ASSOCIATE Magazine FBINAA Q4-2023

WHAT IS YOUR MEASURING STICK?

CAPTAIN KEVIN CHABOT, ED.D. , NA Session 272

How do you define success at your agency? How does your elected officials or the officers that work for your department define success? Policing effectiveness is subjective. Most of us rejoice when there is a large drug arrest – we take to social media with a picture of our fruits with a patch in the middle of it. I’m certainly not disputing the hard work that goes into making the streets safer for all of us – those busts are certainly wins. However, take a step back from that and look at the broader picture: success in your community should be defined as your legitimacy. T here are several reasons a person obeys the law. Going way back, early philosophers such as Plato and Hobbes preached a loss of the ability to do what we please in return for security from the state. One of the largest motivators to follow the rule of law is the moral and ethical values instilled into children by society. One example of respect for the law and awareness of the consequences is the legitimacy of the police. However, when mass law-breaking occurs, the de-legitimization of police is often a central cause. When citizens no longer believe the police are work ing in their best interest, the rule of law breaks down as police legitimacy fades away. The fundamental principles laid down by Sir Robert Peel in the mid-19th century stay true today; the law enforcement arm of government needs the support of citizens to be effective in the mission of deterring and combating crime. As policing evolves with new technology, the core of public satisfac tion and legitimacy of policing remains unchanged.

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10 FBINAA.ORG | Q4 2023