Customer Service Training for Law Enforcement and Security Staff. 

Should individuals in the business of Law enforcement and Security receive training in Customer Service?

More and more there has been a tendency to take the philosophy of customer service and repeatedly try to force it into the law enforcement profession. While the concept is well-intended it is like putting in a square peg in a round hole, except for those members of staff that are confined to a desk job, or answering the telephone.

The bottom-line however is that police officers do not have customers. Their commitment and legal obligation is a contract with society at large, and can in no way apply in the same way like the services of a gas station, bank, retail outlet, etc. Even the customer service concept that “the customer is always right” would be a misnomer in the case of law enforcement.

Imagine taking a customer service approach when arresting or approaching a felon. Imagine approaching a case of domestic abuse with a customer service approach. Imagine giving a drunk driver a nice conversation on the merits of driving without drinking and allowing him to continue on the road. It just doesn’t fit.

Police work is not a business, whose ultimate goal it is to provide a service for a profit, thus they are obligated to provide the best in customer service.

In conclusion, the people who are drawn to serve as law enforcement officers are not joining a business team, but rather they are hired to serve as worthy protectors of society at large and the community they serve at any given time.

In view of the aforementioned every individual regardless of organization must come equipped with certain characteristics and traits, technical skills as well as people or soft skills. The development of their core competencies start with the selection at the recruitment process.