culture. A significant part of this assignment concerns demonstrating that you understand the readings.
Readings: in Understanding Police Culture
Section I: Coercive Territorial Control
Chapter 5 The Moral Transformation of Territory
Chapter 6 Force Is Righteous
Section II: Themes of the Unknown
Chapter9 The Twilight World
Chapter 10 Danger Through the Lens of Culture
Section III: Cultural Themes of Solidarity
Chapter 14 Angles and Assholes: The Construction of Police Morality
Chapter 15 Common Sense and the Ironic Deconstruction of the Obvious
Chapter 16 No Place for Sissies
Chapter 17 Mask of a Thousand Faces
Section IV: Loosely Coupling Cultural Themes
Chapter 19 On Becoming Invisible
Chapter 20 Individualism and the Paradox of Personal Accountability
Chapter 21 The Truth Game
Chapter 22 Cop Deterrence and the Soft Legal System
Chapter 32 The Petty Injustice and Everlasting Grudges
The information contained in these chapters will be required to complete this assignment.I recommend reading one section of the chapters per week in preparation for writing the paper.
Mission Statement
It is our mission and duty to protect life and property in our community.
We will treat everyone with whom we come into contact with dignity and respect, while recognizing and appreciating the diversity among the members of our community.
We will strive to be innovative, to work in concert with our citizens, and to use all available resources both effectively and efficiently to address crime, the causes of crime, and the fear of crime in our community.
We will recognize that we are accountable to our community and we will be aware that what we do and do not do directly impacts the quality of life of our citizens.
We will apply the law fairly and ethically, emphasizing quality in everything we say and do.
We will recognize that the noble profession of policing involves more than enforcement of the law. It involves a spirit of public service, a promise of honesty and integrity, and a responsibility to maintain the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution, and a commitment to personal and professional excellence.