As leaders in law enforcement we are often asked what we are doing to address the criminal and safety concerns of the citizen within our communities. These concerns can range from property and persons crimes to traffic and community quality of life issues. What we, as leaders in law enforcement, need to determine is what questions are being asked of us. We need to look deeper into what is behind these questions and requests.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines Perception as: “An awareness of the elements of environment through physical sensation and a capacity for cognitive comprehension.” Essentially, this means we identify our environment through our senses and our mind translates this information into something we can understand.
Perception plays a significant part in our daily duties as Law Enforcement Officers. Not only are we expected and at times, required to make split second life altering decisions, we do so with limited information, with limited time and without the ability of hindsight. As such, our perceptions of our environment and our ability to understand it play a significant and crucial part in those decisions. We must also consider the public’s perception of us as a law enforcement agency or entity. What kind of relationship is our current client/citizen base operating under?
Psychologist Dennis Proffitt of the University of Virginia conducted a study (2007) where he found that a person’s perception of environmental information is based on their physiological state. In the study, subjects were situated on a hill and either placed on a stationary box or on a skateboard. The subjects placed on the skateboard indicated that the hill was steeper than it actually was. Prof Proffitt attributed this to the subject’s physiological state at the time, or their perception of the danger associated with their particular situation.
Our perception of situations is affected by a large number of variables; to include past experiences, mood, personal beliefs, and preconceived notions. For example; we have all been dispatched to “that house”. You know the one. Constant calls for service, domestic incidents, complaints from neighbors. There is one in every area. How we respond to this specific call for service is largely based on our previous incidents there. We also need to consider the resident’s perceptions. Are their problems stemming from some other area of concern? Are they having a “good day” or a “bad day”? These variables will impact the professional resolution of this incident.
Law Enforcement agencies also have the responsibility to manage these concerns. In a time where perceptions of law enforcement by the public are mixed, we need to consider why and if this perception is actually valid. A Gallup poll conducted in 2022 indicated that 75% of Americans had a great deal of confidence in police, but this was down from earlier pools. We can discuss the why related to such a change; media biased reporting, increased professional contacts with citizens, or the spate of sensationalized “use of force” incidents during this particular time frame? Any or all of these can be attributed to reasons for a change in attitude by the people within our communities. But ultimately, it is our responsibility as professionals to identify, to understand, and to manage the concerns of our citizens/clients and their perceptions have a place in that answer.
In an effort to address these questions, law enforcement leaders should be considering all aspects of the “Why”. Often, we get caught up in determining a resolution to a problem and are not as focused, as we should be, on why it is occurring. Community oriented policing programs were instituted for these specific reasons. This was due in part, because law enforcement was missing integral parts of the comprehensive solution to community problems. To clearly see those problems, from their community perspective, we need to have their input to move forward with productive solutions. This is the most sound, logical, and effective application of our law enforcement resources and it will have a direct and positive effect on the perceptions of our communities. It is within our power, as law enforcement leaders, to determine the path of this perception and whether that path is positive or negative.
Sergeant James Streeter served as an Army Staff Sergeant from 1991 to 1998 and has served in law enforcement and corrections since 1999. He is a certified field training officer and a graduate of the FBI LEEDA Supervisor Leadership and Command Leadership Institute. He has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Troy State University and is a Doctoral Student at Liberty University.
