Relationship Between Police And Citizens

Their has always been somewhat of a rocky relationship between law enforcement and the citizens. From the civil rights days, to the Rodney king beatings and now Black Lives matter, the tension between the police and citizens is at an all time high. Over the last few years incidents between citizens and the police have caused massive riots in cities like Baltimore and Ferguson. In order for the police to do their job effectively and for citizens to trust the police, strategies and different policies must be put into place to ensure that the relationship is mended. In December of 2014 President Obama signed an executive order creating a task force that was in charge of recommending and implementing specific strategies that would both help prevent crime as well as create that trust of citizens our justice system so desperately needs. I truly believe that these steps being taken by the president are not only necessary but crucial. Over the past few years officer safety has become increasingly important. Just last year alone I can recall on multiple occasions where officers had been ambushed and killed. Many of …show more content…
If citizens can’t trust the police than their will forever be tension. The 1st pillar in the report discusses in detail the importance of this trust factor. “Building trust and nurturing legitimacy on both sides of the police/citizen divide is the foundational principle underlying the nature of relations between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve”. (p.1 report) I believe that trust is not the only thing that has been lost between citizens and police over the years. I feel that respect is no longer something that exists. That many individuals have no respect for the authority law enforcement officals hold anymore. I believe that trust and respect go hand in hand. If you can gain back one you can most certainky gain back the