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Senior Seminar Capstone Project

Elonda Meadows

Saint Leo University

CRM 499: Senior Seminar in Criminology

Professor Clark

March 19, 2020

Capstone Project

Chief of Police, whose purpose is typically that of a CEO of a police department. The

current policing challenge in Courtelaney Pass is the diversified community. The criminal justice

system in the small jurisdiction is to safeguard the community from drug trafficking and sales.

Besides, the criminal justice system is also to protect the lives and property of the community

(Mason, Maher, McCulloch, Pickering, Wickes, and McKay, 2017).

Nonetheless, such communities with a diverse population pose challenges when it comes

to policing. To begin with, the police force predominantly white, which makes the minority

groups unjustly treated. There tends to be discrimination against minority groups, which often

results in civil unrest.

The research required in the case of Courtelaney Pass is broad. It ranges from police

conduct to social perception—for instance, the investigation into why the police department is

predominantly white needs to be conducted. Although the town's pollution consists of 55 percent

white, it does not relate to the police force, which is 94 percent. Another research that needs to

be conducted is on the extent to which police are involved in crime prevention and control.

Besides, research needs to be undertaken on the competency of the police when it comes to

conducting investigations and facilitating safety in the town.

The situational report reveals a myriad of issues that affect the people of Courtelaney

Pass. One of the issues is poor service delivery to minority communities. Communities are faced

with high insecurity and reduced services from the police. Also, there is a high incidence of

traffic offenses among the minority groups, which implies that there is a likelihood of partial

administration of justice. There is also an issue in the recruitment of police as the department is
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consists of 94 percent white, which suggests that the minority groups are discriminated against

when it comes to joining the police agency. Aside from this, the town also has a drug problem

coupled with an immigration issue. Racism, prejudice, and discrimination are the principal

challenges underlying Courtelaney Pass. Besides, the city has also seen an increase in the crime

rate. A 35 percent rise in crime is alarming, which shows an incompetent police force that is

slacking on its administrative duties. There is also an underlying child kidnapping issue and a

homicide case that the town is facing, which remains unattended to owing to the three issues

affecting diversity in such cities.

When it comes to leadership traits, being a police chief is not an easy fete. Chief is

typically the head of the department; he or she is the face in public. Integrity, fairness, open-

mindedness, accessibility, commitment to diversity, and effective communication skills are

among the leadership traits that one ought to have (Bartkowiak-Théron and Asquith, 2015).

Police chiefs are managers, hence ought to possess managerial skills, people skills, and financial

skills. One also needs to be stern as he or she is an example to the subordinate officials within the

department, which ethical demands are another issue that as a chief of police has to deal with.

For instance, police chief needs to be considerate, impartial, and just. Showing favoritism,

engaging in corruption, taints the image of the police agency. It also promotes behavior among

other staff who tend to act as they see their bosses work. Consequently, police chiefs not only

need to exhibit excellent leadership skills but also ethical standards.

Annotated Bibliography

Ferguson, A. G. (2018). The Legal Risks of Big Data Policing. Criminal Justice, 33(2), 4-7.

The study analyses the legal problems that are associated with big data policing. It

outlines the risks as being connected to the invasion of privacies of people, constitutional
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liabilities, civil liabilities, corporate health, and the connections with the technologies. It is a

study that attempts to paint a picture of the impacts of technologies on the collection of data and

the subsequent legal problems linked with the collection of data.

Crawford, C. E. (2018). Spatial policing: The influence of time, space, and geography on law

enforcement practices. Carolina Academic Press.

The study looks at policing in a unique space. It defines a unique space as inner city, border

towns, and the college campus. The spatial differences presented in these spaces remain vitally

critical in understanding the spatial policing. The study looks at the influence that time, space,

and geography has on policing practices across the globe. It also looks at the missing contents

between the interactions and law enforcement.

Seele, P. (2017). Predictive Sustainability Control: A review assessing the potential to transfer

big data-driven 'predictive policing’to corporate sustainability management. Journal of

Cleaner Production, 153, 673-686.

Seele (2017) looks at the predictive sustainability control. It analyzes the potential to

transfer big data and apply the data in corporate sustainability management. It looks at the ethics

of the existing cases and the legal issues that are connected with the current circumstances. It

looked at six different themes that have been arranged and analyzed.

Van der Woude, M. (2018). Border policing in Europe and beyond: Legal and international

issues. In Comparative Policing from a Legal Perspective. Edward Elgar Publishing.

The study looks at globalization and the security issues that globalization has had in

Europe. The research has highlighted the border policing that exists in three leading jurisdictions.
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It looks at Germany, France, and the Netherlands. It uses the concept of state control and the

mobility of different individuals. It also analyzes the concept of checks that exist in different

countries. Therefore, the study is essential in understanding the cross-border policing.

Williams, P., & Kind, E. (2019). Data-driven Policing: The hardwiring of discriminatory

policing practices across Europe.

Williams and Kind (2019) present case studies of data-driven policing in different

countries. It looks at the discriminatory policing and the implications of these policing on the

laws. It critically analyzes the impacts that the data-driven policing has on the maintenance of the

rules and evidence. Therefore, it is an essential study in mapping discriminatory practices across

Europe.

Zhang, M., Bandara, A., Price, B., Pike, G., Walkington, Z., Elphick, C., ... & Nuseibeh, B.

(2020). Designing Technologies for Community Policing.

The study looks at the implication of technologies on community policing. It looks at

how the techniques can act as a barrier to community policing and how this makes it critical in

the policing. The most common aspect is the use of video technologies. It implies that modern

technologies remain vital for community planning.

Literature Review

The modern policing requires the use of advanced technologies. When technologies are

engaged in the collection of data, then it makes work more comfortable and more straightforward

(Zhang et al., 2020). When videos are included in the collection of data, then the visual

presentation and impression can be obtained. Thus, accuracy and precision can be enhanced by
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introducing modern technologies in policing (Zhang et al., 2020). The concept of information

technologies also necessitates the police to interact with big-data. Big-data is critical in the

corporate world. Therefore, crimes can be thwarted when there is an analysis based on big data

(Williams & Kind, 2019). The big-data policing remains vital in the process of reducing the

discriminatory policing in Europe (Williams & Kind, 2019). Thus, big-data policing remains

critical in solving several cases.

Modern technologies have also led to globalization. Globalization can be defined as a

situation where there is increased integration due to the increase in communication and

transportation across the globe. However, policing also requires careful planning based on

modern technologies. Crimes that's committed across the borders. The police are employing

different tactics to ensure that crimes are managed. In Europe, there is border policing.

Netherlands, Germany, and France are some of the countries that employ the cross-border

policing to maintain their security (Van der Woude, 2018). Management of security and policing

must follow the border rules. Different laws are applied across the borders that remain vital in

the process of ensuring that securities are maintained. Modern technologies are also connected to

big-data. Predicting crimes in the world also follows a model that can always be analyzed (Van

der Woude, 2018). Therefore, together with globalization, there is a threatening situation

connected to the globalization.

Contemporary studies are concerned with the use of technologies in policing. However,

some ethical and legal issues are connected with the use of technologies in policing. According

to Ferguson (2018), big data policing has some risks that are linked to constitutional liability,

infringement of the privacy of the people, and corporate health in different people. The legality

of the application of new technologies is also vital in understanding different situations. The
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validity of the use of technologies in policing has raised several issues. The ethical

considerations are also influenced in the course of handling the main points. There are

technologies based on predictive analysis (Seele, 2017).

To conclude, modern policing faces several challenges due to the legal and ethical issues.

Whereas the criminals are employed the advanced technologies, the police are unable to exploit

modern technologies. Globalization has remained one of the main activities that have ensured

that there are cross-border criminal activities. The current laws are always meant to protect

people from different areas. However, some jurisdictions have laws that do not match.

Consequently, the main ideas are not achieved. There is also a possibility of ethical issues and

legal issues in different territories.

References

Bartkowiak-Théron, I., & Asquith, N. L. (2015). Policing diversity and vulnerability in the post

-Macpherson era: Unintended consequences and missed opportunities. Policing: a

journal of policy and practice, 9(1), 89-100.

Mason, G., Maher, J., McCulloch, J., Pickering, S., Wickes, R., & McKay, C. (2017). Policing

hate crime: Understanding communities and prejudice. Taylor & Francis.

Executive Briefing Summary

Courtelaney Pass has been facing a policing issue. The municipality is experiencing

racial discrimination, prejudice and stereotyping aside from being a hotbed for drug trafficking

and immigration challenges. The policing challenges are attributable to a predominantly white

police force and a partly corrupt system. As seen, this is not a new challenge, as the issue of

police discrimination and injustice is reported in many US states and municipalities. Minorities

tend to receive poor policing services from the local police agencies. As a result, a new system of

administration needs to be employed in Courtelaney Pass. The police department needs to be

restructured to reflect the population of the town. Besides, a community policing approach needs

to be introduced in the department, as a way of modern policing t make the residents feel

engaged in the criminal justice process.

Importance of Forensic Evidence

Forensic evidence is significant because it helps to find out whether potential suspects are

innocent or guilty (Robertson, Vignaux, and Berger, 2016). It is likewise valuable for connecting

wrongdoings, which enables the establishment of patterns of violations and furthermore reduces

the number of suspects. Forensic evidence helps law enforcement agencies understand

wrongdoings through the assortment, conservation as well as investigation of evidence. For

instance, cases where there are no witnesses, prosecutors rely on forensic evidence. On the off

chance that human remains have rotted so much that they can never again be recognized,

forensic evidence comes in to study dental work, DNA and skeletal structure to identify the body

(Robertson et al., 2016). Besides, forensic evidence can assist in establishing the cause of death.
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Forensic evidence is often used in rape cases or drug-related cases. It used to establish DUI

(Driving Under Influence) following an accident, or whether an individual’s death was as a result

of poisoning. DNA recovered from a casualty's body can likewise discover who was responsible

for physical or sexual abuse. Also, forensic evidence is important in weapon testing as it can

determine the impact of the bullets, and position of the shooter, among things.

Processes for Collecting Forensic Evidence

The process of collecting forensic evidence begins with recognition. This entails looking

for any physical evidence related to the case. During the collection, recording needs to be done

as well (Robertson et al., 2016). There are several ways through which recording can be

actualized. Photographs, video and voice recordings and written notes are often used. The

process of recording is to ensure that the evidence collected is reliable and can stand up in court.

Packaging of evidence is the next process. The packaging is done depending on the type of

evidence. All evidence needs to be collected and packaged and copies of the original made to be

used in investigations. Appropriate packaging ensures that the evidence is not destroyed or

tampered with. Marking physical evidence with exhibit numbers is the subsequent process for

future reference before it is safely preserved and stored (Robertson et al., 2016).

Components of a Citizen Advisory Council

A Citizen Advisory Council is a group of individuals appointed to assess public issues

and come up with alternative solutions by way of comprehensive interactions. The members are

a reflection of the general public and its diversity and champion for their interests. Credible

members from the African-American and Latino communities need to be incorporated. They

offer advice to law enforcement agencies, do research and develop recommendations that inform
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public policies. Citizen Advisory Councils are developed to build trust in the law enforcement

agencies in areas where it has been eroded like in Courtelaney Pass. Restoring trust is the first

step towards implementing a community-policing strategy that is greatly needed in the

municipality.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leadership motivates individuals to accomplish surprising or

momentous outcomes. It gives employees independence over explicit employments, just as the

position to settle on choices once they have been trained. Some of the fundamental qualities of

transformational leadership are rousing, in that the leader, in this case, the Chief of Police, can

move junior officers to discover better methods for carrying out policing; activation, since he has

the power to train them into bunches that can complete work, and confidence (Fisher and

Phillips, 2015). In this regard, transformational leaders raise the prosperity and inspiration level

of a community through great rapport. Besides transformational leadership is a great approach to

address conflicts. These basic characteristics make transformational leadership an effective fit for

the Chief of Police at Courtelaney Pass Municipality.

Community Engagement Strategy

Through community-policing, a community engagement strategy that fosters trust is

encouraged. Christian communities value a society where truth comes first. Trust is lacking in

Courtelaney Pass, as such, the socially, the community is irresponsible. The police department at

the municipality needs to implement community engagement to empower the department to learn

about the importance of including the community in policing (Fisher and Phillips, 2015).

Community engagement allows organizational and government leaders to take on roles as

facilitators, supporters, and collaborators; offering them enhanced perspectives while giving a

stronger voice to local citizens as well as other external partners. Community engagement entails

embracing contemporary diversity to ensure a healthy environment. Besides, it expands the

influence of the department positively rather than being seen as a bigot agency encouraging

racism and discrimination

References

Fisher, A. C., & Phillips, J. M. (2015). Quo Vadis: A New Direction for Police Leadership

Through Community Engagement? In Police Services (pp. 29-44). Springer,

Cham.

Robertson, B., Vignaux, G. A., & Berger, C. E. (2016). Interpreting evidence: evaluating

forensic science in the courtroom. John Wiley & Sons.