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Conclusion There are worrying signs of a decline in public confidence in the police, as well as signs of a decline in police legitimacy across the country, particularly in the nation’s capital. There have long been legitimacy deficits in the Black community, and in a more disrupted and unpredictable future operating environment the police’s ability to work cooperatively with the public will become more important. Policing organisations face considerable challenges in finding solutions to the confidence and legitimacy crisis that are both effective and acceptable to the communities they serve. It is critical now, more than ever, for the police to concentrate their efforts on restoring public confidence. The police must focus their efforts on improving the quality of their everyday interactions with members of the public. Reducing the number of negative encounters will be more effective in preserving and restoring public confidence. For ‘policing by consent’ to be effective, all members of the community must feel that the police are there to serve them and that the police will treat them fairly and with respect. Black (in particular Black Caribbean) and mixed ethnicity communities have much lower levels of confidence in the police than White British people.129 Having a police service that is more representative of the communities it serves is one important way of addressing this lack of trust and confidence. Improvement in trust and legitimacy have to be earned and not simply claimed. However, public consent is hard‑won, fragile, and may be withdrawn at any time. If the approach is inconsistent, this is likely to damage legitimacy as the public will see the approach as unfair. But fairness and transparency, and a willingness to work with – rather than against – communities will go a long way in restoring legitimacy across all sections of the population.
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