Community Policing

What is Community Policing?

• A philosophy that promotes organizational strategies supporting partnerships and problem-solving techniques.

• Proactively addresses public safety issues like crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.

• Focuses on crime and social disorder through the delivery of police services.

• Includes traditional law enforcement, prevention, problem solving, community engagement, and partnerships.

What is Community Policing?

• Requires police and citizens to work as partners in identifying and addressing public safety issues.

• A strategy that focuses on police collaboration with community members.

• Emphasizes answering the question of “why?” when addressing issues in the community.

What is Community Policing Not?

• Not a quick fix.

• Not a "soft on crime" philosophy.

• Not an exclusion tool.

What does law enforcement stand to gain from a community policing program rooted in “why”?

• Legitimacy

• Trust

How do we build legitimacy and trust?

• Positive experiences

• People who treat others well

• Care

• Provide a good service

Sir Robert Peel, 1829 – "Father of Modern Policing"
What are his 3 Core Ideas?

• Preventing Crime

• Earning Public Support

• Police Respecting Community Principles

• He wrote the “Nine Principles of Law Enforcement”

• Principle 7 sums up the goal of community policing.

O.W. Wilson, 1925
What changes did he make to policing?

• Shifted policing from political involvement to “fighting crime.”

• His principles are still used today:

  • Preventive Patrol:

    • Marked patrol vehicles

    • 2-way radio dispatch

  • Rapid Response:

    • Mobile crime labs

    • Specialized units

  • Follow-Up Criminal Investigation

What are the 10 Principles of Community Policing?

• Change

• Leadership

• Vision

• Partnership

• Problem Solving

• Equity

• Trust

• Empowerment

• Service

• Accountability

What are the 10 Challenges of Community Policing?

• Staffing Shortages

• Reinforcing Community Policing (Internal)

• Inability to Institute Change

• Disengaged Communities

• Funding Shortfalls

• Politics

• Collaboration with Other Government Agencies

• Policymaking (Local & National)

• Push-back from Officers

• Traditional & Non-traditional News Media

What are the characteristics of Traditional Policing?

• Arrest as the primary tool

• Number-oriented (focus on metrics)

• "Us vs. Them" mentality

• Respond & arrest approach

What are the characteristics of Community Policing?

• Additional tools beyond arrest

• Results-oriented (focus on outcomes)

• "Us with them" mentality

• Focus on crime reduction, prevention, and arrest

What are the Policing Pitfalls?

• Isolation

• One mission

• Efficiency vs. Effectiveness

• Misconduct

What is the issue of Isolation from the community in policing?

• Many factors separate police from the community.

• The biggest factor is the use of patrol vehicles.

• Patrol vehicles can be a barrier to connecting with the public.

What is involved in a Police Organization Reboot?

• Change philosophy

  • Emphasize officers working closely with local citizens and community agencies in designing crime prevention strategies and problem-solving measures.

  • The agency must recognize this goal.

• Decentralization

  • Shift departments from a single administrative center to other locations (e.g., substations, units).

  • Disperse efforts and resources to target specific communities.

• Tailor needs

  • Adapt strategies to the citizens and specific neighborhoods.

Why engage in Community Policing?

• We care:

  • We care about the people, places, and things in our community.

  • This begins the journey into community engagement and community policing.

  • We show care through how we “protect & serve.”

• Provide the same care and conflict resolution for "low" & "medium" priority calls as we do for priority calls.

• A community safety partnership helps reduce crime by:

  • Identifying suspects

  • Improving areas

  • Educating both the community and law enforcement on current issues.

What are the roles of officers for community policing to be effective?

• Educate

• Listen

• Enforce the Law

What are the additional roles for the community in community policing?

• Identify & Prioritize Community Concerns:

  • Criminal issues

  • Police presence

  • Quality of life issues

• Actively participate

• Have patience

What should community policing be reflected in?

• Community Partnerships

• Organizational Transformation

  • Alignment of management, structure, personnel, and information systems to support community partnerships and proactive problem solving.

• Problem Solving

  • Proactive problem solving.

• Procedural Justice

  • Fairness in processes

  • Transparency in actions

  • Opportunities for voice

  • Impartiality in decision making

What are Community Partnerships in community policing?

• Partnership = Relationships, sharing, or associating with others for a common goal or project.

• Community Partnership = Communication and understanding between police and citizens.

What are the core elements of Community Partnerships in community policing?

• Communication

• Trust

• Communication and trust between the agency and the community are essential.

• A benefit from having a community partnership:

  • Calls for service increase

  • Citizens provide more information about crimes

How should community policing be reflected in police organizations?

• Vision & Mission Statement

• Policies and Procedures

• Management

• Internally & Externally

What are ways to identify a problem in the community?

• Officer’s experiences and observations

• Citizen complaints

• Crime mapping

• Police reports & crime analysis

• Citizen comments

What are some problem-solving aids in community policing?

• S.A.R.A. MODEL

• MINDSET SHIFT

• C.P.T.E.D.

What are the key elements in fostering partnerships?

• TRUST

• COMMUNICATION

• SATISFACTION

• OWNERSHIP

What are the barriers in community partnership?

• Jail Mentality

• Bad experience with a patrol officer

• Lack of trust between officers and the community

• Fear of retaliation