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Community Policing -What is it? -A Framework for Action |
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 Case Study: Colorado Springs, Colorado Between 1985 and 1997, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) transformed itself from a centralized, calls-for-service department to one with a decentralized community policing approach to crime.
Policing Focus Officers redeployed and empowered. CSPD was redeployed into three separate substations, devolving greater authority to officers and supervisors to implement problem-solving strategies, often in consort with other agencies. Emphasis was placed on building better community relations and empowering officers to work proactively with residents and take individual initiative to solve neighborhood crime problems. Community relations and training. CSPD stressed community policing by developing stronger ties with local residents through citizen advisory committees, police-school partnerships, neighborhood associations, and creation of a special neighborhood traffic unit. The department brought in consultants and trainers to teach officers problem-solving methods and improve interagency relations. Help from COPS. CSPD received Federal grants to support its community policing efforts. A COPS Universal Hiring Grant enabled the department to hire 12 additional officers. A $260,000 COPS MORE grant provided funds for a new computer manpower allocation program to better track and forecast deployment needs. A second COPS MORE grant allowed the department to upgrade the technology in its patrol cars through the purchase of laptop computers and cell phones. COPS also contributed operational funds for a new multi-agency unit, the Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team (DVERT). In 1996, DVERT was awarded first place in the National League of Cities Innovations in Policing contest. For more information, click on the NATIONAL COPS EVALUATION-ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE CASE STUDY: Colorado Springs, Colorado, by Peter M. Sheingold, which chronicles the history of CSPD's community policing efforts in three parts:
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