Improving Police-Community
Relations Through Community
Policing
National Crime Prevention Council
2007–2008
Goal of This Presentation
To help participants understand
how relations between the
community and law enforcement
can be strengthened through
community policing strategies
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Objectives
Define community policing and its principles
Describe the benefits and the importance of
citizen involvement
Identify strategies for effective communication
Identify the six factors for improving police
community relations
Describe the benefits of Neighborhood Watch
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Crime Prevention As a Bridge
Crime Prevention efforts reduce polarization
that sometimes exists between police and
citizens.
Community Policing, Neighborhood Watch,
Orange Hat Patrols, Weed and Seed, and
McGruff programs build a bridge that enables
residents and law enforcement to
communicate, collaborate, and work together
to build safer, more caring communities.
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The Benefits of Improved
Police-Community Relations
Improved Relations Allow Police Officers to
Police more effectively
Find their jobs safer and easier to do
Face less litigation and gain longer
careers
Be treated with greater respect
Have better morale
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The Benefits of Improved PoliceCommunity Relations (continued)
Improved Relations Allow Community Residents to
Have more trust and less fear of police
Have a safer community
Have less tension and conflict
Gain greater cooperation from police
Gain increased safety for children and seniors
Gain quicker resolution to crime
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A Bit of History
Community Policing
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Sir Robert Peel
Considered a “father” of law enforcement
Are his principles of
policing still
applicable today?
Absolutely!
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Sir Robert Peel’s
Nine Principles of Policing
1. The basic mission of the police is to prevent
crime and disorder.
2. The ability of the police to perform their duties is
dependent upon public approval of police
actions.
3. Police must secure the willing cooperation of the
public.
4. The degree of cooperation of the public that can
be secured diminishes proportionally to the
necessity of the use of force.
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Sir Robert Peel’s
Nine Principles of Policing (continued)
5. Police seek and preserve public favor.
6. Police use physical force to the extent
necessary.
7. Police at all times should maintain a
relationship with the public.
8. Police should always direct their actions
strictly toward their functions.
9. The test of police efficiency is the absence
of crime and disorder.
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Community Policing
“Community policing is a philosophy that
promotes and supports organizational
strategies to address the causes of crime, to
reduce the fear of crime and social disorder
through problem-solving tactics and
community-police partnerships.”
Source: Community Oriented Policing Services Office
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The Eight “P”s of Community
Policing
A PHILOSOPHY of full service,
PERSONALIZED
POLICING, where the same officer
PATROLS and works in the same area on a
PERMANENT basis, from a decentralized
PLACE, working in
PARTNERSHIP with citizens to identify and solve
PROBLEMS
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Community Policing
The community-policing philosophy rests on
the belief that law-abiding citizens in the
community have a responsibility to
participate in the police process. It also rests
on the belief that solutions to today’s
contemporary community problems demand
freeing both community residents and law
enforcement to explore creative ways to
address neighborhood concerns beyond a
narrow focus on individual crimes.
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Normative Sponsorship Theory
Most people are of
good will.
They will cooperate
with others to
facilitate
the building of
consensus.
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The more the various
groups share
common values,
beliefs, and goals, the
more likely it is that
they will agree on
common goals.
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Critical Social Theory
Enlightenment
Give information
Empowerment
Take action to
improve conditions
Emancipation
People can achieve
through social action
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Community Relationships
Provide
Worth in social value
• A more informed citizenry
• Example to young people and others
Added value
• Opportunity to learn about law enforcement while
working with law enforcement
• Learning about citizens’ concerns
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How Do People
View the Police?
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Agencies Opening Their Doors to
Citizens Through Citizen Police
Academies
Why is it important?
Who can it benefit?
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Philosophy of the Citizens’
Police Academy
Agency size and demographics can
sometimes create barriers between the police
and those they serve.
Community policing is paramount to the
effectiveness of crime reduction.
Police image: There are many
misconceptions to dispel.
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Philosophy of the Citizens’ Police
Academy (continued)
Who Will Benefit From It?
EVERYONE!
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Community
Schools
Police
Government
Business
Youth
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Philosophy of the Citizens’ Police
Academy (continued)
What They Can Accomplish
• Improved
• Better
cooperation
communications
• Less apathy
• Improved police
image
• Reduction in crime
• Clear
• Reduction in fear
understanding
of crime
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Volunteers in
Police Service
Volunteers in Police
Service (VIPS)
Provides support for
resource-constrained
police departments by
incorporating civilian
volunteers so that law
enforcement
professionals have
more time for frontline
duty
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Website
www.policevolunteers.org
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Volunteers in Police Service
(continued)
Foundations of the VIPS
Program
• 2002 Presidential initiative
• Department of Justice and
IACP responsibilities
Concept
• Volunteers from the community
• Expanding law enforcement to
the community
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Volunteers in Police Service
(continued)
Why they are needed
•
•
•
•
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Ease demands on law enforcement
Encourage a more informed citizenry
Provide an example to young people
Improve cooperation and understanding
between the police and their community
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Considerations of Community
Interaction
How community volunteers can be used
within their community
- Legal issues
- Safety issues
- Expertise issues
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Community/Police Needs and
Support
Filling needs with volunteers
• Coordinating position
• Prerecruitment action required
• Role of the International Association of Chiefs
of Police (IACP)
• Match volunteers to the organization’s
strategic plan
• Possible volunteer positions (adapt to local
needs)
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Recruiting and Marketing
Recruitment strategy
• Who is your target?
• Develop a plan
• Recognize important existing networks and
tap into
Churches, PTAs, community councils, Kiwanis,
Rotarians, etc.
Elementary and secondary schools
Youth, courts, citizens’ police academies
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Recruiting and Marketing (continued)
Develop organizational marketing
materials
•
•
•
•
•
•
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Websites
Brochures
Fliers/handouts/fact sheets
Store window posters
Ads in local papers
Cable channel access
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Recruiting and Marketing (continued)
Media assistance
• Public service announcements
• News releases
Prerecruitment strategy
• Secure top management buy-in
• Develop organization marketing materials
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What Does a Citizen Need To
Know Before Volunteering?
• Position description
• Time commitment
• Defined program
activities
• Direct supervisor
• Website access for
personal record of
service/journal
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• How long should
volunteers serve?
• Age criteria
• Citizens’ police
academy attendance
prior to service
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Police Agency Management and
Administrative Issues
Agency mission, objectives, and goals
• Define the agency’s mission, objectives, and
goals
• Define concepts and political considerations
for volunteers
• Define objectives and goals within the
agency’s mission for volunteers
• Define clear and specific department
guidelines for volunteers
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VIPS Management and
Administrative Issues
• Develop a prerecruitment strategy according
to the Volunteers in Police Service’s goal to
help resource-constrained agencies
• Internal management responsibilities
• External management responsibilities
• Who can manage the program
• Training issues
• Liability issues
• Funding issues
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Strategies for Effective
Communication
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Trust Building Model
GREATER SUCCESS !
GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND
RANGE OF SOLUTIONS
RELATIONSHIP AND
PARTNERSHIP BUILDING
EFFECTIVE
COMMUNICATION
TRUST
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The Communication Process
Message cues
Listener supplies meaning
Content
Relate to your audience; build
rapport
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The Communication Process
(continued)
One-way or two-way communication
Consider verbal and nonverbal cues
Physical appearance
Solicit student engagement and
participation by using open-ended
questions and feedback.
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Nonverbal Communication
Considerations
Facial expression
Tone of voice
Eye contact
Touch
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Personal space
Territoriality
Time
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Building Trust Through Effective
Communication
Effective Listening
• Listen to learn and understand, not to
challenge or persuade.
• Take turns and listen for facts and
feelings. (Both are important.)
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Six Factors Necessary
To Improve
Police-Community Relations
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The Six Factors
1. Membership
2. Environment
3. Process and Structure
4. Communications
5. Purpose
6. Resources
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Membership
1. Appropriate cross-section of members
2. Mutual respect, understanding, and trust
3. Members see that collaboration is in their
best interest.
4. Members develop an ability to
compromise.
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Environment
1. Political and social climate are favorable.
2. Collaborative group is viewed as a leader
in the community.
3. There is a history or evidence of
collaboration or cooperation in the
community.
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Process and Structure
1. Members are invested in the process as
2.
3.
4.
5.
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well as the outcome.
Clear roles and responsibilities
Flexibility
Adaptability
Equal decision-making authority is held
by each member regardless of rank,
authority, or place in the hierarchy.
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Communication
1. Members learn to listen and allow
venting.
2. There is open and frequent
communication.
3. Members disclose self interest at first
meeting.
4. Members establish informal and formal
means of communication.
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Purpose
1. Concrete, attainable goals and objectives
2. Shared vision
3. Desired results and strategies
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Resources
1. A skilled and unbiased convener of
meetings
2. Staff time and volunteer time
3. Sufficient funds
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Crime in Your
Neighborhood
A lack of community involvement may
lead to some of the most serious and
perplexing problems your community
faces.
Why Is Community Involvement
Important?
When members of a community are
involved with each other, they know
• Their neighbors
• The daily “goings-on” in the neighborhood
• When something is wrong
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One great way to perpetuate
community involvement is
through the Neighborhood
Watch program.
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What Is the Neighborhood Watch
Program?
Neighborhood Watch was established in
1970 to bring residents together to interact
and become the guardians for the police in
their community.
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Neighborhood Watch
Crime prevention group organized around a block,
defined neighborhood, or business district
Serves as “eyes and ears” for law enforcement
Helps establish or reclaim informal control of an
area by observation, visibility, and increased
social interaction
Donates time and resources
Usually has no formal budget or funding source
Success results in reduction in crime and
improved quality of life for neighborhood residents
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The Benefits of
Neighborhood Watch
Unites the community and increases
neighborhood cohesion
Reduces fear of crime in the community
Improves crime reporting by citizens
Increases surveillance in the community
Prevents and reduces crime
Enhances homeland security
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The Benefits of
Neighborhood Watch (continued)
Studies show that Neighborhood Watch is
effective because
It unites neighbors around a common goal—safety and
security.
It provides all members basic skills on preventing crime
and reporting suspicious activities or crimes.
It builds a base for correcting neighborhood problems.
It works well with other civic activities.
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Additional
Citizen Actions
Discuss your community’s overall security,
including lighting, and contact neighbors or
the proper authorities to request necessary
improvements.
Contact your local law enforcement agency
and work with it to discuss basic community
modifications that may overcome current
problems.
Are state crime prevention associations and
Neighborhood Watch programs involved in
community policing and homeland security?
Absolutely!
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How Can Citizens Be More
Aware?
Be informed
Be alert
Be prepared
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In Conclusion
Community policing is the responsibility of
both law enforcement and community
members. Both have important roles in
community policing.
There are many ways to involve the
community in crime-reduction and problem
solving, including community meetings and
citizens’ police academies.
Police and local citizens are all members of
the community.
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Questions
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Special Thanks to
Tri-State RCPI
for providing their materials for this
presentation
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Resources
www.ncpc.org
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Resources
Community Policing Consortium
www.communitypolicing.org
Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS)
www.policevolunteers.org
Citizen Corps
www.citizencorps.gov
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Resources
National Sheriffs’ Association
1450 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-836-7827
www.sheriffs.org
www.USAonwatch.org
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The National Crime Prevention
Council
2345 Crystal Drive
Suite 500
Arlington, VA 22202
202-466-6272
FAX 202-296-1356
www.ncpc.org
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Presenter Contact Information
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