Posted: January 1st, 2020
Law Enforcement Today
+++
In today’s society there is a variety of issues police departments face. They fall from corruption in the departments, multicultural society, racial profiling, corruption, stress and pressure. Because of the many issues, officer’s Jobs become more challenging on a daily basis. Society within the United States continuously evolve, it is the home of a country that has different cultures and ethnic backgrounds.
It creates issues for police when the departments are not as diverse which could lead to racial profiling along with language barriers.This makes it hard for officers to investigate crimes when officers are unable to speak the different languages. When an officer assumes or determines the race of an individual when a crime happens, or happened, is called racial profiling. The departments are trying to resolve this issue by employing more officers that speak more than one language or of different ethnicities. Along with racial profiling, officers face corruption.
Many officers are sworn in and vowed to protect and serve their country. Unfortunately, there are some officers that do not live by that oath.
Some officers fall into the temptation of robbery, which can result from low salaries. Another form of corruption is taking evidence (drugs, money) to make personal gains financially as well. Stress and pressure is another issue, police officers cannot show signs of weakness while on the job. Officer’s Jobs are not easy and are under a lot of pressure. The men/women that work as officers have to make quick decision that involves life or death for themselves, victims and the accused. There are times when the decisions they make can result into death or serious injuries not only to themselves but to wrong and innocent people.Their lives could also result to not making decisions fast enough.
On daily basis officers lives are in danger and can affect them mentally as well as physically. Unfortunately, under this stress, officers can take it out on suspects and co-workers. There are officers that sometimes have to go into counseling to help deal with their Jobs. Officers have to conduct themselves in a calm and orderly fashion while in the eyes of the public and as well as their coworkers and superiors on and off duty by doing this is stress in itself.In order for departments to deal with their lily issues, they all work together and have connections with each other. The local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies interact with the United States Department of Homeland Security (ADS). There are Local and State Fusion Centers (CLEFS) that are being created among the States and Urban Areas to address the information needs.
The different centers are developed to meet the needs of their areas and responsibility. Clefs have a pivotal role within the different States for combining and sharing of information and intelligence that is related to homeland security.The Homeland Security Information Network (HISS) is securely collaborated with agencies across Jurisdictional and geographic boundaries. For example, law enforcement agencies generally use HISS for operation that are focused on gang mitigation, narcotics trafficking, and weapons smuggling. They also use HISS to share information such as, Be on the Lookouts (BOLOS), intelligence reports, Fays (For Your Information), Riff (Requests for Information) and other sensitive documents. Agencies also use HISS to create and distribute information and messages regarding large missions with specific contact lists.This is a rapid and secure system that allows information exchanges for law enforcement officers with critical intelligence that are conducting work while in the field.
The Homeland Security Information Network is used as a tool to bring small agencies to the collaboration and information arena. The small and local agencies speak and interact with the communities and the public daily. HISS serves agencies with tools and resources that develop, gather, access, receive and share information. The information shared is critical to homeland security, and also security within public safety.The reason for agencies having access to this information is to allow them to do their Jobs more effective. HISS is like a roadman to provide and promote better information to share within the law enforcement agencies across country. The HISS provides awareness to agencies, such as, a document library that has periodic and daily reports from local, state, and federal enforcement sources, Department of Homeland situational awareness tool, instant messaging (real-time), User and Train-the Trainer instruction.
The Law Enforcement Side and Intelligence side share and put together information on a daily basis.The two are the same and their functions are tandem with each other, but they both require different levels of clearance in order to access information. Law Enforcement focuses on tracking different information across the United States that has a possibility of terrorist nexus. The Intelligence side main focus is on current threats in any area. By these two areas working together will allow them to determine at that moment of any threats on the nation. With these agencies working together is to coordinate and share information, deter, detect, prevent terrorist attacks, and to manage domestic incidents throughout the country.The main goal for the United States Department of Homeland Security is to make sure the country is safe and not in danger against terrorism or any other hazardous criminal acts.
To make this possible the ADS has to work with and get help from the local, state and federal agencies. With all these agencies as well as the public working together will keep this country safe and secure. To overcome the problems and the agencies to work better together, ADS has to overcome the difficult challenges in Washington. Washington’s challenge is protecting ADS that is rooted in deep politics, over- naturalization, and complacency.These challenges sometimes cause Washington not to work correctly. In order to have ADS to work properly and efficiently, a base should be established for allowing state and local agencies to meet responsibilities for domestic counterterrorism, disaster response and their input regarding promoting intelligence and national policies, a clearer outline on how agencies on all levels should operate to combat terrorism, and better communication, those are Just a few. In conclusion, officers are challenged daily and have to maintain order at all times.
–
