Police Legitimacy: What it Is and Why it Matters

Police legitimacy refers to the collective belief that the police are fair and effective in the performance of their duties. In a highly divided society, police legitimacy is the one thing nearly everyone can all agree on. For police, they want to trusted and respected by the communities they serve. For the community, they want to have faith in the officers entrusted to serve their community.

Community-oriented policing attempted to address this issue by building initiatives on the "co-production" of crime control, trying to prove to both the public and the police that their relationship was reciprocal and mutually beneficial. Unfortunately, there were many both in and out of law enforcement who did not take the idea seriously, and community-oriented policing simply became an empty buzzword or broken promise.

It might be perhaps that while community-oriented policing attempted to bridge the gap between police and communities, it only scratched the surface and failed to accurately demonstrate just how dire things could get when these relationships fractured. It's these fractured relationships that are directly responsible for law enforcement's current recruitment and retention crisis and what often lead the hesitation that many young adults have about entering a career in law enforcement. And for those within the profession, dwindling public sentiment is a serious cause of burnout and compromised mental wellness.

The road to restoring police legitimacy may seem daunting, but it is well worth traveling. It begins with law enforcement agencies taking a look in the mirror and being honest about the promises they have made and which ones have been kept. It continues with meaningful and uncomfortable conversations with our biggest critics. After all, growth comes from a profound state of discomfort.

Unfortunately, some departments have thrown up their hands and simply accepted that the relationship with their community is beyond repair. But this is incredibly dangerous, not just for the officers in departments who have resigned themselves to fractured relationships, but also to the agencies who are trying to build bridges.

If your agency feels like they are constantly under public scrutiny and don't know what to do next, Police Legitimacy Solutions, LLC offers Community Trust Assessments to gauge what's working and what can be improved. For many agencies, this can be the first simple step to a stronger relationship with the communities that serve alongside law enforcement agencies. To learn more about the Community Trust Assessment, click HERE to book your free, no obligation kickoff call.