Police Legitimacy Notes Essay

Effectiveness of the police fin eachy depends on their legitimacy. 1st b/c the moral paradox cardinal the police hold of nonnegotiable coercive puff can be dogged only if police actions ar qualitatively distinct from other actors use of force. 2nd b/c people tend to obey countenance out of respect for its legitimacy more than out of fear of its power. great police legitimacy decreases the need for nonnegotiable coercive intervention it also builds agile community support for police efforts. -Perceptions of legitimacy carry more weightiness w/ the public than effectiveness of enforcement. -Tyler, Tom 88) Tyler and Huo (2001) perceived legitimacy of the police and perceived fairness/favorability of outcomes carry equal weight in citizens bridal of officers decisions. The amazing transformation of LAPD 76% of Latinos and 68% of blacks now give LAPD dictatorial grades (LA Times, 2009 poll) Weber- Tragedy of Power At some point, force is inevitably obligatory to preserve peace and social order. GRAHAM v. CONNOR * The police use of force is a perennial reminder of the fundamental imperfection of the tragedy of power. * When all else fails, people call the cops (Egon Bittner) this is b/c the police role is in the end define by their monopoly on the right to use nonnegotiable coercive force. We desire on the police precisely because of this monopoly yet at the same time, we are repulsed by its underlying harsh reality. Leads Us To Mary-Douglas Purity and Danger * We take to be dirty work as necessary but are repelled by those who do it so there is a moral ambiguity of force, which means that force is sometime necessary, but the decision to use it and judging the uttermost of its use are inherently unclear.