Policing is a form of social control process undertaken by the police force to fight crime and maintain law and order. The police are a preeminent state institution in the United Kingdom (UK). The police influence citizens’ tendencies to commit crime, participate in informal social control, and cooperate to produce social order (Tyler, 2011). The Office for National Statistics (ONS) indicates that in the last year, the level of police-recorded crimes increased by 10% in both England and Wales, and the increase was associated with high levels of violence against persons, public order offenses, and theft (ONS, 2017). However, the increase in the number of crimes does not imply that the police have been unable to fight and win the war on crime. The police can win a “war on crime”, even when the rate of crimes in the UK is still high. The paper also discusses why good relations between the police and the public are important to an effective police service in the United Kingdom.
Jackson and Bradford (2009) have contended that citizens rely on the police and law enforcement officers to deter crime and to catch criminals. Nonetheless, based on the ONS report, the level of crime in the UK seems to be on the rise, whereby police recorded crime increased from 8% in 2016 to 10% in March 2017 (ONS, 2017). However, the ONS has noted that the increase in police recorded crime cannot be used as an indicator of failure by police to reduce the level of crime, but rather increased levels of crime reporting abilities. The ONS (2016) has reported that since 2005, crime has been experiencing a downward fall, although some incidents of fluctuations from one year to another have also been recorded. Decline in crime could have been enhanced by community police practices in the UK, whereby the community and police work together to secure neighbourhoods. Nonetheless, crime remains high in the UK, and the current efforts by the police to partner with the public could deter crime (ONS, 2016). The police could eventually win the war on crime.
Amid the increase in crimes between the year 2016 and 2017, the police are required to deter crime to win the war on crime. Bell, Jaitman, and Machin (2013) have acknowledged that to win the war on crime, police have a role to deter crime in crime-intensive neighbourhoods. The possible deterrence strategies adopted by police in the UK include arresting criminals and partnering with the local communities to reduce crime. The use of CCTV has also played a major role in reducing minor offenses and victimization as it deters minor crimes and violence in the community (Bell et al., 2013). For instance, the number of knife-carrying figures has declined by 45%, an indicator of crime deterrence in the UK (ONS, 2016).
To reduce crime and protect the vulnerable communities in the UK, the police “must increase partnerships within the community and with other service providers, protect the rights of victims and engage community-led policing to reduce demand” (National Police Chiefs’ Council [NPCC], 2014, p. 4). For example, continued community policing ensures that the police are in a position to eradicate crimes by working closely with the people. Ultimately, the war on crime could be won because closer relationships would promote work relationships and the establishment of crime spots. The underlying assumption made is that when the police force and the community must reach consensus, that acts as guidance to the police (NPCC, 2014). When the policy embraces the values of the community, it is possible to become familiar with the community culture to ensure that neighbourhoods experience the necessary security promised by the police force.
The foundation of British policing is the link between the people and the police. The local policing in the UK is tailored to meet the diverse and complex needs of society and to ensure the delivery of police protection (NPCC, 2014). Close relations of mutual trust between law enforcement agents and the public are crucial to public safety and effective policing maintenance. Police officials depend on the collaboration of community members to offer information related to crime in their neighbourhoods (Community Relations Services, 2016). Additionally, a close relationship is required to ensure that the community works closely with the police and comes up with solutions to curb crime and associated problems. Likewise, community members when close with the police department develop trust, and subsequently the police actions can be used to reflect community values (Community Relations Services, 2016). A mutual trust between the law enforcement and the community ensures closer work relationships, to the extent that the community would help the police fight crime. In addition, the police have been able to deliver public protection informed by community priorities.
A closer relationship between the public and the police plays a crucial role in police service. For instance, when police are visible in their communities, they interact at a personal level. Accordingly, people develop positive relations with the police. The people can report victims of a crime to the police without any form of fear (Bradford & Jackson, 2011). Finding opportunities for the police to interact closely with community members and other people in a non-enforcement context could ease bias on the part of police officers and community members. Knowing community residents plays a significant role because both groups (police and the community) are in a better position to overcome stereotypes and break down existing personal barriers (Bradford & Jackson, 2010). Additionally, the police are in a position to be knowledgeable of the law-abiding citizens in a neighbourhood and those who are not. Law-abiding residents residing in high-crime neighbourhoods are more likely to work closely with police and provide information on any form of criminal activity. Personal level interactions between community members and police officers are important as they build mutual trust required to address neighbourhood problems and reduce crime levels.
When officers and community members relate closely, transparency and accountability are promoted in police service. For example, when the police inform the public of local crime, they seem accountable and transparent with their work. Establishing positive relations with communities allows law enforcement officials, such as police, to serve the people and retain a secure and safe neighbourhood. In the UK, positive community relations have helped build accountability and trust needed for effective police service (Bradford & Jackson, 2011). For the police to be transparent, solve the negative perception the public has of the police, and emphasize the affirmative happenings in the communities. Therefore, strong relationships of mutual trust between the communities and the police ensure that public safety and effective policing are maintained. When people believe that police actions are a reflection of the community, members' willingness to trust also increases (Bradford & Jackson, 2010). A trust is an indication that the community believes in the police department and is willing to cooperate and work together to maintain law and order.
The close relationship between the police and the public is required to enhance people’s confidence. According to Jackson and Bradford (2009), police services are in a position to secure and maintain confidence and satisfaction when there is a close relationship between people and the police (Neighbourhood Policing Improvement Agency [NPIA], 2013). This results in a consistent delivery policing service that not only meets the individual’s needs, but also those of communities, hence a provision of a service that people value. The confidence in the police improves the overall public perception of the police service. Additionally, when there is a close relationship, the public can understand the services delivered by the police, how to access them, and the standard of service that people can expect from the police (NPIA, 2013). The people can also see the committed the police have to ensure law and order in the neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood policing is also promoted,d at is the case in the UK, whereby the police have become committed to problem-solving instead of problem maintenance. Also, the police in the UK have been able to remove the visible indications of problems related to insecurity, and the commitment to ensure order.
Conclusion
In conclusion, crime levels in the UK are high, but this is not an indicator that the police have been unable to fight crime. Deterrence activities, partnership with the local communities, and community policing are some of the practices currently being used to win the war on crime. A close relationship between police and public ensures confidence and satisfaction among the people with the police services provided. Commitment by the police creates mutual trust that allows the public to share information related to crimes, and the law enforcement agents can eradicate indications of insecurity in the neighbourhoods. The public aid police fight crime via community policing because they trust the system, hence satisfaction and confidence in the police services. When the police interact with people in a non-enforcement context, the police officers' bias and fear of the public are minimized. In the UK, the link between the police and communities continues to form the bedrock of policing. The link ensures that society’s diverse and complex needs are met based on the informed priorities of the public.
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