Most Important

Name
Professor
Course
Date
Most Important
The most critical concept in policing is police professionalism. It entails preparation to perform police functions, discipline, and structured career advancement, the extent of public operations, formal training and specialization (Kraska 4). A police force is a paramilitary organization by nature and is therefore expected to be highly professional. According to Kraska, (7) more frequently than not, police forces are a by-product of military regiments, where police officers are recruited directly from the military or have some military training in their background. As an outcome, changing this image poses a challenge to many police officers. Police response to social needs may become futile when it faces the problem described by Haberfeld’s question “to enforce or not to enforce, that is the question” (4). But once we agree that laws need to be enforced to maintain public order, then we ask ourselves a different question “how do we enforce?” (Haberfeld 4). It is at this point that the police showcase their professionalism by not acting as a paramilitary organization, instead, as a police force whose primary goal is to maintain social order and public safety.
I selected police professionalism because it covers all the other themes required in policing. When a police officer undergoes training and becomes qualified, he or she will take policing as a profession and not as any other job. Professionalism will lessen senseless murders in shootouts and advance on police self-control hence create an advanced law enforcement agency that is keener on upholding public safety.

Proper preparation will ensure that the cops cut on the use of vigor thus not perceived by the people as a military within the police force. Human rights will be respected by the police and overreaction caused by the threat of terrorism will reduce. If the government ensures that all cops are professionals, we will be assured of a calmer and safer nation.

Works Cited
Kraska, Peter B., ed. Militarizing the American criminal justice system: The changing roles of the armed forces and the police. UPNE, (2001): 4-8.
Haberfeld, Maria R. Critical issues in police training. Vol. 22. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, (2002): 3-6.