Fewer people going into law enforcement
Michael Brown. Eric Garner. Tamir Rice. Wenjian Liu. Rafael Ramos.
These are just a few of the lives that have been claimed by officer-civilian shootings over the last three years. What happened during these incidents can be disputed — the fact that they’ve had an enormous impact on this nation cannot.
Though officer attacks and ambushes are rare, the effect of high-profile civilian deaths has drawn attention to the public perception of those working in law enforcement.
Amid all the tension, including an overwhelming amount of anti-police protests, is the desire to work in law enforcement diminishing?
Former Rapid City Police Chief Steve Allender says he believes those who yearn to become police officers cannot be discouraged by the perceived national crisis.
“Police officers serve their communities because of an illogical commitment to public service. If prospective police employees are aimed at a career in policing, the national tension will not dissuade them. For current police officers, the national tension will likely solidify their commitment to the profession,” Allender told CBS St.Louis.
National President of the Fraternal Order of Police Chuck Canterbury takes a different stance. In addition to the general loss of officers considering law enforcement as a career, Canterbury says the pool of applicants has shifted.
“The recent events in many cities protesting law enforcement have also discouraged applicants because they know even if they do the right thing in a split-second decision that the media and others will spend years second-guessing them and many just feel that type of stress is not worth the meager salaries and reduction in benefits,” Canterbury explains. “Many cities are reducing the minimum standards to attract candidates and there is a general lack of applicants who have higher education or experience that is commensurate with the profession.”
A 2014 Reason-Rupe National Survey found that 50 percent of Americans don’t think police are generally held accountable for misconduct. Forty-one percent said they believe cases of misconduct have increased over the last decade.
Even among those experienced with police enforcement, opinions vary on how things have evolved over time. What the majority of those in the field can agree on is that something needs to be done to move forward in an effective and positive way.
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