Ironically as well, few people remember the names of the emergency room physician who may well have saved their life, yet the family doctor is often viewed as a hero - just as the motor patrol officer often feels he or she is not fully appreciated, while CPO's typically earn high praise from the people they serve. Though their daily caseload may likely include more sore throats than heart attacks, if they are doing their job well, they may prevent many of their patients from suffering the kind of serious illness that would bring him or her to the emergency room. Police departments that fail to heed this message risk driving citizens to vigilantism or into paralytic apathy - or they may find the private sector called in to provide the service for profit. Abandoning such functions to the private sector not only raises concerns about accountability and protection of civil rights, but it also means public police departments could see an erosion of police authority, clout and respect within the community. Just as medical students must decide where their interests and abilities lie, police academies and police departments should counsel candidates into the jobs that suit them best.
Different jobs require different skills and personalities and each job deserves proper respect.
The medical profession has made great strides in providing the American people the health care they need and deserve. Police now have the opportunity to do the same. Dr. Robert Trojanowicz is director of the National Neighborhood Foot Patrol Center at Michigan State University, where he is also director of the School of Criminal Justice. Currently, Trojanowicz is on leave as a research fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.