Shaping and Serving the Community - The Role of the Police Chief Executive (From Police Leadership in America, P 61-69, 1985, William A Geller, ed. - See NCJ-98325)

• NCJ Number: 99243
• Author(s): A J Reiss
• Date Published: 1985
• Length: 9 pages
• Sale Source: Praeger Publishers
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Improvements in citizen satisfaction and cooperation with police requires a community-oriented policing style and organization, in addition to an expanded role for the police in social change.

Abstract

Community-oriented policing involves change in the traditional organizational model of policing. The revised model adapts police strategy and tactics to the needs and requirements of the community served and requires police to involve citizens in meeting community needs. A fundamental change under the model is the use of civilians in such tasks as victim assistance, crime prevention, and the coordination of citizen community service. Community-oriented policing also requires police chiefs to implement such a model over a period of years and adopt a policing style characterized by receptivity to community involvement and openness to change and innovation. The chief must change the personnel incentive system so that officers are rewarded for meeting community service objectives. A central issue in community-oriented policing is the police role in responding to and shaping community social change in a way that serves public order and citizen safety. This requires that the police chief be involved in designing and implementing a planned future based on research and development. This expanded role for police requires that standards for police accountability be more comprehensive. Two notes are provided.