Law enforcement agencies do not control the narrative around the work they do, because they don’t have data/information to support it.
Community needs are expressed across a variety of channels (eg, calls for service, crime reports, online portals, etc), but it is not consolidated, analyzed, or applied in a way that informs or guides policing in terms of its efforts.
Agencies cannot report on how policing efforts support overall public safety, because the impact is not measured, understood, or tracked. Further, they cannot parse out individual efforts and determine which activities are more or less effective than others.
Agencies cannot speak to long-term impact of law enforcement efforts, because data systems between law enforcement agencies and court systems are disconnected and unsophisticated.
Institutions that cannot measure or explain their effectiveness lose control of their public narrative.
Police agencies:
- collect activity data
- but not outcome intelligence
Therefore:
- they cannot explain effectiveness
- cannot justify tactics
- cannot demonstrate impact
- cannot counter simplified narratives
So:
media narratives dominate by default.
Media and Social Media
Narrative around agencies, officers, and policing in general is primarily shaped by media and the vocal minority, and almost exclusively as a result of sensational, newsworthy, and/or negative events.
This means that agencies are constantly in response mode: they respond to issues only as they are brought into the spotlight by media outlets or viral social media posts and subsequent complaints.
Academic Institutions
Academic institutions who have taken an interest in law enforcement research projects have heavily favored research on public sentiment and evidence of bias in policing.
Could also be a side effect of limitations on available grants, funding, etc., and the implicit motives that come with those resources. Or, it could be the result of ‘clickbait’ style research and reporting.
Law enforcement agencies should also consider that this is a consequence of limited datasets and other similar constraints on the side of law enforcement agencies. If law enforcement agencies have more useful data to provide to academic institutions for research and analysis, they could produce useful insights and outcomes for all involved.