Reflection On 21st Century Skills

Running head: REFLECTION ON 21ST CENTURY SKILLS 1
Reflection on Developing Law Enforcement Skills for the 21st Century
LEPS 599
Juan C. Espinoza
University of San Diego
Weebly Link:
https://jcespinoza.weebly.com/
REFLECTION ON 21ST CENTURY SKILLS 2
The University of San Diego Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership Master’s
Program helps to identify and develop skills that aim to drive success in the contemporary
environment in which law enforcement is rooted. The goals, charge, and expectations placed
upon modern day law enforcement have gone far beyond the mere requirement of keeping the
peace or enforcing the laws of society, necessitating a wide range of skills be possessed by each
individual officer. Present-day law enforcement officers must be equipped to fulfill a multitude
of roles including social worker, warrior, interpreter of law, teacher, and community liaison,
amongst others. Similarly, the preparation and training required to get law enforcement
professionals ready to function in the real world is constantly improving, evolving, and changing
to reflect the most current and acceptable industry standards. Success in the field of modern law
enforcement, then, may be characterized by the industry, agency, and individual ability to adapt
to the ever changing climate and expectations levied upon them.
This thematic program learning objective, Developing Law Enforcement and Public
Safety Knowledge and Skills for the 21st Century is reflected in my work through addressing
issues that are currently confronting law enforcement both in the field and within their agencies;
including theoretical exercises based upon the principles necessary for practical application.
Thematic representations within the whole of my works include dealing with present and
ongoing challenges to the effective operation of a law enforcement agency, accepting and
utilizing statistical analysis to modernize patrol methods and resource allocation, and taking
appropriate action as a police administration when facing the challenges of external pressures
placed upon the department head in response to high profile situations. As the effectiveness and
efficiency of policing is addressed through developing new skills, it is imperative as always, that
a heavy focus be placed on having a strong ethical foundation from which to build upon.
I have chosen the following selection of works because they serve as a reflection of the
some of the new and important challenges law enforcement faces as a result of the evolution in
technology and changing laws regarding the storage and dissemination of police records. The
first selected work “Communicating with the Public” conducts an in-depth analysis of a real life
situation encountered by the Mountain View, California, Police Department as a result of having
contacted the suspect of an active shooter situation that occurred in a neighboring jurisdiction,
less than 24 hours before the incident occurred. The paper highlights the admirable job and fine
balancing act performed by Mountain View PD between transparent disclosure of information
and protection of civil right and confidential information.
The second selected work “Law Enforcement in Cyberspace” is a real life snapshot of the
Soledad Police Department’s online presence at a specific point in time, late 2019. The paper,
which is written in the form of a memorandum to the then Chief of Police, takes a specific look
at the operation and reach of the department’s various internet based outreach efforts, and lack
thereof, through social media outlets and police department website. As a result of this
memorandum, several wide-sweeping changes were made to the Soledad Police Department’s
online outreach efforts, which were expanded and made more efficient and user friendly.
The final selected work deals with the California Public Records Act and how the
Soledad Police Department planned to bring operations within compliance by the state
established deadline of January 2020. This rapid and substantial change was forced upon all law
enforcement agencies within the state of California through the passage of legislation. Since the
requirements were vague at best and little to no guidance was provided to individual agencies,
the responsibility of navigating each agency to the path of compliance fell to the command staff
of every department.
References
Kilmer, Beau, Susan S. Sohler Everingham, Jonathan P. Caulkins, Greg Midgette, Rosalie
Liccardo Pacula, Peter H. Reuter, Rachel M. Burns, Bing Han, and Russell Lundberg,
(2014). How Big Is the U.S. Market for Illegal Drugs?. Santa Monica, CA: RAND
Corporation,. Retrieved from https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9770.html.
Kilmer, Beau and Kleiman, Mark A. R. (December 4, 2018). Navigating Cannabis Legalization
2.0. The Hill. Retrieved from https://www.rand.org/blog/2018/12/navigating-cannabis-
legalization-20.html.
Dills, A., Goffard, S., & Miron, J. (2016). Dose of Reality: The Effect of State Marijuana
Legalizations. Cato Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.cato.org/publications/policy-
analysis/dose-reality-effect-state-marijuana-legalizations
Muskos, P. (2008) Cop in the Hood: My Year Policing Baltimore’s Eastern District. Princeton,
New Jersey: Princeton University.
Levitt, Stephen. (February 2004). The Freakonomics of Crack Dealing. Ted. Retrieved from
https://www.ted.com/talks/steven_levitt_analyzes_crack_economics?language=en

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Running head: REFLECTION ON 21ST CENTURY SKILLS 1

Reflection on Developing Law Enforcement Skills for the 21st Century

University of San Diego

to the ever changing climate and expectations levied upon them.

balancing act performed by Mountain View PD between transparent disclosure of information

and protection of civil right and confidential information.

Corporation,. Retrieved from https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9770.html.

2.0. The Hill. Retrieved from https://www.rand.org/blog/2018/12/navigating-cannabis-

Legalizations. Cato Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.cato.org/publications/policy-

New Jersey: Princeton University.

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