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Essay / The Social Dynamics of Police Use of Force problem surrounding the use of force by the police. In Graham v. Conner, for example, the courts established the four-factor test to evaluate excessive use of force by police, but left other underlying social and moral dilemmas intact. Furthermore, the influence of money in negotiating sanctions, through lawyers and bail, has made the courts an ideal playground for the political and social elite. Both have contributed to the inability of legal relations relating to coercive force to address some of the moral and social implications that the use of force entails. To understand and address these other problems inherent in the use of coercive force, we must examine the institution of policing itself. Eroded and almost non-existent social relations between police and the community contribute most to the problem of police use of force. In order to develop better relationships, the public perception must be established that the police are a legitimate source of authority. The loss of legitimacy of the police makes the increasing use of force inevitable, as citizens are less willing to comply voluntarily. Given the power and discretion they have, the first step in establishing legitimacy is to look to the officer selection process. When it comes to almost anything, even education, selection becomes more competitive as the expectations attached to that job increase. The qualifications and standards for getting into a community college differ significantly from those required for a prestigious university. Since the police are entrusted with great power and enormous work, this political game the courts can promote subliminally regarding lawyers and bail. We must look to the police to improve their interaction with citizens to promote voluntary cooperation, which can only be done by increasing their legitimacy. I turn to the police selection process to address the question of the legitimacy of officer selection beyond the status of “crime fighters.” Of course, this is not an easy thing to do. It is difficult to rectify the police selection process to be more precise in choosing officers, especially since often there are few exceptional candidates to choose from. This type of change would be a long-term aspiration that would take a lot of time and effort to achieve. Until then, the training of current officers should be changed where the Constitution and building community relations should be of paramount importance..
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