Homeland security presents a threat to community policing

Since the late 1980s, police departments across the United States have been adopting the philosophy of community policing, a proven strategy that resulted in an almost 20 year decline in crime rates.

Community policing is a philosophy based on community empowerment and involvement. The police and the public are encouraged to work together to identify problems in the community, develop solutions to those problems and thus prevent crime. Citizens not only work directly with police but understand they too have a responsibility to protect themselves and their community.

Community policing recognizes that the beliefs and desires of one community may be vastly different from another. Community policing rejects a "one size fits all" approach to policing, and the public is encouraged to shape their local law enforcement to meet the expectations of their particular community. This local control model thrived until a single event completely transformed our philosophy toward policing.

In response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a series of laws and new agencies were quickly established in the interest of what became known as "homeland security." Almost immediately, local police agencies abandoned the effective crime control models of community policing to adopt this federally coordinated, militaristic approach to social control.

This militarization of local police has dramatically changed the relationship between law enforcement and communities. Police are evolving into agents of government agendas rather than guardians of their local community. Reports of police raids against dairy farmers, homeschoolers, gun owners, web bloggers and other politically incorrect groups have become more common.

In 2009 it was revealed that the Missouri Information Analysis Center had established a watch list for suspected domestic terrorists. Simply owning guns or supporting Ron Paul for president could land you on the list. We now have "milk raids" in which SWAT teams have stormed dairy farms that market items to customers who prefer unpasteurized dairy. The government's definition of a domestic terrorist has greatly expanded.

I've witnessed a growing fear and distrust of police as this philosophical change has become more evident. Proposed limitations on free speech, Internet monitoring and additional gun control will only further deteriorate the public's trust and confidence in law enforcement. We must return to a community-based, problem oriented approach where law enforcement works for our community's interest, not for the interests of federal bureaucrats.

Shawn Westbrooks is an instructor of criminal justice at Three Rivers Community College.