COMMUNITY POLICING AND THE COMMUNITY

BYJOE L. CLAYTON JR.

CJM 408

DON LACHER

UNION INSTITUTE AND UNIVERSITY

FALL 2009

DECEMBER 21, 2009

OBJECTIVES- Look at what is Community Policing

- What other strategies are associated with Community Policing

- Examine patrol and how it is design to fit the community

- Take a look at the various types of patrols that effect the community

- Law enforcement and the programs that help shape the community

- The impact these programs have on the community

Community Policingcommunity Policing is a philosophy and a strategy based on a partnership and the interactions with law enforcement and the community. This relationship allows both units to work as a team to detour criminal activity allowing the citizens to feel safe within the community. This concept allows law enforcement to create a better rapport with the citizens and have a better understanding what is going on in the community.

What other strategies are associated

with

Community Policing

- Community Oriented Policing Solving Problems (COPPS)

- Problem Oriented Policing (POP)

- SARA Method

- Situational Crime Prevention

Community Oriented Policing Problem Solving has the same philosophy as Community Policing. It is the partnership and interactions between the community and law enforcement to make the community and the citizens feel safe and solve problems within the community.

This allows the community to band together with law enforcement or other community oriented establishments to focus on solving the problems which plaque the community and make it a safer place.

Community Oriented Policing Solving Problems (COPPS)

Problem Oriented Policing (POP) is similar to Community Oriented Policing. The concept is the same it is the community interacting with law enforcement to solve a specific recurring problem.

This strategy of community policing is a great concept because it allows the community and law enforcement to focus on the underlying problems that effect the community. This allows law enforcement to fix the problem allowing the community and the citizens in it feel safe.

Problem Oriented Policing (POP)

The SARA method is how law enforcement solves problems. This method allows law enforcement to break down a problem and come up with the best way to solve it.

S- Scanning: This when law enforcement has identified a problem and work on finding a solution to the problem.

A- Analysis: This is when law enforcement has come up with a solution to the problem and decides the best way to address it.

R- Responses: This is when law enforcement has the solution to the problem and begin the process of actively solving it.

A- Assessment: This allows law enforcement to review and process the solutions to see the best formula possible to solve problem.

The SARA Method

Another concept of community policing, problem solving, and detouring criminal activity is Situational Crime Prevention. This is when law enforcement works with the community to solve problems by changing the environment.

This concept is simple by changing the environment within the community it will effect the criminal activity within the community. This concept could span from installing video cameras, alarm systems, to clearing unneeded vegetation that could conceal criminal activity like trees or brush. Community efforts such as repairing broken windows, removing abandoned and junk vehicles. All these elements are a product of Situational Crime Prevention and part of the community policing effect.

Situational Crime Prevention

For community policing to be successful it must cater to the needs of the community it serves. This means for the growing diversified communities law enforcement must put in place various types of patrol to suit the needs of the community such as:

- foot patrol

- vehicle patrol

- mounted horse

- motorcycle

- air units

- marine units

- K 9 units

With patrols and programs that are catered to serve the community it helps bring law enforcement and the citizens closer together enabling them to embrace the community policing concept.

Take a look at various type of patrols that effect the community

For community policing to be successful law enforcement must implement programs to keep the community involved and aware of what’s going on in the community. As long as law enforcement continues to provide programs to enhance the knowledge and safety of the community, the community will continue to grow into a better place for citizens to live in. Such programs as:

Neighborhood Watch- This program allows law enforcement and the community to join in a joint venture. This gives the community an opportunity to take charge of their neighborhood. Citizen patrols and other community efforts that keep the community safe by letting law enforcement know what is going on in the neighborhood.

Police Activity League- This program which is staffed by volunteers and law enforcement gets juveniles off the street and out of trouble. By giving the youth a refuge and an opportunity to excel in sports, after school projects, and other intervention programs, give juveniles other alternatives to drugs, gangs, and criminal activity.

DARE- Drug Abuse Resistance Education, this program allowed law enforcement to enter the schools to give the youth valuable information on the effects of drugs and drug abuse.

Law enforcement programs that help shape the community

Patrol is the back bone of law enforcement. The patrol officer is the link between the police and the community. Patrol and the patrol officer knows what goes on in the community because they have the most contact with the citizens in the community. If patrol is to be successful in the community they must cater their efforts to the citizens within the community. This means designing patrols and programs to fit the needs of the community, and help impact the neighborhood. In the “Broken Window” article patrol played a vital role in how the community felt about their community and how they felt about law enforcement. This article brought out the importance of patrol, the community policing concept, and how it made the community feel safe.

Examine patrol and how it is designed to fit the

community

Community policing and the programs that shape the community impact the citizens within the community. As we have seen that law enforcement must get involved with the community if they are to be successful in harvesting the concept of community policing. Problem solving strategies and community patrols, are a few ways law enforcement have impacted the community. Programs such as Neighborhood Watch, PAL, DARE, and others, have all impacted the community. These programs have enhanced and empowered the community both young and old. The programs have targeted young people and youth groups. By having programs the educate, prevent criminal activity, promote safety and awareness, give the community a better outlook within the community. When the community cares about the community then positive things occur. The crime rates go down, less kids dropping out of school, more youth going to college and being successful. The community feels safer and happy living in the community.

The impact these programs have on the community

The End