The Role of Music and Municipal Law Enforcement Officers
Music is one of the most powerful forms of entertainment, and a means through which some of the greatest moments in modern history have been influenced. Of more than 4,000 participants in a survey conducted by the National Drug & Alcohol Abuse Center, an astounding 86% confided that they have turned to music to help them cope with stress and other challenges in their life. Music, like a municipal enforcement officer, can be used to shape an entire community with the message it conveys to its audience. Individuals and communities can be touched by music in a variety of ways. Maybe a person is facing a significant life change and finds the courage to move forward due to a song’s lyrics. Perhaps someone wanders into a hip-hop concert on a whim and ends up on stage freestyling with emcees that are now household names. Regardless of the situation, music is used to connect with people and to encourage them to persevere through their circumstances.
When imparting social ideas, this is not unlike the role of a compassionate municipal law enforcement officer. When assisted by a compassionate and approachable municipal law enforcement officer, connections between law enforcement and the community can be enhanced. Like music, municipal law enforcement officers must also be cognizant of their audience. A strict approach to a public service center with a diverse patron group may alienate individuals of various backgrounds, while a community volleyball party may benefit from a “hands-off” stance that allows humanity to prevail naturally. Like musicians, municipal law enforcement officers must communicate in a way that resonates with their surroundings.
Musicians can often act as the collective “voice of a generation,” and municipal law enforcement officers can act similarly, educating members of the surrounding community. Gang violence, organized crime, and racial prejudice have long been addressed through music, and talented artists unite with those who share these concerns through lyrics that raise awareness. For a municipal law enforcement officer, this often means taking this message to another level through public service. Furthermore, as with any good artist, musical tastes are varied from venue to venue. Authors and creators are regularly forced to find new ways to reach those that may not find their content on their own. This is similar in the municipal context: municipal law enforcement officers must increasingly think outside of the box, for example by reaching teens on digital platforms like Instagram that offer unique opportunities to connect.
Musical artists are not the only individuals to use their talents for civil change; several popular artists have taken on the role of poet, actor, writer, or activist, using their talents to address a variety of controversial issues. This is not altogether different from the role of a municipal law enforcement officer, who often bears the responsibility of acting as the first line of defense when advocating for those whose rights are being denied. Musicians regularly perform what are known as “covers,” borrowing the melody of a song that is already popular, and creating their own lyrics to accompany it. Municipal law enforcement officers often make use of similar tactics, borrowing the concepts of successful initiatives held elsewhere in their state or the nation, and adapting them to fit the needs of the communities they serve.
Those remember the classic “Ten Codes” typically used in the aforementioned police radios, and the many other codes popularized in movies and on television. As recently as 2015, the State of Arkansas proposed the inclusion of “Location, Location, Location” in their list of ten codes. Just as music has been used to inspire a variety of messages, so too have these codes made their way into music. A municipal law enforcement officer, whether actively writing down codes or scanning them on a computer screen, is constantly attuned to their meaning, often working in rhythm with their environment when communicating with those around them.
Whether encouraging youth to stay in school, providing drug prevention resources, or spearheading organization-wide community service initiatives, civil change is much like music: a measure of individual contribution to the greater whole. When artists stand for a social cause, this is often confused with the notion that they are “speaking for” an entire community. In a real sense, this is what a municipal law enforcement officer is doing as well, advocating for those who may otherwise not have a voice. The purpose behind both music and municipal law enforcement officers is public service. They each inhabit the same areas, yet sometimes come from different vantage points. Much like a musician may seek to reach people in different ways, municipal law enforcement officers are capable of fine-tuning their tactics, varying their emphasis, and otherwise adjusting their approach as the context demands.
