Posted: August 15th, 2022

Decoding Nonverbal Communication in Law Enforcement

Decoding Nonverbal Communication in Law Enforcement
TOPIC: Reading # 5 Decoding Nonverbal Communication in Law Enforcement from the book.
Book: Otu, N. (2020) Criminal Justice Policy Issues (Preliminary Ed.) San Deigo, Cognella. ISBN 9781516597796
Read Reading #5 and summarize. read the entire chapter and summarize it , you may use journal and news paper articles on issues pertaining to this week's reading to have more points/facts.
Identify and discuss major issues in the article that you have read. You are required to: (1) give complete citations and references for any/each article used and (2) use examples from your class text.

Decoding Nonverbal Communication in Law Enforcement
Nonverbal communication is a vital aspect in law enforcement and it is marred with issues that affect the relations between the suspects, criminals and the law enforcement personnel. The non-verbal communication in law enforcement enhances the relationship between the law enforcers and other relevant parties by building a firm foundation for interactions. Additionally, body non-verbal communication or body language is important in all careers but more important in law enforcement since police officers interact with a wide range of persons. Therefore, the police need to understand policing body language and the way the public interp0retes them. This fact inclines the police to adopt behaviours and mannerism that will be interpreted as per their wish. Equally important, body language expresses different emotions that enable policemen to conduct their operations such as showing initial expressions, expressing patients, limiting distractions, and facial expressions. However, issues arise in the interpretation of decoding of the non-verbal communications. Issues in the course of using non-verbal communication by police officers affect the interaction foundation either positively or negatively.
Major non-verbal communication issues among the law enforce
Different vital issues on decoding no-verbal communication can be derived from the book “Criminal Justice Policy Issues.” First, the book reveals that non-verbal communication or body language is vital in defining a police officer from the eyes of citizens through first impressions. The first impressions refer to the appearance of a police officer when she comes in initial contact with a defined space (Out, 2020). A proper and maintained appearance gives an officer a competent and professional impression that shows that they are up to the task. On the other hand, an improper appearance such as rumpled or wrinkled uniform indicates that an officer is unable to keep up with her call of duty. Additionally, the personal interaction with between an officer and a citizen plays a major role in first impression. Positive impressions make the police to gain respect while negative impressions reduce honour and respect to the police. Therefore, the police need to always be professional and tidy to ensure they make a positive impression when interacting with the citizens.
The book presents the nonverbal behaviours that are revealed by a suspect. The police need to effectively decode nonverbal communication to ensure that they can approach and effectively apprehend a suspect thus increasing success in their work. In observing the nonverbal communication in a suspect the major aspects to be considered are dominance-substitution relationship and relaxation-non-composure relationship (Denault, 2019: 2024 – Online Assignment Homework Writing Help Service By Expert Research Writers). These aspects ensure that the officer is secure, safe and has authority in the course of interacting with the suspect. The body language or non-verbal aspects that the officer needs to maintain while interacting with the suspect include voice control, close physical proximity, professional appearance, and direct eye contact. It is important to know that the non-verbal needs to be exercised with moderation and controls to ensure that one can unconsciously control the suspect in the course of the interaction.
Nonverbal communication has great value in the course of handling a suspect to decode non-verbal behaviours such as lying, initiation of violence or escape. The non-verbal communication is interactive in that the law enforcers and suspects send, receive and decode nonverbal behaviour from each other (Otu, 2015 – Research Paper Writing Help Service). The officer should thus establish dominance and authority since the suspects are also keen to decode the non-verbal cues from the police. The police need to appropriately decode non-verbal communication to enhance their safety since they encounter a dangerous situation and people as part of their occupational hazards. Interpretation of non-verbal communication ensures they have an upper hand in dealing with the suspects and criminals. The police need to decode and have a meaning for every eye contact, gesture, body posture, conflicting messages and the distance or space maintained. Therefore, the police need to be alert to decode any non-verbal communication for their vital in their [place of work and operation.
The misinterpretations of non-verbal communication are another issue that arises in the course of interactions. The misinterpretation of non-verbal communication arises when the suspect body language is misinterpreted by the office inclining them to act inappropriately thus affecting their professional work (Otu, 2015 – Research Paper Writing Help Service). This fact calls for the police to be alert and employee caution in their action. The officer needs to evaluate the hidden meaning of every non-verbal communication. Additionally, the police officers need to work in groups to ensure that they understand the non-verbal communications used by suspects. Equally important, the non-verbal cues are not universal and thus the officers need to put extra effort into their work to establish the meaning of different verbal communications used in different places within their jurisdiction. This approach makes the officers be always ahead in decoding non-verbal correctly.
In conclusion, different issues arise in the course of non-verbal communication between law enforcers and the suspects or the criminals. The bottom point lies in the correctly and appropriately decoding non-verbal messages to enhance law enforcement. The police need to always have an upper hand in non-verbal communication to ensure their dominances and safety because they handle dangerous people in a dangerous environment. Therefore, the police need to exert extra effort and intelligence to effectively understand non-verbal communication to enhance effective operation.

References
Denault, V., Plusquellec, P., Jupe, L. M., St-Yves, M., Dunbar, N. E., Hartwig, M., … & Otgaar, H. (2019: 2024 – Online Assignment Homework Writing Help Service By Expert Research Writers). The analysis of nonverbal communication: The dangers of pseudoscience in security and justice contexts. Anuario de Psicología Jurídica.
Otu, N. (2015 – Research Paper Writing Help Service). Decoding nonverbal communication in law enforcement. Salus Journal, 3(2), 1.
Otu, N. (2020) Criminal Justice Policy Issues (Preliminary Ed.) San Deigo, Cognella. ISBN 9781516597796

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