Blueprint to Police Relations and Successful Community Planning and Development
Originally drafted in October 2018
POLICE RELATIONS AND COMMUNUITY DEVELOPMENT
“When it comes to some of the darker portions of US history very little attention is spent and much is glossed over”.
Since the inception of this nation, the United States of America, there has been a power balance that has often been reexamined, contested and unfortunately for a while, ignored. However, as one of the youngest nations in the world continues to mature, there are various injustices, systemic flaws and other political nuances that are being rediscovered and are finally being acknowledged as fact rather than theory.
Knowing this, we can begin to investigate the policies that this country has been founded upon and investigate the policies that have been established in attempts to understand how these policies in turn enforce interactions among its citizens. One area that has received much scrutiny in more recent years have been that of the police relations and actions among citizens in the communities.
While a sociological approach is well justified, to better understand the sociology of the tension that exists we must understand the political systems that were established to cultivate the behavior that is observed. The interesting thing is that the two lenses of analysis are inseparable as they both seductively intertwine, and it is erroneous and unwise to discuss one without the other.
The political system in America is one of Fragmented power imbalances and, whether people participate in government actively or not at all, there is still an influence by the people on policy (Dahl 2017). Additionally, Dahl mentions that the power structures of America are scattered amongst competing groups, of which we can identify just by examining the various political parties, grassroot organizations, and a plethora of other entities confirms this theory as relevant, if not true (2017).
“These urban politics that exist and interact with one another creating various tensions and seeking to create a balance between ongoing power struggles. . .”
But what does this mean to the urban policies and how they impact the relations of police and the communities they operate within? There are many varying opinions, some more fact than others, yet there appears to be a lapse in information concerning the urban political sphere that encompasses policies that impact these relations and how these tensions among government entities and the common man affect the process of community development and or revitalization.
This literature review will explore the proposed theories on the hidden and overt urban politics that directly impact the local, state and federal governmental ability to engage in successful community development. These urban politics that exist and interact with one another creating various tensions and seeking to create a balance between ongoing power struggles include elements of police interaction, gang activity and how this strains current relations. This is important as strained relations between policing agencies, intended to enforce established policies, negatively affect the process or urban development and community revitalization.
There appears to be a lack of trust that creates a resistance to certain governmental interventions, even when needed. By repairing and creating refine policies, we can potentially address the systemic influences that create situations of tension and opposition.
Review of Literature
Foundations of Distrust and Strained Relations
“To native United States born Americans, especially within the Black community, this proverbial resistance to governmental influence is one that is not foreign. While it may not be fully comprehended by individuals of disenfranchised communities, the tension is felt”.
For other ethnicities, both domestic and foreign, it is difficult to grasp the reality that the plight of many majorities in this nation, i.e. the Black and Latino population, are faced with odds that are systemic in nature. There is a fear that is often held by minorities at realizing that many social conflicts are the result of systemic practices and policies implemented by an elite minority to manipulate the ideologies and influence the actions of marginalized individuals (Rothbart 2018).
There is a form of humiliation majorities experience which traces back to a document known as the Willie Lynch Letter. The document details a strategic plan of policymaking and implementation drafted during slavery that attempts to degrade and dehumanize majorities in attempts to maintain control.
“. . .it is important to recognize how these ingredients combined to produce the tension that is often felt when initiating urban and economic planning, especially when past deliverables were not met” — Nathaniel Jones.
This is a keen observation worthy of notation as it denotes the reality of how political structures influence the behaviors of individuals. Investigating the legal systems, we can identify a recreation [and maintenance] of a caste-like system in the United States (Alexander 2010). There are theories that examine the 13th Amendment of the US Constitution that identify a loophole to slavery. It is the reality that every man is free unless the slavery or involuntary servitude is the result of a punishment for a convicted crime. This is a reality that is recently resurfacing, yet one that many disenfranchised communities, and even communities that are more affluent yet still belong to the majority, are faced with daily (2010).
When it comes to some of the darker portions of US history very little attention is spent and much is glossed over. By ignoring these historical occurrences, it is easier to live with an “out of sight, out of mind attitude” that in turn creates a limbic state of ignorance among all who are either unaffected or struggle to grasp the concept. Nicholas Stevens and colleagues Paul Salmon, Guy Walker and Neville Stanton recognize the implications that the design of an environment ultimately creates, or encourages, behaviors that are not always the best (Stevens et al. 2018).
Not only does this acknowledgement prove true physiologically, it confirms the fact of political environments and their capacity to create behaviors and attitudes, whether for better or worse (2018). More evidence that supports this view is a synthesis of research on housing design and its capabilities to either create or discourage crime, a key observation for urban planning and the policies that go into the structuring of zoning and consideration of development (Armitage 2013).
Gang Presence, Activity, and Management
Understanding this, it is no surprise that a distrust was birthed in to the communities. One facet that all mankind shares is self-preservation, so to operate in self-preservation we begin to see the formation of gangs in American communities to protect and defend one another from opposition and oppression (Howell and Griffiths 2016). These gangs could be identified as the first grassroot organizations. Nonetheless, gangs have shifted throughout the course of history and become terrorizers of the neighborhoods they were once created to protect.
One facet that all mankind shares is self-preservation, so to operate in self-preservation we begin to see the formation of gangs in American communities to protect and defend one another from opposition and oppression (Howell and Griffiths 2016).
Ironically, these organizations were created to protect the communities from police harassment and threats from other ethnicities (2016). This history at a glance shows that gangs were originally a form of neighborhood grassroot organization, designed to govern the community while resisting government opposition, often personalized in the form of oppressive police. This leads to the question of how are gangs then managed?
As they have shifted to more violent and self-oppressive methods themselves within their communities, what is the possibility that the foundational principles of disruption of government activity within the community remains? Gangs hold a very real presence in the United States and have established networks that are deeply threaded within communities as these individuals are residents, family members, colleagues and friends (Chaskin 2010).
Thus, it is argued by Dr. Carver Anderson that the community bears the responsibility of uniting to curb gang involvement and manage activity (Anderson 2017). With the level of distrust and the danger of overt policing, brutality, discrimination, harassment and stereotyping, police presence within communities often creates tension, fear, unease and can lead to chaotic events as in the unfortunate events of the killing of unarmed majorities, evidenced in the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Anderson stresses the importance of community-involved and community-led partnerships as the primary entities for managing gangs (2017). The level of systemic and political structure that creates the environment for police injustice and strained relations is possibly the reasoning for grassroot organizations and community organizers’ belief that they are the best parties to address this issue. With the mass incarceration of Black majorities, systems in place such as Jim Crow historically, the negative effects of the war on drugs and policies such as the 3-strike rule, this concern proves valid (Chiodelli et al. 2017).
Strained Relations: Tension Alleviation
Noting these elements, it is important to recognize how these ingredients combined to produce the tension that is often felt when initiating urban and economic planning, especially when past deliverables were not met. There is a long-standing history of systemic injustice and policy that negatively impacts the communities, indirectly encouraging disparate behavior that causes neighborhoods to be weary of any institutional involvement within (Rothbart 2018).
An analysis of the research present within this lens provides clarity to how these strained relations between community and police spill over into other elements of community development and planning as the human brain categorizes objects for simplicity. That said, when intentions and relations with police are faulty, anyone deemed to be in any capacity related to the police, government or other political structure that attempts to operate within said communities (Nor©en-Nilsson and Xidias 2017).
This is where the municipalities have the responsibility of alleviating tension and repairing breaches of trust, redefining what democracy looks like in an increasingly complex society (Burstein 2014). Burstein argues that while the public may be able to get what they desire in terms of policy, this is limited to a few items and much of what is desired goes unanswered (2014). Understandably, this leads to less activity in the community politically which further creates tension as the voice of the people is not accurately reflected in urban policymaking and more policies are implemented that are undesirable of that community, in which the law enforcement agencies must uphold and receive the tension of the disgruntled community members (Taylor 2018).
Municipalities must recognize this and endeavor to be as transparent and proactive with communicating intents to the public so that they have opportunity to engage civically (Sharp 2012). Sharp discusses the idea that policy-centered theology must be tested, however, it has proven time and time again that anything that is placed before the person is prone to err in some fashion (2012).
The local governing officials must bear the responsibility of drafting policy that creates progressive, favorable impact within the community. Gone are the days when the public will accept the temporary effects of city beautification as a method to address more serious problems (Taylor 2018). In support of this, Ann Forsyth, Emily Saloman and Laura Smead present compelling discussion on evidence-based planning and design strategies that create real change in the struggle to creating authentically healthy neighborhoods (Forsyth et al. 2017).
They recognize that there must be good housing, accessible transportation, the absence of a food desert and other key elements for neighborhoods to become viable (2017). This recognition brings the thread and needle back to Rachel Armitage’s concept of the structural designs that can combat and offset undesirable activity (Armitage 2013), as well as Steven et al.’s theoretical approach of understanding human factors of design (Steven et al. 2018). As these tensions are systemic in nature, there must be individuals of political prowess who influence the policies that impede the creation of environments conducive for crime, unjust policing and the other humiliations that community degradation thrives in (Rothbart 2018).
Role of Universities, NGO’s and other Organizational Structures
There are so many moving parts to the topic at hand, we must be mindful not to look past the simplicity of what elements are present to achieve success. The tension between police and community members appears to possibly be nothing more than the manifestation of the contention between the policies and their makers, as well as how they affect the people.
The presence of systemic power imbalances and illicit structures in governance disrupt capacities to engage in effective community development and urban revitalization (Rothbart 2018; Chiodelli et al. 2017). This being noted, it could be argued that schools, universities, non-governmental, and other, organizations play a key role in repairing the breaches between communities and governmental powers. These operate as a sort of neutral space than can prove to be very conducive in reopening communication and incorporating community back into the development processes.
Conclusion
As communities strive to become healthier, self-sustaining, and safe places to live in comfort, there continues to be discussion surrounding how this is to be successfully accomplished. The problem arises when the lens of approach to the situation is too narrowly focused. History has proven, at times, that it is best to utilize someone from the location to best incur progression toward change. The government uses it in political campaigning and combat operations, sales persons use it in marketing, and many other instances display the reality that involvement of members from a community is necessary to successfully onboard them into a organization or garner support for a program and or political action.
Often, for various reasons there are individuals who are well educated credential wise, yet the education lapses in substance that can only be gained from lived experience. The term lived experience does not mean in the trenches work, it more specifically refers to someone who has lived through the situation. Because there is not enough access for those with lived experience to enter into key arenas to affect policy, there are a few who make policy decisions with little insight or understanding as to what these changes mean for the common people, although some researchers would suggest that the policy makers know full well what the ramifications will be with Flint, Michigan as an example.
All in all, these struggles at the top trickle down and manifest between those affected and those charged with enforcing the policies at hand. The irony is that this tension appears to create a cycle of that often impedes progression in community development when misunderstood.
The police are here to protect and serve the community, yet policy and political mandates demand action that shows that progress is being made. Implicit biases, prejudices and systemic oppressions all combine to create a power imbalance at the political level that effects capacity on the ground level. Although frustrating, when placed in context, these nuances can me navigated successfully until a new policy that counteracts progress emerges, creating disruption and starting the cycle again.
References
- Alexander, Michelle. 2010. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness.
- Armitage, Rachel. 2013. Crime Prevention Through Housing Design. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
- Burstein, Paul. 2014. American Public Opinion, Advocacy, And Policy In Congress. New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Chiodelli, F. (Ed.), Hall, T. (Ed.), Hudson, R. (Ed.). (2018). The Illicit and Illegal in Regional and Urban Governance and Development. London: Routledge.
- Forsyth, Ann, Emily Salomon, and Laura Smead. 2017. Creating Healthy Neighborhoods. 1st ed. New York: Routledge.
- Howell, James C, and Elizabeth A Griffiths. 2016. Gangs In America’s Communities. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.
- Nor©en-Nilsson, Astrid, and Jason Xidias. 2017. An Analysis Of Robert A. Dahl’s Who Governs?. London: Routledge: The Macat Library.
- Rothbart, Daniel. 2018. Systemic Humiliation In America. 1st ed. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Sharp, Elaine B. 2012. Does Local Government Matter?. 2nd ed. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
- Stevens, Nicholas J, Paul M Salmon, Guy Walker, and Neville A Stanton. 2018. Human Factors In Land Use Planning And Urban Design. 1st ed. London: CRC Press.
- Taylor, Ralph. 2018. Breaking Away From Broken Windows. 1st ed. Boulder: Routledge.
- Zimmerman, Gregory, Brandon Welsh, and Chad Posick. 2014. Investigating The Role Of Neighborhood Youth Organizations In Preventing Adolescent Violent Offending: Evidence From Chicago. New York: Springer Science+Business Media.
- https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007%2Fs10940-014-9238-1.pdf (11 October 2018).
