power and conflict

Because of the disparate underlying objectives and underlying ideas, the community and the law enforcement have distinct perspectives on power.

Their varying expectations lead to disputes, and the consequences could be negative due mostly to the failure to resolve disagreements. Since community members are the ones most impacted by this issue, many circumstances have led to such negative effects for them.

For instance, the law enforcement agencies have varying degrees of awareness of power-sharing when it comes to decision-making and the pooling of resources, not to mention the community members. Each of them has their different angles of making decisions, and this automatically leads to conflicts between the two parties. There should be a collective insight of power that all parties believe in and adhere entirely otherwise conflicts will arise more often. Furthermore, ways of conflict resolution should be sought to avoid the impacts of the different perception of power by the community and those in law.

Factors Contributing to the Conflicts

Police-community relations have been a significant spotlight that needs to be dealt with given the effects it has on the community at large. How the members of the community and the police relate forms the basis of power rendering that is perceived differently by the two. There are therefore many factors that have resulted in conflicts due to the same.

Nature of Policing

The law enforcement has a virtually different ways of rendering power to the members of the community through various actions directed at them (Cao, Frank & Cullen, 2016). The enormous potential that the police use affects those in the community at large. For instance, when there arises a problem, the force the police use could be more than the expectations of the community members. It, therefore, results in conflicts between the members of the community and the law enforcement.

According to Speere and Hughey (2013), how the community regards the exercise by the law enforcement determines the presence of conflicts (p.749). For instance, when the community believes that the actions by the police are not legitimate, conflicts arise but when they properly look at them, then the there will be no conflicts.

Conflict Situations Due to Power Perception

A significant impact on power perception is conflicted. There are various ways in which it disagreements between the law enforcement and the community arise. When the members of the community expect the police to render specific actions to a given limit, there is a possibility of a clash amongst them. For instance, when the police are supposed to get involved in some activities or happenings in the society, and yet they try to solve the issues with force, crisis commences. An example is where they are not expected to use power when there is a demonstration in the community. If the police go against what the community believes in, then it is purely detrimental. It can even go to the extent of being fatal. In his book, Sullivan (2015) puts forth that the most common sources of complaints to the law enforcement are that the police use excessive force to the members of the community and illegal searches (80).

Challenges to Conflict Resolution

In the process of maintenance of law and order, conflicts arise when there is no mutual understanding between the law enforcement and the community members. However, ways of conflict resolution have been devised which allows both parties to sit down and reach a standard solution. Some challenges come by while entering into such settlements which are caused by the perception of power by the community members. They, to some, extent, feel that the police have no moral authority to take action some of the things. They believe that the law enforcement only has to act on some of the issues and others are left to be solved by the members. According to Rubin (2017), the relational theory of power is the entity to exercise power (p.78). He further describes it as the ability of the people to do their will despite the resistance or the challenge faced. The book goes on to explain those in power about the theory as the power they render is the exact will or intention. It, therefore, gives an insight into how those in power should be able to act. The perception that the community should have on them should be a standard thing with those in law. Such understanding brings problems while reaching into conflict resolution. The way they perceive power entirely interferes with the process of finding solutions to the conflicts.

Conflict Resolution Strategies

Conflict resolution is a necessary process to reach into a standard solution to the crisis that affects the law enforcement and the community members. Strategies should be formulated to be undertaken in doing the same. For instance, those in power should come up with a plan to assemble the community members and the police to sit down and talk about the actions that both sides should take to solve all the problems. The community should be willing to obey and avoid getting involved in circumstances that will force the police to use force. On the other hand, the police or the law enforcement should be willing to avoid using excessive force while acting or performing their duties. They should be able to treat each community member with respect desired other than just forcing them and bribing them. Discussion between the two parties forms an integral part of the resolution. Also, third parties can be involved in solving problems. For instance, concerning those in authority to talk to the members of the community and the police.

Outcome of Conflict Resolution Strategy

Various ways of conflict resolution like the discussion of written communication lead to multiple results. The outcome of conflict resolution is positive, and all the parties involved can reach into a common understanding, and a solution to the problem is reached. When the leaders talk to the members of the community, they will be able to understand the role of the law enforcement and the actions the police are supposed to undertake when solving problems that pertain to them. Also, when the two parties involve themselves in a discussion, they will be able to come up with a final solution to the conflicts and agreements on specific issues reached.

In conclusion

The community members and the law enforcement perceive power in different ways and due to that conflicts stir up between the two. The crisis looms when especially the law enforcement fails to honor what the people believe in. Their expectations are way too different from those that are rendered by the police, and they are not able to tolerate. Instead, conflicts arise amongst them. Conflict resolution has to be sought to offset the imbalance of power perception of the two parties. It, therefore, calls for stringent strategies to oversee and solve the disagreements.

References

Cao, L., Frank, J., & Cullen, F. T. (2016). Race, community context, and confidence in the police. American journal of police, 15(1), 3-22.

Rubin, E. L. (2017). Rethinking politics and law of a modern state. Princeton N. J.: Princeton University Press, 76-81

Speer, P. W., & Hughey, J. (2013). Community organizing: An ecological route to empowerment and power. American journal of community psychology, 23(5), 729-748.

Sullivan, L. E. (2015). Law Enforcement. Thousand Oaks: Sage, 14(7) 80-84