What is community policing?

Partnerships in problem solving. Community policing is a policing philosophy that aims to reduce crime and disorder by encouraging officers to identify and solve community problems with input from residents.

Focus on prevention. Problem solving and community involvement are core components of the basic community policing model, which is focused more on preventing crime than on simply addressing incidents after they occur.

Proactive policing and public participation. Community policing requires management and organizational changes within police departments to help foster community-oriented policing and proactive activities and the participation of community members to help identify community concerns, the need for police help, and possible solutions.

A Framework for Action

Key steps include—

• Obtaining city and community resources.
• Mobilizing outside support.
• Managing internal change through deployment of personnel, workload control, facilities, etc.

Obtain more information from Understanding Community Policing: A Framework for Action.
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