Discretion can be a two-edged sword for everyone. What may seem right to one, can be completely wrong for another. Not all police departments operate under the same manner. The priorities and policies are at times different because of demographic and size. There are many factors that can lead to the officer's discretion. The officer, knowing his community should be aware of the victim characteristic, neighborhood characteristics and the law. Discretion should be used by police officers.

There are no two towns or communities alike. The officer needs to know the people in his area that he is patrolling. A lot of bad things can be prevented just by the officer being visible in his community and getting to know the people that he is serving. In a small town it is much easier because it gets to the point where everyone feels like family. He knows the nature and habits of his people. If there are problems and the police are needed, he would already be aware of the person that he is fixing to encounter.

Discretion of police officers is not limited to just enforcement of the law; it is a power force in the other police roles of public service and order maintenance. Discretion is necessary to effective law enforcement because police procedures are not always clearly defined in law and because a community's laws may differ from current norms. (Reed,B.)

Knowing the characteristics of the victim is more difficult in a larger city. There is not a lot of one on one to get to know your community people. The characteristics of the policeman and the victims come into play for discretion. Is the policeman the right person for that neighborhood? 

Are there racial barriers that other personnel should be brought in to help with the situation before a decision is made?

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Your insights highlight the complexity of police discretion acknowledging that what works in one com... View the full answer