Boston Police Department's Strategic Planning Process: Phase One, Final Report

• NCJ Number: 181082
• Author(s): Jack McDevitt; Michael Shively; Susan Bennett; Jennifer Balboni; Michael Buerger
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 175 pages
• Grant Number(s): 95-IJ-CX-0063
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation

Annotation

In 1995, the Boston Police Department undertook a broad-based strategic planning process to provide a decentralized approach to community policing in neighborhoods, and this process provided a framework for identifying and addressing local community public safety needs.

Abstract

Strategic planning was seen as a vehicle for community policing, and the impact of the community policing on crime and on resident and police officer perceptions was assessed. It was found crime that decreased in Boston as a result of police-community partnerships. Citizens reported a greater sense of security in their homes and neighborhoods and were more likely to indicate that crime decreased in their neighborhoods than were residents of other, similar-sized cities. In addition, citizens felt much more confident in the ability of the police to prevent crime and to solve crime. Police officers viewed crime prevention and assisting the public as equally important components of their criminal investigation and apprehension work, reported a broad awareness of the tenets of community policing, and supported the joint roles of police and residents in dealing with crime and disorder. Both police officers and residents generally agreed that the best way to reduce violence among young people involved greater youth opportunities and increased educational emphasis. Tabular and technical data are appended. References, tables, and figures