"Community Policing." In Larry E. Sullivan and Marie Rosen (eds.), Encyclopedia of
Law Enforcement, Volume 1. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2005, 74-78.
So, what is community policing? Although it is often described by the things that police officers do,
community policing is actually a strategic rather than programmatic innovation. Its advocates characterize it as
transforming the "professional" model of policing that has been dominant since the end of World War II,
shifting in a fundamental way to one that is proactive, prevention oriented, and community sensitive. It seems
to mean different things to different people because the range and complexity of programs with which it is
associated are large and continually evolving. At root, however, community policing is not defined by a list of
particular tactics. In its fullest expression, community policing affects the structure and culture of police
departments, not just their activities. Police departments embracing community policing tend to adopt at least
three new, interrelated organizational stances: They involve the community, they decentralize, and they adopt a
problem-solving orientation. In turn, these changes reverberate back, reshaping the mission and methods of
policing.
Law Enforcement, Volume 1. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2005, 74-78.
So, what is community policing? Although it is often described by the things that police officers do,
community policing is actually a strategic rather than programmatic innovation. Its advocates characterize it as
transforming the "professional" model of policing that has been dominant since the end of World War II,
shifting in a fundamental way to one that is proactive, prevention oriented, and community sensitive. It seems
to mean different things to different people because the range and complexity of programs with which it is
associated are large and continually evolving. At root, however, community policing is not defined by a list of
particular tactics. In its fullest expression, community policing affects the structure and culture of police
departments, not just their activities. Police departments embracing community policing tend to adopt at least
three new, interrelated organizational stances: They involve the community, they decentralize, and they adopt a
problem-solving orientation. In turn, these changes reverberate back, reshaping the mission and methods of
policing.
“The Promise of Community Policing.” In David Weisburd and Anthony Braga (eds.),
Prospects and Problems in an Era of Police Innovation. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 27-44.
Community policing is very popular. So popular is the concept with politicians, city managers and the
general public, that few police chiefs want to be caught without some program they can call community
policing. In a 1997 survey of police departments conducted by the Police Foundation, 85 percent reported they
had adopted community policing or were in the process of doing so But what do cities that claim they are
"doing community policing" actually do? They describe a long list of projects. Under the rubric of community
policing officers patrol on foot (in the 1997 survey, 75 percent listed this), or perhaps on horses, bicycles or
segways. Departments variously train civilians in citizen police academies, open small neighborhood
storefront offices, conduct surveys to measure community satisfaction, canvass door-to-door to identify local
problems, publish newsletters, conduct drug education projects, and work with municipal agencies to enforce
health and safety regulations.
However, community policing is not defined by these kinds of activities. Projects, programs and tactics come
and go, and they should as conditions change. Communities with different problems and varied resources to
bring to bear against them should try different things. Community policing is not a set of specific programs.
Rather, it involves changing decision-making processes and creating new cultures within police
departments. It is an organizational strategy that leaves setting priorities and the means of achieving them
largely to residents and the police who serve in their neighborhoods. Community policing is a process rather
than a product. It has three core elements: citizen involvement, problem solving, and decentralization. In
practice these three dimensions turn out to be densely interrelated, and departments that shortchange one or
more of them will not field a very effective program.
This essay reviews the three core concepts that define community policing, describes how they have been
turned into concrete community policing programs, and reports some of what we know about their
effectiveness. It draws heavily on my experience evaluating community programs in a number of cities, as well
as on what others have reported. It summarizes some of the claims made for community policing, and some
of the realities of achieving them in the real world.
Prospects and Problems in an Era of Police Innovation. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 27-44.
Community policing is very popular. So popular is the concept with politicians, city managers and the
general public, that few police chiefs want to be caught without some program they can call community
policing. In a 1997 survey of police departments conducted by the Police Foundation, 85 percent reported they
had adopted community policing or were in the process of doing so But what do cities that claim they are
"doing community policing" actually do? They describe a long list of projects. Under the rubric of community
policing officers patrol on foot (in the 1997 survey, 75 percent listed this), or perhaps on horses, bicycles or
segways. Departments variously train civilians in citizen police academies, open small neighborhood
storefront offices, conduct surveys to measure community satisfaction, canvass door-to-door to identify local
problems, publish newsletters, conduct drug education projects, and work with municipal agencies to enforce
health and safety regulations.
However, community policing is not defined by these kinds of activities. Projects, programs and tactics come
and go, and they should as conditions change. Communities with different problems and varied resources to
bring to bear against them should try different things. Community policing is not a set of specific programs.
Rather, it involves changing decision-making processes and creating new cultures within police
departments. It is an organizational strategy that leaves setting priorities and the means of achieving them
largely to residents and the police who serve in their neighborhoods. Community policing is a process rather
than a product. It has three core elements: citizen involvement, problem solving, and decentralization. In
practice these three dimensions turn out to be densely interrelated, and departments that shortchange one or
more of them will not field a very effective program.
This essay reviews the three core concepts that define community policing, describes how they have been
turned into concrete community policing programs, and reports some of what we know about their
effectiveness. It draws heavily on my experience evaluating community programs in a number of cities, as well
as on what others have reported. It summarizes some of the claims made for community policing, and some
of the realities of achieving them in the real world.
Community Policing
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