“It is no surprise that as times are changing that Community Policing has become how police departments are judged. Community Policing has set a new standard for how things should be done and a set of guidelines that should be followed. How law enforcement is run internally is where the problem is occurring. To keep up with the demands of society the way things are run has to be done in a different manner. Community policing requires major internal changes, and it also requires rethinking …show more content…
The reason that traditional reactive method of policing need to be left in the past is because new methods can be just as effective. With so much new technology why shouldn’t law enforcement be using it to better the community? The whole goal of law enforcement is to protect the citizens and officers should want to explore new options that will do just that. Community Oriented policing services (COPS) for example provides unique programs that respond directly to the emerging needs of state and local law enforcement. According to Alexander Weiss “Community Policing also recognizes that while traditional arrests may often be necessary, and will continue to be necessary, there are many situations in which other less traditional alternatives may be more effective in dealing with the problem long term. Frequently these methods are merely follow up measures of traditional policing procedures.” This shows that just because new methods can be taken up it does not mean that old traditions are going to be thrown out the window completely. If anything these new methods are just building blocks on top of the old methods. There will always be guidelines that have to be followed. However, for new methods to work the departments need to be flexible and open to change. This involves nearly every aspect of the organization, including, but not limited to, resource allocation, performance appraisals, information flow, recruitment, selection, promotion, and the overall mission of the department (Weiss, 2006: 34). An open-minded objectiveness is what is going to make all the difference. As communities are changing, the department must change along with it, without the fear of change. Social trends and concerns change constantly and in an instance, and so must the development of effective solutions. It is not just up to police officers. Citizens must also make an effort to