Factors Affecting Public Perceptions of Police Essay

Factors Affecting Public Perceptions of Police
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Factors Affecting Public Perceptions of Police
Public perception of the police is uncertain. The uncertainty of opinion is evident in many ways. First, they are some people who view the police force as their enemies, while others see them as friends. People's view depends on the situation they find themselves with the police force. In many cases, when the public is facing some problems, it welcomes law enforcement agencies to protect them (Sismanidis, 2015). On the other hand, when they are involved in criminal cases, they push them away. Positive public perception of the police can lead to excellent cooperation, which can enhance effective policing. Contrary, a negative public opinion of the police can result in unrest and disobedience that can lead to inadequate policing. In modern society, their various factors that influence the public perception of police.
First, public perception is influenced by the direct contact or experience of the police and the public. A good contact experience can result in favorable effects, while bad contact experience can lead to negative impacts (Hennigan & Sloane, 2002). There various types of direct encounters between the public and police; they include formal and informal contacts. Formal contacts include instigated calls by the public to the police. In most cases, these contacts involve a request for services or police-initiated interrogative and investigation. On the other hand, informal contacts include public police conversations that happen when the officers are on patrol (Sismanidis, 2015). Most of the people tend to develop a positive perception when police quickly respond to their problems. Contrary, they form a negative attitude when they experience some delays.
Secondly, public perception is influenced by people's expectations of police. These expectations arise from the media influences, political attitudes, cultural norms, and prolonged experiences of the public (Hennigan & Sloane, 2002). The public expects protection and security from law enforcement agencies. However, the level or the procedures used to protect them and their properties vary in different places regarding their norms and cultural backgrounds. Thus, the police force can think they are doing the best, but they find themselves not meeting public expectations (Sismanidis, 2015). Moreover, People’s expectations are affected when people engage in criminal activities. In many cases, the experience perception of criminals is lowered as compared to innocent people. This because the criminals feel that their protection expectations are violated during the punishment.
Thirdly, collective efficacy also plays a significant role in influencing public opinions toward the police. People who have collective efficacy are more proactive and believe in communal responsibility (Sismanidis, 2015). They play a significant role in the prevention of criminal activities in the society. The shared responsibility created by collective efficacy can create strong bonds between the police and the public. Moreover, healthy relationships can result in favorable perceptions of the people to the police, ...