LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SOCIETY 1
Law Enforcement and Society
Jennifer Shea Ruark
Daymar College
Author Note
I conducted online interviews in lieu of family surveys because I do not have access to
family (adults) at this time. I gave the questionnaire to seventeen volunteers and chose the ones
used in this paper because of the diversity of their backgrounds. Participants were chosen before
I looked at the answers given.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SOCIETY 2
Abstract
The following questions were presented to participants. Their responses follow.
Responses are listed exactly as given to me. Any grammatical or spelling errors are those of the
participants, not my own.
1. Do you believe relationship between the community and the police exists? If so why
or why not?
2. Do you feel the recent incidents in the news (Ferguson, MO, South Carolina, and
Baltimore) has affected the relationship with the community and the police?
3. Should the government limit the usage of military equipment to law enforcement
personnel?
4. The term racial profiling has been a hot topic of discussion. What is racial profiling
and does it occur today?
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SOCIETY 3
CHRIS F
Question one. I believe that overall…like a collective…whole US encompassing….the answer
would be no. The younger generation ONLY believes what they see on the internet. The number
of “bad cop videos” vastly outnumber the “good” ones. However…if we look at smaller
communities…rural…I think you find that on a case by case..area by area basis…you will find a
strong bond with police.
Question two. Absolutely. I don’t believe…IMO…that it has ANYTHING at all to do with the
actual facts in these cases….but much more of “spin” put in them by the media and social media.
Question three. I don’t think the government should tell ANYONE what type of weapons they
are allowed to own. I know it been said over and over…but the right to bear arms is to stop a
potentially tyrannical government. Limiting weapons is the FIRST step in making it possible for
the government to take control of an area. I have found that the people who don’t want police
…or private citizens…to own certain types of weapons are a) liberal Hollywood nut jobs or b)
people who don’t want the police to have weapons better than they have because it makes it
harder on them to rob or kill innocent people.
LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SOCIETY 4
Racial profiling will exist until the end of time. Whether it be by police or regular people. We
can say that we don’t see color or that we “weren’t raised like that” but the hard truth of the
matter….that deep down buried twinge we have when we see someone else of a different
race….exists in EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. It’s how we act upon that feeling that
matters. In a police situation….law enforcement….it’s a lose lose kinda deal. The facts state that
more crimes are committed by certain races. We …now more than ever….don’t wanna face and
or talk/discuss this……but truth ….no matter how the younger generation has tried to bastardize
it….is truth. If I personally am in that situation….yes…I’m going to racially profile every single
person I come into contact with. If it’s the difference between a crime being committed….I’m
going to do my job to the best of my ability. Unfortunately that may mean….watching a certain