Political Era Discussion
During the political era, the police were involved in crime prevention and provided many social services. They were all about building and helping the community. In other words, they would support the homeless find shelter, provide basic health care at the stations, contain riots, help the immigrants find work, etc. These same police officers lived in the neighbourhoods they patrolled. However, things began to change, as politicians strongly influenced them. Besides, police officers intimacy with politicians shaped political dishonesty and bribery as patronage while at the same time resulted to policing department interference in matters concerning election (Cox, Massey, Koski & Fitch, 2018).
Without a lack of supervision of the officers, this was an easy outlet for police corruption. This resulted in both decentralization and disorganization. As the police got involved in politics, it took away their care for the community from being strongly influenced by the politicians. The police officers department became an instrument which allowed politicians to harden their influence through controlling political oppositions while assisting friends as well as allies (Cox, Massey, Koski & Fitch, 2018). Due to the community used to the police focusing on serving the citizens, this new level brought on confusion. Politics harm impartiality in policing because they began to run illegal operations. They are characterized by corruption and misuse of power in policing department to gain political influence and to remain in powers. The practice of political envelopment in policing remains even today, in spite of the efforts to eliminate some elements of political influence and is, undoubtedly, unmoving deeply-rooted in the police department. Politics in policing today involves police accountability (Cox, Massey, Koski & Fitch, 2018). Where the police are controlled in a democratic society in ways, it is not politically motivated it is unethical as their jobs are to be responsive to citizens and not beholden to the interests of politicians
Reference
Cox, S. M., Massey, D., Koski, C. M., & Fitch, B. D. (2018). Introduction to policing. Sage
Publications.