Crime is often a topic of national interest, particularly around a campaign season, but for all the debate and political bluster, law enforcement remains a local issue. DeSales University recently hosted a forum discussing the state of policing in the Lehigh Valley, attended by its criminal justice majors and inquisitive residents.

Speakers included four experienced leaders in local departments, who took audience questions and shared their perspectives on challenges and technologies that are rapidly changing procedure and response.

The tipping point for a sea change in American policing was the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020. That incident, one of many nationwide in which officers used a questionable amount of force with a black man in their custody, was witnessed by hundreds and streamed endlessly on the internet. It led to protests, riots and widespread calls for police and social justice reform.

“There were significant struggles. People were hurting after such a horrific act took the country to its knees – literally,” said Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Kott. “It really caused law enforcement to get out in the community and meet people and show people that we can hear their concerns. I think a lot of times community members feel like they’re not heard by law enforcement, and it was a great opportunity after a horrific circumstance to reset and get back to what the roots of law enforcement need to be – serving the community.”

Bethlehem Lt. William Audello said it was a trying time for police. “It was difficult for us to wrap our minds around the fact that we have to accept the guilt for something that we weren’t involved in because if we don’t, there will be no healing. At the time I think I had to swallow my pride and understand that this was bigger than my ego.”

In 2020, Audello was the police union steward and Kott had been at the chief’s desk only three months. They were inundated with meeting requests from community organizations. “I don’t know how many committees we were involved in, but we really just had to sit down and have normal human conversations.” Residents learned about police procedures and operations, that some concerns stirred up by violent incidents in other states were unfounded. People demanding the department not conduct no-knock warrants or use chokeholds against detainees learned those procedures have not been taught or used in the city for many years.

Kott said the meetings and community-centered policing, from herself down to patrol sergeants, fostered new trust between residents and officers. “Contact builds relationships.”

Lehigh University Sgt. Kyle Fisher agreed. “Sometimes our community members don’t want us to talk – they want us to listen. At Lehigh we have a lot of perspective meetings with community members just going over what they are feeling. Being able to have that self-reflection is very important. Sometimes that’s the only way you can build that trust. The individual patrol officer’s power to influence perspective on police cannot be overstated. One officer can do so much by going out and talking with people, treating people with dignity and respect. One officer can change the whole state of policing in America today.”

Trends and

technology

Crime is down these days, the speakers said, thanks at least in part to rising technology – monitoring and home protection on a massive public scale. However, the speed with which technology is developing is proving a boon to crime prevention and solving, but a morass for legal strategy and departmental funding.

Incidents of violent crimes such as burglaries are falling, while electronic scams using email, calls and texts are spiraling. Assaults are up, except they are not against residents but against responding officers. Home security systems and Ring cameras are solid deterrents, and with the addition of public safety cameras, license plate identifying systems and mobile phone tracking, finding persons of interest in short order is easier than ever, but the use of these resources may not yet be covered under procedure and law.

Bodycams might soon use AI to write incident reports of what they recorded, but each new application needs programmers, maintenance, oversight, and legal qualification. Warrants are required to hunt electronic crime, and 99 percent of it is coming from other countries.

Said Audello, “Tech is way ahead of the courts.”

Northampton Community College Public Safety Chief Keith Morris said the same, stressing that police don’t have the option of slowing down because criminals are advancing as well.

Today’s challenge to policing

“The last six years have been horrific for police officers,” Morris said, and modern challenges are accounting for early retirements, poor retention and lackluster recruitment. The strain of the job has intensified since Floyd and COVID, and police officers are the first around when there’s a problem, and they must contend with every conceivable scenario while being subjected to violence, disrespect and lawsuits. Rather than remaining on the job for 30 or 40 years, they retire at 20 and find other, higher-paying jobs with far less stress.

“It’s not about being macho,” said Audello. Officers face traumatic experiences daily and there are high expectations versus the mental health help available.

“We’re struggling to find qualified applicants,” Kott said. “We offer overtime but we don’t want personnel burnout.”

With those considerations in mind, the speakers agreed the work is gratifying.

Fisher said, “If you have the right attitude, it’s the best job you can work. It’s the greatest job, but you have to have the correct motives. Reach out to an officer or apply for an internship. Make sure you have the heart for it.”

Audello said, “For me it’s a sense of duty. It’s real easy to be the complainer, to point out all the problems with the world, the problems with this country. We do our best. Sometimes it’s appreciated and sometimes it’s not, but that’s not why you do it. It’s meaningful. You have purpose in your life. I know this is what I was meant to do.”

Said Kott, “If you want to serve your community, step up.”