Perceptions of Power and Their Contributions to Conflict Situations
Perceptions of Power and Their Contributions to Conflict Situations
First, the wrong perception of power contributes to conflict situations. Every law enforcement personnel should understand the significance of due process. Misusing power strongly contradicts the concept of due process, and officials who abuse their position create a conflict in an atmosphere in which due process cannot thrive (Jones & Mendieta, 2021). Significantly, the legislation to confront racial prejudice and the use of excessive force by law enforcement is stalled in Congress. Nonetheless, there is widespread public support in the United States for allowing citizens to sue police officers in order to make them responsible for misbehavior or the use of mindless violence (Pew Research Center, 2020). According to the study, Americans largely support requiring police officers to be taught nonviolent alternatives to lethal force; 92 percent approve of this idea, with 71 percent strongly supporting it (Pew Research Center, 2020). Thus, it is crucial to implement police-community conflict resolution.
The abuse of power by law enforcement results in a distorted view of power among citizens, which leads to conflict. According to Decker et al. (2019), gender, cultural, ethnicity, and race-based disparities interacted at the institutional and local levels to dissuade residents from contacting the police. Hence, police misbehavior, a perceived lack of concern for residents, power imbalances, and fear of danger from police were all fundamental effects on complaints from citizens.
The Relational Theory of Power
The relational theory of power identifies that perceptions of power affect the ability to resolve police-community conflict. For instance, power is a relational ability, a process that allows an individual with the requisite opportunity to exert asymmetrical influence over another social actor (Madoyan, 2019). Moreover, this impact assumes that the person executing it will be motivated by a powerful actor’s will, interests, and values. Power can be used by coercion, such as physical violation or the threat of physical violation. Significantly, the correct perception of power from both sides, namely law enforcement and the community, can facilitate resolving conflicts, while the wrong perceptions may affect the growth of conflicts. Additionally, power is spread throughout all realms of human activity rather than being concentrated in one sector or institute. Nevertheless, there are certain areas where power concentration is more visible and impactful than others, such as law enforcement