Community policing is a philosophy and management style that uses partnerships with community members to address crime, the causes of crime, and other community interests. Through the combined efforts and resources of the police, local government, and community members a reduction in crime and the fear of crime can be accomplished.
Community policing is not a quick fix solution. It is a long-term commitment to communities. Time and patience can be key in building lasting relationships between the police department and community groups.
Getting Back to the Community
Problem solving helps identify concerns important to community members. Community members can help by voicing concerns they feel are most threatening to their well being and safety. Law enforcement recognizes the need for a cooperative effort with the community members they serve. Officers build relationships with business owners, school officials, civic groups, social agencies, and other community groups in order to enhance performance and maximize resources. Officers identify problems, examine problems, decide on solutions, and then monitor solutions to see if the solutions are working. Officers can then adjust solutions when needed.
Establishing and maintaining a mutual trust helps build much needed partnerships in communities. Through these partnerships, the police can better serve the community by preventing crime.
More Effective Ways To Solve Problems
The community policing philosophy allows a police department the ability to advance knowing life is ever-changing. For officers to effectively respond to problems, they also need to be able to change. Innovation and ingenuity allow officers to better solve community problems and allows them to better adjust in today’s society.
The knowledge, skills, and expertise of everyone around the police organization can be put to better use by encouraging creativity. Community policing is a philosophy devoted to proactive problem solving not reacting to problems. The old saying, “there’s more than one way to skin a cat” is a simple explanation of how, through using different solutions, problems get solved.