Implementing Community Policing: A Documentation and Assessment of Organizational Change

• NCJ Number: 194956
• Author(s): EmmaJean Williams
• Date Published: January 1995
• Length: 301 pages
• Sale Source: Eric Document Reproduction Service
• Publication Format: Dissertation/Thesis
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper is a doctoral dissertation studying the use of community policing by the Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau.

Abstract

The author studied the implementation of community policing by the Portland Police Bureau, from the 1990 commencement of the implementation of the program. The author presents an overview of traditional policing models as well as community policing standards and discusses aspects of policing that may hinder implementation of organizational change, for example the role of quasi-military structure and the bureaucratic character of police organizations. An overview of the specific conditions in Portland that led to changes in police priorities and the development of a community policing program is presented. The author’s study is described and a literature review is included. The study included data collected through interviews, reviews of police documents and records and through the author’s field observations and was designed to address four research questions. Those four main inquires were, specifically, what circumstances led to the perception that the implementation or adoption of alternative policing strategies was needed for the Portland Police Bureau; how were the viable alternatives selected; what police organizational changes were made with the intent of maximizing the success of the community policing program; and what was the process used by the Bureau in achieving the requisite organizational redesign and restructure. The author identified the following factors as important drivers in the selection and implementation of a community policing focus: 1) the limitations of traditional policing in addressing new criminal patterns; 2) the effects of public interest in quality-of-life issues; and 3) changes in police culture and the emergence of more progressive police officers. The authors research also indicated the importance of blending organizational change with changes in approach and work methodology in order to achieve institutionalized change. 8 notes, 11 appendices, 231 references, glossary