Presented by:
The Florida Regional Community
Policing Institute at St. Petersburg College
With Funding from:
Department of Justice, COPS Office http://cop.spcollege.edu

• Introduction and Pretest
• Introduction of Instructor
• RCPI Paperwork
• Review of Course Goals
• View “Building Bridges” video http://cop.spcollege.edu

• Participants will:
– Understand the history & development of community policing
– Understand the nature of police – community partnerships
– Understand the basic elements of a genuine community policing philosophy
– Demonstrate an understanding of the problem solving process and documenting results http://cop.spcollege.edu

Unit Two: Introduction to
Community Oriented Policing
• Historically law enforcement was tasked to non military local groups within a village
• Public Shaming without trial common tool to maintain order
• “Professional Policing” first conceived by Sir Robert Peel http://cop.spcollege.edu

Development of Modern Policing by Sir Robert Peel.
• 1829, Peel presented “ An Act for Improving the Police in and near the Metropolis ” to
Parliament = First Metro Police Force in
London
• NINE (9) timeless Peel’s principles in course book:
• #1 – Prevent Crime and Disorder
• #2 - Public approval of police existence http://cop.spcollege.edu

Peel’s Principles Continued
• #3 – Secure willing cooperation (of the public)
• #4 – Cooperation diminishes with the necessity for the use of force
• #5 – Constant demonstration of absolute impartiality in police service
• #6 – Use only the minimum of force necessary http://cop.spcollege.edu

Peel’s Principles Continued
• #7 – Police are the public and the public are the police
• #8 – Never appear to usurp the powers of the judiciary
• #9 – Police efficiency = absence of crime and disorder http://cop.spcollege.edu

History of Modern Policing in the U.S.
• First professional police force developed out of the “Ward Concept” in NYC – 1844
• Police find themselves tied to politics and political leaders to the point of being hired and supervised by politicians http://cop.spcollege.edu

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• 1920 – August Vollmer develops mobile police force, M.O. files, and wants cops to seek higher education
• 1930’s O.W. Wilson enhances height and weight requirements for police plus promotes quick response, preventative patrol and follow up investigations and higher education http://cop.spcollege.edu

Problems with the “Professional
Model” of Policing
• Events of the 1960’s were turbulent times for law enforcement
• 1968 President’s Commission on
Crime results in significant $$$$ being placed in law enforcement programs of all types and description in the
1970’s http://cop.spcollege.edu

Unit Three: Defining Community
Policing:
Learning Objectives of this Unit:
• Understand Community Policing is a philosophy – not a program or strategy
• Accurately define and identify
Community Policing
• Explore how Community Policing
Principles are applied http://cop.spcollege.edu

Three General Policing Strategies
• Traditional – typical 911 reactive response to criminal activity
• Problem Oriented Policing – proactive process using police analysis with little or no input from community
• Community Oriented Policing – coactive approach incorporating working relationship between community and police http://cop.spcollege.edu

Understanding the Community
Policing Philosophy
• Based upon partnerships between police and the communities they serve
• Empower communities to help make things better
• Allows communities to become self reliant
• Enhances the overall quality of life http://cop.spcollege.edu

Principles of Community Oriented
Policing
• Community Policing values the traditional tools of arrest and prosecution
• Community Policing shifts cop focus from responding to individual incidents to addressing root problems using problem solving techniques
• Officers must be empowered by being supported and given time, trust and commitment by administration http://cop.spcollege.edu

Differences between Traditional and Community Policing
See comprehensive chart in
Course Manual on
PAGE 13 http://cop.spcollege.edu

Unit Four: Police / Community
Partnership and Problem Solving
Learning Objectives of this Unit:
• Acquaint Participants with nature and importance of police community partnerships
• Identify essential elements of developing partnerships
• Introduce the SARA Problem Solving model
• Provide helpful ideas for conducting community meetings http://cop.spcollege.edu

Understanding Police /
Community Partnerships
• Spontaneous Mobilization – is a short lived reaction to an incident(s) which quickly dissipates
• Planned Mobilization – long ranged process involving education, motivation and organization which yields long ranged solutions http://cop.spcollege.edu

Community Policing KEY
Components are:
• PARTNERSHIPPING
• PROBLEM SOLVING http://cop.spcollege.edu

• Community Perceptions are their reality and perceptions must be engaged and dealt with
• Dealing only with problem symptoms and not with problem root never yields desired result
• Too much symptom dealing wastes $$ and community loses confidence in agency and agency personnel http://cop.spcollege.edu

Key Elements and Techniques of
Problem Solving
• Problem = a basic unit of police work consisting of a group or pattern of crimes, calls, cases or incidents
• A problem concerns community & police; not just police
• Problems must be accurately defined before a workable solution can be achieved http://cop.spcollege.edu

Key Elements and Techniques of
Problem Solving Continued
• Department’s level of response must be acknowledged (No one has unlimited $$$$$)
• Problem must be understood by those persons affected
• Responses must be proactive
• Responses must be evaluated
• Circle of Concern – Circle of Influence http://cop.spcollege.edu

Unit Five: SARA Problem Solving
Model
Learning Objectives of this Unit:
• Understand the four components of the SARA problem solving process
• Acknowledge the essential importance of community participation and input
• Allow participants to practically use the SARA problem solving model http://cop.spcollege.edu

• Provides a formal procedure to be used uniformly be adapting agency
• Increases likelihood of effective solution being achieved
• Relies on the direct input, expertise and creativity of line level officer
• Requires involvement of the community http://cop.spcollege.edu

Steps of the
SARA Problem Solving Method
• “S”can – Identify the Problem
• “A”nalyze - Understand the Problem
• “R”espond – Developing a problem solution
• “A”ssess – Evaluate the effectiveness of the plan and what remains to be done http://cop.spcollege.edu

SARA – Practice Problem
(Scenario)
Here’s a simple scenario which illustrates the application of the SARA problem solving method http://cop.spcollege.edu

Other Effective Problem Solving
Principles
• Old patterns hinder new solutions
• Trial and Error may work as well as logic
• Use observers to identify processes and how and through whom problems are solved
• Anticipate problems
• Remove as much emotion as you can http://cop.spcollege.edu

Analysis and Assessment of
Problem Information
• Beyond the problem incidents themselves, one must understand the social and physical context of the problem events
• The most ignored or under developed step in the SARA process is the accurate assessment of the process to determine whether goals were accomplished http://cop.spcollege.edu

Unit Six: Identifying Resources
Learning Objectives of this Unit:
• To acquaint participants with the process of identifying resources
• How to identify potential resources
• Speak to the many resources currently being used by community policing officers http://cop.spcollege.edu

• Development of community resources can mean around the clock attention is being paid to community problems
• All neighborhood problems are important
• “Minor” concerns can develop into enormous problems over time
• Engage the community http://cop.spcollege.edu

Identifying Police Information and
Activity Sources
• Consider both formal and informal information gathering processes
• Some community leaders will never come to a meeting – identify and go to them
• Do not overlook the unique types of information available from specific sections of your own agency
• Consider utilizing the media and community surveys http://cop.spcollege.edu

Consider these other courses offered by the Florida RCPI
• Police - Community Partnerships
• Problem Solving for CPO & Citizen
• Survival Skills for CPO
• Building Bridges: CPO’s & Citizens
• Changing Roles: Supervising CPOs
• Effective Media Skills for LEO
• Reaching Goals through Codes Enf.
• Crime Prevention - CPTED http://cop.spcollege.edu