The relationship between societal needs and professional practice
Describe the relationship between societal needs and professional practice
Scenario
You’ve just transferred to the LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department). Your supervisor would like you to assess the ongoing policing issues surrounding homelessness through a community policing lens. This complex, long-standing issue needs a more proactive, positive approach.
Directions
Community Plan
You will be creating a written community plan for how your office should move forward in addressing the policing issues surrounding homelessness in Los Angeles from a community policing standpoint. Your plan should focus on the relationship between police legitimacy and public trust, public opinion and procedural justice, community policing, and policing adaptations. For the plan, create a written product with all sections identified that addresses all of the required elements using the Project Three Scenario:
1.Explain the link between police legitimacy and public trust as shown in the scenario. Answer the following questions in your explanation:
a)What issues of public trust arise?
b)What can be done to address issues of public trust?
c)Where is discretion being used?
d)Where could discretion be used more judiciously?
2. Describe how public opinion can be influenced by using procedural justice for addressing the issue of homelessness.
Answer the following questions in your description:
How can procedural justice create a more positive public opinion about the LAPD’s work with the issues surrounding homelessness?
How can police transparency aid the LAPD in this situation?
a) Address police accountability through transparency to the public.
b)Address how specific techniques, such as technology usage, may aid the LAPD in this situation.
3.Explain how community policing concepts and principles can be applied to address the issue of homelessness as shown in the scenario.
a)What are the principles of community policing?
b)Why is community policing a valuable approach for today’s problems?
c)How can community policing be applied to the issues surrounding homelessness in Los Angeles?
4.Describe how the professional practice of policing for the LAPD changed in order to address the issue of homelessness in our current time. Answer the following questions in your description:
a)What specific tactics has the LAPD taken in the past?
b)What strategy of policing do these tactics show?
Sample Solution
Relationship between Societal Needs and Professional Practice
Societal needs and professional practice are closely intertwined. Professionals have a responsibility to use their skills and knowledge to address the needs of the society in which they live and work. This is particularly true for professionals in public service roles, such as police officers.
In the scenario you have described, the LAPD is facing a complex and long-standing issue of homelessness. This issue has a significant impact on the community, and it is important for the LAPD to develop a proactive and positive approach to addressing it.
One way to understand the relationship between societal needs and professional practice in this context is to consider the following questions:
- What are the needs of the community in relation to homelessness?
- What skills and knowledge do LAPD officers have that can be used to address these needs?
- How can the LAPD develop a more proactive and positive approach to policing homelessness?
- Building relationships with people who are homeless: LAPD officers should work to build relationships with people who are homeless in order to understand their unique needs and concerns. This can be done through community outreach events, partnerships with community organizations, and one-on-one interactions.
- Preventing crime and victimization: LAPD officers should work to prevent crime and victimization among people who are homeless. This can be done through increased patrols in areas where people who are homeless are concentrated, as well as through education and awareness programs.
- Connecting people who are homeless with resources: LAPD officers should work to connect people who are homeless with resources and support services. This can be done by maintaining a list of available resources and by providing referrals to people who are homeless.
- Advocating for policies and programs that support people who are homeless: LAPD officers should advocate for policies and programs that support people who are homeless. This can be done by working with community organizations and elected officials to develop and implement effective solutions.