Community Policing in Action!: A Practitioner's Eye View of Organizational Change

• NCJ Number: 201243
• Author(s): Andrea Schneider
• Date Published: July 2003
• Length: 99 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2000-CX-WX-K112
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
• Sale Source: NCJRS Photocopy Services; Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This document presents the challenges and obstacles to implementing the organizational changes of community policing in a modern law enforcement agency.

Abstract

Community policing is based on the idea that partnerships between police and citizens will help increase public safety and reduce crime. Community policing requires a complex and challenging mix of changes to a police department’s organizational culture and structure. For a community policing change to last within a law enforcement organization, the nature of the organization itself must change from a hierarchical, traditional organization to a problem-solving based agency. This report examines the results of the Advancing Community Policing (ACP) Grant Program established by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) in 1997 to help law enforcement agencies overcome obstacles and build the necessary infrastructure to strengthen and institutionalize their community policing programs. Nine ACP grantee sites are examined to serve as a working resource for agencies implementing or considering implementing community policing initiatives. Although each grantee’s experience was different, some shared characteristics of organization change emerged during the study. The critical elements of each project were accountability; performance evaluations; increased organizational capacity; communication; community oriented government; customized services to fit the location; engaging and investing in mid-level management; leadership; networking, connecting, and learning; resources; time for change; unions; and vendor selection. Perhaps the most powerful lesson from the ACP program is that one of the most important elements of successful organizational change is careful attention to the process of change, as opposed to focusing solely on its intended results. Successful ACP-funded efforts involved committed and energetic personnel, active support from elected officials, communities that became active stakeholders and supporters, changes to policies and procedures, and participation of other government and social service agencies in the resolution of community problems. 7 notes, 4 appendices