Carleton University’s Linda Duxbury, a professor in the Sprott School of Business, contributed to a report released today by the Council of Canadian Academies entitled Policing Canada in the 21st Century: New Policing for New Challenges. The report details the complexity and global nature of policing in the modern age.
The expert panel of authors was assembled at a time of mounting concern over the rising cost of Canada’s police, recognition that crime is becoming increasingly complex, and the need to have multiple players involved in providing safety and security for society.
The report addresses external and internal challenges facing Canada’s police. Key findings include:
- Demands on police have changed significantly over time,
- Cutbacks in other services (i.e. closure of mental health hospitals) means police are often the service of last resort — even if calls are not criminal in nature.
- Police activities should not be considered in isolation, but as part of a safety and security web including health care, housing, transportation and education.
- The focus on crime statistics is misleading and much of what the police do now is not counted in these statistics.
The report also reviews opportunities for responding to these challenges both within individual police organizations and across the police system as a whole.
The full report is available for download, free of charge, on the Council’s website (www.scienceadvice.ca).
Quote:
“I was delighted to be asked to serve on a panel looking at the challenges facing police services in Canada today and the implications these challenges have on both the police and the communities they serve. The report articulates the issues and sets the stage for an informed dialogue on issues around the economics of policing.” Duxbury
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