NCJ Number
118001
Date Published
1989
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This paper draws lessons for the implementation of a community policing program from the experience of the Houston Police Department (Texas).
Abstract
As an operating style, community policing evolves and exists in two phases. Phase I involves the implementation of community-oriented programs designed to improve the ability of the police to address problems such as crime, drugs, fear, and urban decay. These programs, however, are not intended to involve all members of the department or all members of the community. Phase I is also marked by a continuity in the organization's operating style and the systems that support it. Phase II involves significant changes in the police mission and the organization's operational and management philosophies. Because community policing becomes the dominant service delivery style, the corresponding support systems must change as well. The Houston Police Department evolved from phase I to phase II over 5 years, beginning in 1982. The department operated under values that emphasized problemsolving and collaboration with the community. It also redesigned its patrol beats to reflect natural neighborhood boundaries. Most important were its experiments with a variety of community-oriented programs that resulted in greater community involvement with the department. 7 notes.