Understanding Community Policing

• Community policing represents a philosophical and organizational shift towards partnership between citizens and police.
• The foundation is the collaboration between police and the community to define, prioritize, and resolve issues like crime, drugs, fear, social disorder, and decay.
• It is a fundamental change in how the role of police in the community is viewed.
• There is a shift in police culture, management, and operations, with the police working with the community to address the root causes of crime and disorder.
• The ultimate aim is to improve community quality of life, foster trust, and create understanding between police and residents.

Core Components of Community Policing

• Partnership is the collaboration between law enforcement and the community.
• Problem Solving means the proactive identification and resolution of community issues.
• Prevention focuses on dealing with the underlying causes of crime.

History of Community Policing

• Community policing arose in the late 20th century because police were increasingly isolated from communities.
• Traditional policing, focused reactively on law enforcement, was proving inadequate for complex community problems.
• Contributing factors include:
  • Recognition of traditional model shortcomings.
  • Rising concerns over trust between police and communities.
  • Community organizations and advocacy groups were on the rise.
  • Social science had advanced on crime and disorder.

Early Influences

• August Vollmer, the father of modern policing, championed police professionalism and education in policing in the early 20th century.
• Robert Peel's policing principles, with their focus on crime prevention and community relations, influenced community policing.
• Team Policing was an early tactic of assigning officers to neighborhoods to build relationships.

Development of Community Policing

• 1960s: Social unrest and civil rights movements emphasized the need for police reform and improved community relations.
• 1970s: Research questioned the effectiveness of traditional policing models and their effect on crime and satisfaction.
• 1980s: The community policing movement grew, including pilot programs and community engagement strategies.
  • Herman Goldstein developed Problem-Oriented Policing, highlighting the need to address the root causes of crime.
• 1990s: Community policing gained widespread acceptance, with support from government and law enforcement organizations.
  • The 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act provided funding for community policing and hiring officers.
• 2000s-Present: Community policing continues to evolve, building trust, communication, and challenges like terrorism and cybercrime.

Key Milestones and Developments

• The Flint, Michigan, Foot Patrol Program was an early experiment that showed the advantages of foot patrols in reducing crime and improving community relations.
• James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling proposed ​​The Broken Windows Theory which argued that addressing minor disorder can prevent bigger crimes.
• The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office, established by the Justice Department in 1994, offers funding, training, and assistance to law enforcement agencies implementing community policing.

Impact of Community Policing

• Community policing improves relationships by fostering trust between police and the community.
• Crime rate reduction is achieved by addressing the root causes of crime and disorder.
• Problem solving is enhanced with police and communities collaborating to identify and solve problems effectively.
• Citizen satisfaction is increased through community policing, improving the quality of life.

Community policing is a strategy promoting partnership between citizens and police. Together, they address issues like crime and social disorder, shifting police culture towards community collaboration. The goal is improved quality of life and mutual trust.