Strategies that Might be Effective in Reducing or Resolving Conflicts Between Police and Communities

Conflicts between police and communities reduce people’s trust in law enforcement, which could impact the ability of law enforcement to protect the community from crimes within the community. One of the strategies that can be applied to resolve conflict between police and communities effectively is collaborative partnerships. According to Walden et al. (2014), collaborative partnerships focus on creating a setting where stakeholders share resources and responsibilities. The most effective collaborative partnership between police and communities is community policing. The police and communities can embrace community policing to reduce conflict by working together to identify criminal activities in the community and ensuring that both the community and the police adhere to the laws that govern their conduct. The conflicts between police and communities can also be reduced by creating positive interactions between the police and communities through collaboration in community events such as food drives, marathons, and charity events. Deutsch et al. (2014) argue that positive interactions between individuals of hostile groups can improve the attitude of the individuals within the group when interactions involve cooperation, equal status, and supporting relevant authority. Therefore, it is essential for communities to organize charity events that focus on raising funds to support law enforcement officers. The community and police may also embrace negotiation to resolve conflicts as soon as they emerge to maintain positive interactions.

The outcome of Collaborative Partnerships

Collaborative partnerships between the police and communities are likely to create a positive interaction between the community and the police by ensuring that the two groups have a mutual understanding of how to resolve conflicts. Community policing can also reduce conflict between communities and police by ensuring that both the police and the community follow the laws that regulate their conduct. For instance, community policing can reduce and prevent abuse of power because the community is involved in decision-making. Community policing also gives the community assurance that law enforcement’s actions are directed towards the community’s best interests, thus promoting collaboration between the police and the community in resolving the issues that could create conflicts, such as corruption cases in the police department and the collaboration between the police and gang members. For instance, law enforcement can use community members to identify rogue police officers and take action before the community members hold demonstrations or use social media platforms to publicize the officers’ actions.

References

Deutsch, M., Coleman, P. T., & Marcus, E. C. (2014). The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice. Jossey-Bass.