Policing Strategies: Incident-Driven & Problem-Oriented

• The following summarizes various policing strategies and their characteristics, as well as peace officer responsibilities and community partnerships

Traditional/Incident-Driven Policing

• Officers respond to calls and patrol communities looking for crimes that have already occurred or are in progress.
• It is a reactive approach where officers respond to situations as they unfold

Problem-Oriented Policing (POP)

• A policing strategy focused on identifying and analyzing specific crime and disorder problems to develop effective response strategies.
• This approach is proactive, identifying underlying problems to reduce crime and disorder at their roots.
• The strategy places significant emphasis on research and analysis in reducing community problems and crime.

S.A.R.A. Model

• An approach used in problem-oriented policing consisting of the basic elements of crime analysis
• The SARA model outlines the steps needed in crime fighting
• SARA is an acronym for: Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment

Scanning Phase

• A law enforcement agency must scan for a problem before a solution can be developed
• Involves identifying the most significant crime problems facing the community, county, or individual patrol beats
• It also involves prioritizing problems causing the greatest harm or consuming the most law enforcement resources

Analysis Phase

• A thorough analysis of the problem is conducted
• This involves collecting data relevant to the problem and examining it from multiple angles.
• Key questions to ask include: the size of the problem, its duration, its prevalence compared to neighboring jurisdictions, and its likely causes.

Response Phase

• Involves developing a plan to respond to the crime problem
• It is useful to examine how other jurisdictions have dealt with similar problems and their effectiveness, as well as making sure the response plan has clear strategic objectives and aligns with available capabilities and resources.

Assessment Phase

• Questions need to be asked such as if the goals were accomplished, if the plan was implemented as designed, if effectiveness can be measured, and areas for strategy improvement
• It is important to complete each step of the SARA model

CompStat

• A crime management tool used in the problem-solving process
• Functions as a strategic control system for collecting and providing feedback on crime and related quality-of-life issues
• Involves the regular collection, analysis, and mapping of crime data and police performance measures, holding police managers accountable for their performance based on the data

Intelligence-Led Policing (ILP)

• Philosophically aligned with problem-oriented policing, CompStat, and community-oriented policing; closely aligned with problem-oriented policing and the accountability of CompStat
• It is distinct from both and defines a strong role for analysis as the basis for decision-making
• Unlike problem-oriented policing's bottom-up approach, intelligence-led policing is more hierarchical with a top-down approach to law enforcement.
• Criminal intelligence flows up to decision-makers who set priorities for enforcement and prevention, then these priorities are passed down for operational tasking

Community-Oriented Policing

• The goal is to bring the police and the public closer to identify and address crime issues
• Officers get involved in finding out what causes crime and disorder and attempt to creatively solve problems in their assigned communities, rather than merely responding to emergency calls and arresting criminals
• Police develop a network of personal contacts within and outside their departments
• It empowers the community, rather than dictating to the community

Core Ideas of Community Policing

• Relying on citizen input
• Working together with the community
• Forming partnerships within the community
• Encouraging creativity in problem-solving
• Sharing responsibility

Community Policing Goals

• Promotes interaction by demonstrating the value and necessity of community involvement through problem-solving and crime prevention outcomes.
• Essential to helping address problems related to distrust and hostility towards law enforcement, particularly in caste minorities and other stigmatized groups.
• Promotes positive interactions between officers and citizens, building trust and confidence in law enforcement and stronger bonds between officers and the community.
• The daily face-to-face encounters change the attitudes of officers and citizens and facilitate mutual acknowledgment and respect as fellow citizens.
• Focuses on both fighting crimes and enhancing neighborhood safety, encouraging officers and community members to work together to solve and prevent community problems that lead to crime.
• Reduces the fear of law enforcement and crime within communities.
• It is the mechanism that integrates communities with the law enforcement agencies that serve and protect them
• Provides law enforcement agencies with day-to-day intelligence that keeps them abreast of community events.

Without this, lack of open communication keeps officers unaware of community problems.

Peace Officer Responsibilities in the Community

• Officer responsibilities extend beyond controlling criminal activity to include preventing crime
• Promoting order
• Resolving disputes
• Providing emergency assistance in social crises
• Officer methods and resources go beyond arrests and citations to include mediation and negotiation, referrals to other municipal agencies, and community mobilization.
• As law enforcement activity focuses on the neighborhood, the demands on the basic officer increase, as does the scope of responsibility and the skills required.

Proactive vs. Reactive Policing

• Proactive policing deters criminal activity by police presence and public engagement to prevent crime from occurring.
• Reactive policing involves responding to a complaint after a crime has been committed.

Community Expectations of Peace Officers

• Accountable to the people, their elected representatives, and the law for their actions, and be as transparent as possible in their decision-making.
• Collaborative with community members and other organizations in settling disagreements, choosing policing strategies, and solving policing problems.
• Educated and well-trained, with a broad education in the sciences and humanities and rigorous ethics and skills training.
• Effective and preventive, emphasizing preventing crime and disorder and using research and problem-solving methods.
• Honest with good ethical practices.
• Good citizen/Model citizen
• Peacekeeper and protector of human rights, especially for those who cannot defend or care for themselves.
• Representative of the communities they serve.
• Respectful, treating all persons with unconditional courtesy and respect, and be willing to listen to others.
• Restrained in the use of force, with the preservation of life as the foundation.
• Servant leader, using their authority and influence to improve others’ welfare.
• Unbiased, reducing their biases and dealing with all people fairly.

Peace Officer Responsibilities to Enforce the Law

• Peace Officers must adhere to integrity and professionalism
• Excessive use of authority, abuse of power, or failure to fulfill duties can erode public trust and credibility within communities.
• Every member of a police department represents the entire agency and is accountable for all conduct.
• Critical for Peace Officers to treat members of the community fairly and equally.
• In order for a Peace Officer to be patrol their beat effectively, there are a few components of the beat they should know: socio-economic makeup, geographical characteristics, street locations, problem areas, recent crime trends, residential/business locations

Importance of Partnering with Community Organizations

• Building community partnerships can transform the police approach to solving crime and empower the community
• Community policing partnerships increase crime prevention opportunities and enhance neighborhood conditions

Key Partners for Community-Oriented Policing

• Other government agencies (local authorities, prosecutors, probation and parole officers, public works departments, neighboring law enforcement agencies, health and social services, child support services, and schools).
• Community members/groups (individuals who live, work, or otherwise have an interest in addressing violence against women in the community—volunteers, activists, formal and informal community leaders – who are a valuable resource for identifying community concerns).
• Traditional and community leaders, who are often called to intervene in cases of domestic violence, sexual abuse and child abuse.
• Non-governmental/community-based service providers, who are core partners in the referral system and provide key support to survivors or women at risk of violence (e.g. shelters, women’s organizations, advocacy organizations, survivor support groups, service clubs, community development organizations, faith-based groups or associations). Private businesses who have a stake in the health of the community and can contribute financial and other resources.
• Local media who can assist with publicizing the issue in the community and possible solutions, promote services from government or community agencies or new laws or codes that will be enforced. In addition, the media can have a significant impact on public perceptions of the police, domestic violence and security issues for women in the community.