Assignment 1: Modern Day Policing and Society: Where Are We Headed?

   
In this course, we have been learning about the different eras of policing, from the inception of the first police force in 1829 to the current era of policing today. Based on the current climate, there is a level of distrust today between the police and the public. Riots, marches, and protests in response to high-profile police shootings have eroded the relationships that were built through community policing. With the hopes of improving police efficiency and finding new approaches to working together with the public, the country is again ready for a new era of policing.

Use the Internet and your textbook to research the different eras of policing until today. Based on the changing role and function of police officers over the years, address the questions below relative to the current state of policing and where we are headed in the future. As an optional component of this assignment for extra credit, you may also interview a law enforcement professional to get his/her explanation on this topic.

Write a three to four (3-4) page paper in which you:

Examine at least (2) of the eras of policing and discuss their main strengths and weaknesses.
Examine at least two (2) issues facing law enforcement today and explain the impact both of these issues have on social order.
Take a position on where law enforcement is headed in the next five (5) years. Discuss what you believe the future of policing looks like and the main challenges you think law enforcement will face.
Describe the role of the public in cooperation with the police, as you see it, in the near future in order to improve the relationship between these groups and to work together optimally in facing the future challenges you identified.
Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Distinguish the relationship of criminal justice to social justice and the wider notion of equity and fairness.
Summarize the mission of law enforcement in democratic societies and describe the structure of American policing today.
Summarize the current ethical issues faced by criminal justice professionals and future of the criminal justice system.