Problems Associated With Private Policing Systems and Impacts on the Communities In the USA.
Private policing in the USA can be defined in various ways depending on the functions, powers, acceptance by the states or the federal government, and the different laws and regulations that guide the use of the private police officers in the different countries in the USA. Private policing is an alternative way of enhancing security and order in the various jurisdictions that they operate, and they can be hired to provide safe, protection defense, and help in curbing some crimes that are rampant in some places within their jurisdiction. Private policing in the USA has existed for a long time and has been associated with vigilantisms, self-defense, social-class, and uniqueness (Miller, 2018). Private Citizens and institutions hire security guards, secret spies, and detectives to supplement the public police forces that are at times regarded as incompetent or ineffective. However, the private policing aspects in the USA face various challenges that affect their work and performance in the field, leading to criticism among the citizens. The private policing systems face critic for incompetency, unreliability, lack of proper equipment and material in their work, and the capacity to 9nvestigate, arrest, prosecute, and enforce some of the policies.
Private policing are hired by either firms or individuals who want policing services, and yet they don’t believe in the public policing systems. The secret policing operations in the USA thus cause discomfort among the people or the class of people who feel that they cannot afford the services of the private police. The lack of confidence by the general public is a significant issue in the policing system as the people would not cooperate with the officers. The problem of the less confidence in the private policing system causes the system to lack support from some factions of the society.
Private policing is a situation where private institutions or public institutions hire private guards, spies, or detectives. The private officers are given jobs and tasks by the institutions that employ them. Thus, there rises the issue of biasness in the way the private officers conduct their business and responsibilities. Since the officers are focused on working for the agencies that hire them, they thus work to the interests of their employers and therefore disregard the public interest. The private officers in the various agencies work to enhance the policies of the agencies and ignore the rule of law as they work in ensuring the importance of their employers are met. The issue of operating under the instructions of the employer causes problems as the private officers may not be just in their work as they have to protect the interests of their employers. The private officers are bound by the contracts they sign or the agreements they have with their employers and thus have to stick to satisfying the demands of their employers.
The issue of working for the interest of the employer in private policing leads to the problem of impartiality and lack of confidence in the system. The impartiality issues in the individual policing order may cause various impacts in the USA communities as the system may cause divisions among people and mistrust. Mistrust in the policing system is a factor that may lead to hostility and conflicts that are not the principles of policing.
Private policing problems may also impact society in the various aspects that are controversial (Hari, 2011). Police are trained to deal with multiple legal issues and the legitimate ways to handle matters in arrest, confiscate substances like alcohol and tobacco, and in issuing fines (Hari, 2011). However, the private policing officers may not be well trained in dealing with the various legal issues and thus would use unorthodox methods in dealing with the problems (Joh, 2004). The use of unconventional techniques would cause conflicts and legal battles in courts, and the public would not be confident with the private policing system. First, the police officers are trained to deal with the public for weeks, yet the private police officers are only picked or trained in a very short time (Hari, 2011). The private policing system in the USA causes confusion and conflict in the policing order leading to more crimes.
The funding of the private policing system is dependent on the ability of the hires of the unique police ability to pay and maintain the operational costs of the police in the USA. If the private police are not well paid, they are likely to engage in corruption and thus cause more injustice to the public than the benefit they would add to the policing efforts (Joh, 2004). The private policing aspects in the USA have to be under the existing federal and state rules that call for equality and humane treatment of the citizens by the police. However, the private police could be used to revenge personal grudges. When the community schemes are accredited in the region, the commonness of the police could and or private guard.
Private policing may also cause a reduction of crime as people in the streets may fear the presence of the private policing patrolling the streets of the market. However, the private policing in the USA may lead to the impacts on the welfare and justice of the people. Private guards patrol in the streets may help in the reduction of the crime rates only if the officers are useful, but or they fail to be effective as they would not be well funded, and would not have the adequate training to handle crime.
References.
Hari, J. (2011). PRIVATE POLICE FORCE U.K. GIVEN JUST 1 WEEK’S TRAINING [Video]. Retrieved 27 June 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=350&v=hFhUCu8KCNk&feature=emb_logo.
Miller, W.R (2018). A History of Private Policing in the United States. 1ST EDITION. ISBN: 9781472527400.
Joh, E (2004). The Paradox of Private Policing. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology. Volume 95, Issue 1 falls. Retrieved from: https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=7176&context=jclc.