Customer Service & the Nine Principles of Policing
Building Trust, One Contact at a Time
Police officers quickly learn that the badge isn’t a free pass to authority—it’s a daily reminder of the responsibility they carry. Every call, every traffic stop, every conversation with someone in the community is an opportunity to either strengthen or weaken the relationship between them and the public they serve.
That’s why we believe customer service isn’t just for retail, restaurants, and the like. It’s a core principle of good policing. And, if you look back almost two centuries, Sir Robert Peel’s Nine Principles of Policing show us that customer service was baked into the DNA of modern law enforcement from the very start.
At Law Enforcement Product Solutions, where we provide training like Customer Service for Law Enforcement, we define “customers” as everyone the police interact with—victims, witnesses, suspects (yes, suspects, too), bystanders, and even fellow employees. It’s a broad definition because the way all these people are treated impacts how the entire profession is seen.
Let’s walk through Peel’s principles, one by one, and connect them to the customer service mindset.
1. The basic mission of the police is to prevent crime and disorder.
Prevention doesn’t just happen through arrests and citations. It happens when the public trusts the police enough to call, share information, and cooperate. If your “customers”—the people you serve—believe they’ll be treated with respect and fairness, they’re far more likely to help you stop problems before they start.
Customer service mindset: Treat every conversation like a chance to build a bridge. Even a casual talk in a parking lot can set the tone for future cooperation.
2. The ability of the police to perform their duties depends on public approval.
You can have the best gear, the strongest laws, and the sharpest training—but without public approval, none of it works well. The public’s approval comes not from PR campaigns alone, but from the way individual officers treat people in real life.
Customer service mindset: People remember how you made them feel long after they forget what you said. Professionalism, patience, and empathy build approval one interaction at a time.
3. The police must secure the willing cooperation of the public.
You can’t police effectively without cooperation. Whether it’s a witness giving a statement, a community group sharing concerns, or a suspect complying with lawful commands, cooperation is earned, not demanded.
Customer service mindset: Earn cooperation through respect. This doesn’t mean excusing unlawful behavior, but it does mean treating everyone—even suspects—with dignity.
4. The degree of cooperation is proportional to the respect shown to the public.
Respect isn’t just a nice extra—it’s operationally necessary. When people feel heard and valued, they’re more willing to work with you.
Customer service mindset: Respect is communicated in tone, body language, and listening skills. Some of the best officers can de-escalate a situation simply by showing genuine respect.
5. The police seek and preserve public favor not by catering to public opinion, but by demonstrating impartial service to the law.
This means doing what’s right, not what’s popular. Customer service in policing isn’t about telling people what they want to hear, it’s about delivering fairness and integrity every time.
Customer service mindset: You can be friendly without being partial. Serve everyone equally, even when it’s uncomfortable.
6. Use physical force only when persuasion, advice, and warning have failed.
Peel understood that force should only be used when necessary and as a last resort when possible. In today’s environment, this principle is more important than ever. Good customer service skills can often prevent situations from escalating to the point where force is necessary.
Customer service mindset: Listen first, explain clearly, and try to find voluntary compliance before moving to force when feasible. This doesn’t just prevent complaints—it can help keep everyone safer.
7. Maintain a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and the public are the police.
Police are not separate from the community—they are the community. Your authority as a police officer comes from the people, and your legitimacy depends on them seeing you as partners, not adversaries.
Customer service mindset: See every interaction as part of a relationship, not just a transaction. Treat people like neighbors, not “cases” or “calls.”
8. The police should direct their actions toward their functions and never appear to usurp the powers of the judiciary.
The job of the police is to enforce the law and protect rights, not to hand out personal justice. Staying within your role builds trust and prevents the perception of abuse of power.
Customer service mindset: Be transparent about what you can and can’t do. People appreciate honesty, even if they don’t like the outcome.
9. The test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder, not visible evidence of police action in dealing with it.
If police are doing their job correctly, there should be less crime, not more arrests. This is the difference between being reactive and being proactive.
Customer service mindset: Strong community relationships—built through respectful, professional service—make communities safer without heavy-handed enforcement.
In the end, Sir Robert Peel’s wisdom from 1829 still holds true: policing works best when the people trust you, respect you, and see you as part of their community. And that starts with the same principle that works in any business: excellent customer service.
Why Customer Service is a Force Multiplier in Policing
When officers see themselves as service providers, the benefits multiply:
Better cooperation from victims and witnesses
Fewer complaints and higher job satisfaction
Greater trust in the agency as a whole
More effective crime prevention through community partnerships
At Law Enforcement Product Solutions, we help agencies build this mindset through our Customer Service for Law Enforcement training. This course shows officers and civilian staff how to treat every contact—whether it’s a victim, witness, suspect, or passerby—as an opportunity to improve the agency’s reputation and effectiveness.
If you want to elevate your department’s relationship with the community while improving safety and efficiency, explore our Customer Service for Law Enforcement course today.
Receive anytime access to our virtual Customer Service for Law Enforcement training course (45 mins.). ***This training is priced at an individual level and not intended to be shared with others or in a large group setting - if you’d like to utilize this course for others at your agency, contact us for further information.