NCJ Number
158377
Date Published
Unknown
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Community policing provides an effective strategy for police to use in reducing the likelihood of collective violence in American cities, and, arguably, the most substantial short-term program for meeting urban social needs.
Abstract
Community policing personalizes policing through consultation and hands-on participation in the mobilization of communities. It also informs law enforcement, as it creates opportunities for the police to know the public as individuals and shape their actions to the needs voiced by individual residents. Community policing minimizes the likelihood of overreaction by police, since increased knowledge of a community reduces the fear police may feel in unfamiliar conditions. Further, community policing allows police officers to target potentially violent people, since they are able to assess individual residents in their jurisdictions. By establishing regular processes of consultation between local police commanders and communities, police actions can be tailored to community needs, thus enhancing police responsiveness. Moreover, community policing symbolizes commitment, helps develop informal social controls, contributes to the quality of physical life, nurtures a sense of political efficacy, facilitates the monitoring of racial and ethnic tensions, and helps deflect rumors. This paper outlines nine key operational steps that must be taken if the promise of community policing is to become an effective defense against collective violence. A 13-item bibliography