Accountability. You've heard the word. You know it's a good thing. You know we need it in New Orleans. But what is it? And how can we get it?
Accountability: "It is a fundamental principal of a democratic society that the police should be held to account for their actions. Accountability includes both what the police do and how they perform. Agency-level accountability involves the performance of law enforcement agencies with respect to controlling crime and disorder and providing services to the public (National Institute of Justice, 1999). Individual-level accountability involves the conduct of police officers with respect to lawful, respectful, and equal treatment of citizens."- Samuel Walker, National Institute of Justice
Walker's analysis of police accountability focuses on the following set of accountability procedures:
- Having firm policies regarding the authority involved in the office of a police officer
- Encouraging supervisors to routinely monitor officers
- Regulated evaluations of individual officer performance
- Programs that are designed to intercept performance problems before they begin
- Strict policies relating to allegations of misconduct or infractions by officers
These procedures could serve as a basis for encouraging transparency within the N.O.P.D. Although the force is strained in the post-Katrina environment, policies on hiring should not become more flexible. It is important to ensure that each new officer hired passes rigorous background checks, psychological testing, and intensive training courses before they are permitted to join the force. Each officer, even those that have been in the force for many years, should be trained annually about the meaning and importance of being a police officer. The more these officers understand the significance behind their position and how imperative accountability is to what they do, the more likely they are to not only move away from corruption, but also to encourage their fellow officers to follow their example. This is what we call in international development projects, a bottom up approach to solving a problem. This means that the education is done from within a community, rather than from a higher source (which is called a top down approach).
Supervisors should also be monitoring their officers more carefully and doing routine performance evaluations. The officers who do not meet strict standards, including mental, physical, and emotional evaluations, should not be allowed to serve within the force. Officers should also be required to participate in anti-corruption diversion programs that would be targeted at stopping corruption before it occurs. These programs could include subjects such as safety, financial management, community involvement, youth education, and disaster management. Strict consequences, such as probation and loss of privileges, should be implemented for any allegations of misconduct. Officers who have been accused of serious crimes, such as murder and rape, should not be allowed to return to the force.
No comments:
Post a Comment