In many instances, the police department is the only agency that a citizen can turn to. Generally, dissatisfaction towards police in these and all other types of calls stems from several sources. The first, is a high degree of cynicism that appears to run through society today. Secondly, there is a great probability that the police will lack effectiveness, especially after a serious criminal violation. The damage is done and it appears that all an officer is doing is taking a report.
Many citizens interpret the professional police demeanor as insensitive and callous.
For a patrol officer, the incident he is investigating many be similar to hundreds of others that he has previously experienced. Unfortunately, in many communities there are not enough officers for the given population. The breakdown in communications inevitably leads to poor police-community relations. Clarence M. Kelley emphasizes the importance of a well trained, sensitive police officer. In dealing with the victims of crime, particularly in those instance where violence has occurred, the police officer should be prepared to exhibit, among other professional attributes, a high degree of sensitivity, compassion, and interview skills.