Help With Coursework

[Michelle_Smith]

When within any branch of the police force do they use assertiveness and be assertive and why is it important?

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Michelle_Smith

When within any branch of the police force do they use assertiveness and be assertive and why is it important?

When in a situation where members of the public are restless or rioting or when a victim of crime needs reassuring for instance.

[MovedGoalPosts]

In many instances something has happenned, the police arrive and need to take control to regain order from chaos, find out what actually happened, establish what is needed to resolve matters. Frequently both victim, offender, and other innocent bystanders are acting like headless chickens.

Of course people may not have actually done anything wrong. Traffic control around a sports event can be an example. Yet police must assert themselves, frequently calling out directions to pedestrians, as well as signalling traffic (making sure that the drivers are respecting the signals given) which means use of positive clear signs and even positioning oneself in a way that visibility is enhanced.

To gain control, Police have to assert their authority in order to take charge. Assertion implies standing forward and making your presence known. It involves clearly letting others know what you want, and what your intentions are. It involves making people around you look at you and take instructions from you.

The ability to assert oneself comes from understanding what you are about to do, the powers that are held (legally), and knowing where the line can be drawn. Even a victim of crime who is distressed, will look to the police as someone who knows what to do, for help, but the officer may have to assert themselves, to both provide that assistance, yet also coax information from the victim as to what is to be done next.

Assertion itself is a controlled attitude. In some instances very little effort need be made to draw attention, in others, such as disorder, assertion may need to be backed up not only with voice commands, body language and so on, but physical force (not force implies control, there is actually no such thing as excessive force).

They also have to be assertive to give off the impression to others that the police are capable and full of confidence of upholding the law.

To be assertive is to be confident about what you say and you are not frightened to what you want to say.