The U.S. Has A Policing Problem - And It Can Be Solved

These charts were made with information contained in a recent YouGov Poll. That survey was done between August 11th and 14th of a random national sample of 1,000 adults, and has a margin of error of 3.9 points.

The shooting of an unarmed young Black man in Ferguson (Missouri) has highlighted a national problem and put that problem on the front pages across this country -- that we have a significant policing problem in the United States. Far too often, the police in many communities ignore regulations, harass or abuse citizens (especially minorities and young people), and resort to violence too quickly.

And a lot of Americans realize that. Note in the charts above that large pluralities of Americans believe the police use lethal force too frequently, and when they do use lethal force are not adequately and fully investigated. And a majority believe that the police are tougher on Black citizens than White citizens. That is the perception. And that perception would not exist unless these were real problems in far too many law enforcement agencies in this country.

At this point, some of you may be writing me off as a bleeding-heart liberal who doesn't understand the serious problems faced by law enforcement professionals in this country. You would be partially right. I am a proud liberal. But I have also worked for over 25 years in various aspects of law enforcement -- 8 years as a corrections officer, 5 years as a patrol officer in a high crime district, and 13 years in parole (both adult and juvenile). I fully understand that we ask our law enforcement professional to do a very tough and dangerous job for little pay and even less appreciation.

But doing a tough and dangerous job for little pay and appreciation doesn't justify breaking the rules/law, racial profiling, abusing/harassing citizens, or using unnecessary violence. When we pin a badge on a law enforcement professional, we give them enormous power over other citizens -- and because of that, they must be held to a higher standard of conduct. They cannot be allowed to abuse the power we have trusted them to hold.

While the policing problem is nationwide, it does not exist in all law enforcement agencies or cities. Some uphold the highest standards, and exceptions to that are rare (and immediately and properly dealt with). But for others, the exception to upholding those high standards seems to be the rule.

How do we deal with this problem? Many solutions have been offered (less militarization of police, more community policing, better training, etc.), and all of these can help. But we must not forget or overlook the most effective solution -- better leadership. Law enforcement professional are just people, and they tend to do their job the way their leaders want (or allow) it to be done. If the chief (or agency head is a racist, then the department will exhibit that same trait. If he/she jumps to the defense of officers who break the rules (or law), then the department will have little respect for those rules and soon be out of control. And if that leader views the agency as "us" and the public as "them", then officers will soon see the public they deal with every day as the enemy.

And good leadership has the opposite effect. When the agency has a strong leader that demands all officers do their job respecting the rules and the public (and immediately disciplines or terminates those who do not), then the officers will respond to that by with professional conduct and good policing. And I have found that the overwhelming majority of officers respond to a strong leader positively -- because it allows them to do their job effectively, with respect from the community, and to be proud of their profession.

Strong, effective, ethical leadership is the most substantial thing to solve the problem of bad policing. And that means the buck doesn't stop at the office of the chief, but ultimately resides in the city council (or governmental body responsible for hiring that chief). When a department or agency exhibits signs of being out of control (too many incidents of profiling, harassment, abuse, violence, or other rule-breaking), the head of that agency or department must be held responsible -- and if he/she can't fix the problem in a very short period of time, then he/she should be fired (and a more effective leader hired).

This leads me to the current situation in Ferguson, Missouri. All signs point to this being a department that is out of control. While less militarization and better training can be a big help, the problem won't be solved until the chief is fired. The department is just following his lead. Then that city must make sure his replacement has much higher standards, and will enforce those standards.