When it comes to the criminal justice system, legal rules provide only one systematic method for addressing the problem of crime and, in particular, the problem of use of force by the police. In Graham v. Conner, for example, the courts instituted the four-factor test to evaluate excessive use of force by police, but left other underlying social and moral dilemmas intact. Furthermore, the influence that money has in negotiating punishment through lawyers and bail has made the courts a perfect playground for the governance of the political and social elite. Both have contributed to the inability of legal relations related to coercive force to address some of the moral and social implications that the use of force entails. To understand and address these other issues surrounding the use of coercive force, we must examine the institution of policing itself. The eroding and almost non-existent social relationship between the police and the community is a major contributor to the problem of police use of force. In order to develop a better relationship, it is necessary to establish the public perception of the police as a legitimate source of authority. The loss of legitimacy of the police makes the increasing use of force inevitable as citizens are less willing to comply voluntarily. Considering the amount of power and discretion they have, the first step in establishing legitimacy is to turn to the officer selection process. When it comes to almost anything, even education, selection is more competitive as expectations for that job increase. The qualifications and standards for entering a community college differ greatly from those required for a prestigious university. Because the police are given a lot of power and a lot of work, which... middle of paper... a political game that the courts can subliminally promote regarding lawyers and bail. We must look to the police to improve their interaction with citizens and promote voluntary cooperation, which can only be done by increasing their legitimacy. I turn to the police selection process to address the question of legitimacy in choosing officers beyond the simple motive of “fighting crime.” This, of course, is not an easy thing to do. Adjusting the police selection process to be more detailed in choosing officers is difficult especially because, often, there are few exceptional and deserving candidates to choose from. This type of change would be a long-term aspiration that would take a lot of time and effort to achieve. Until then, the training of current officials should be modified where the Constitution and building relationships with the community should be of primary importance.