Soft skills necessary for police in execution of their duties

THE recent reports of women claiming they were harassed by policemen at roadblocks set up under the movement control order (MCO) have raised questions on the integrity of law enforcement in this country.

The nature of law enforcement demands that police officers interact appropriately with different people at any given time in a variety of situations. This requires skills which the officers may not have acquired during their professional training.

To be truly effective in their line of duty, police officers must have empathy and compassion. Empathy is the ability to understand and share someone else’s feelings.

It allows a deeper appreciation of what other people are experiencing, leading to more positive interactions and communication between both sides.

Compassion begins where empathy leaves off. If empathy is understanding and sharing of the other person’s feelings, then compassion means putting that understanding into action.

Treating individuals with compassion, whether they are witnesses, victims or suspects, helps build rapport and calms dangerous or traumatic situations. Compassion is perhaps the most important attribute for modern police officers in their daily interactions with the public.

At times, a police officer would have to deal with individuals who just want to be heard. Whether they are victims of a crime or community members looking for solutions to specific issues, police officers have to be active listeners to make their audience feel appreciated and understood.

The day-to-day job of a police officer is far from predictable. In fact, each call for service is often fluid and dynamic. Police officers should be flexible and adaptable not only to the changing social climate and evolving technologies but also to individual situations as they unfold. They must be able to anticipate, adapt and overcome challenges in order to provide real service to their communities.