NCJ Number
131149
Date Published
1985
Length
28 pages
Annotation
In order to stimulate discussion of future directions for Canadian policing, the Canada Solicitor General collaborated with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to conduct a literature review designed to clarify the fundamental principles and practices of community-based policing.
Abstract
The emergence of community-based policing has deepened the continuing conflict between the demand for police accountability to the public and the belief in police autonomy. The policing environment has been affected by changes in the economy and demographics, by advances in crime trends and analysis, and by demands for non-crime police services. The debate over which role model for policing is most effective compares the benefits of traditional crime fighting and community-based policing. Community policing presents unique management problems and challenges in terms of structure, human resources, organizational change, and information systems. Problem-oriented policing, team policing, crime prevention, police patrol strategies, and criminal investigation trends are other issues to be examined in this debate.