NCJ Number
149579
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 61 Issue: 5 Dated: (May 1994) Pages: 20,22-25
Date Published
1994
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article describes the development, structure, and operations of the North Miami Beach Police Department's (Florida) community policing program.
Abstract
Although the North Miami Beach police had some type of community policing program in parts of its jurisdiction in the mid-1980's, it was not until 1989 that a modernized, dynamic community policing program was instituted. At that time, the new police chief, William Berger, envisioned a community policing program that would create partnerships between the community, the private sector, and the police department to resolve neighborhood problems and improve the city's quality of life. The existing Community Patrol Unit (CPU) was restaffed and revamped, with its methodology formalized into a separate standard operating procedure. The new SOP charged the CPU with maintaining an ongoing awareness of community needs and enhancing the quality of life for those who lived and worked in the community. CPU officers were directed to maintain liaison with city residents and merchants, identify and resolve community problems, and design and implement innovative projects that address quality-of-life issues. To date, the CPU has developed and implemented 23 innovative programs designed to improve the community's quality of life. These programs are briefly described in this article. In January 1993, the department's community policing model was expanded to include the team policing concept. For the past 3 years, CPU officers have been sharing the methods and strategies of their successful program with other law enforcement agencies throughout the United States. Community policing and problem-oriented policing have been successful in identifying and resolving community problems in North Miami Beach.