Advancing Community Policing Through Community Governance: A Framework Document

• NCJ Number: 227601
• Author(s): Drew Diamond; Deirdre Mead Weiss
• Date Published: May 2009
• Length: 76 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2004-HS-WX-K029
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
• Sale Source: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded July 9, 2009

Annotation

This report defines the "community governance" approach in advancing community policing and presents a picture of what community governance looks like in practice.

Abstract

"Community governance" is a "philosophical approach to local governance in which municipal agencies, city leaders, and the community (e.g., nonprofit and community-based organizations, individuals, and businesses) view themselves as partners and collaborate to address community problems and improve the overall quality of life." Some of community governance's strongest advocates include police chiefs, city managers and administrators, and mayors. They have embraced the community-governance concept for its ability to bring municipal agencies, community organizations, businesses, and individuals together in the tasks of identifying local problems, improving the community's quality of life, and planning for the future. For many local leaders, especially police chiefs, community governance is the natural extension of community policing. It applies the community policing philosophy and its elements at the citywide level. Just as police agencies must make organizational changes in order to implement community policing, so local governments must make organizational changes in order to implement community governance. This report explains how local governments can organize to implement the four elements that compose the community governance philosophy: partnerships among municipal agencies, partnerships with the community, collaborative problemsolving efforts, and organizational change. Five examples are presented of communities that have adopted the philosophy of community governance: Anaheim, CA; Irving, TX; Longmont, CO; Prince William County, VA; and Wichita, KS. These examples illustrate how the four elements of community governance have been applied in specific municipalities. The examples also illustrate the variety of activities that communities can undertake when they make the transition to community governance. 58 references