Community Policing

Developed in Response To the changes that put police in cars and removed them from neighborhoods To understanding that modern law enforcement has not been able to make communities safer (for the most part) or to reduce fear of crime To the recognition that both the extent and nature of crime in our communities require different police strategies It developed in response to several factors including: The historical changes in policing (beginning in the 1950s) that put police in cars and removed them from neighborhoods. Putting officers in cars took them off the “beat” and put distance between the people in their neighborhoods and officers. Doing so made it harder for officers to forge relationships with people, get information about crime and victimization, and therefore solve crimes. For the most part, traditional modern law enforcement practices have not been able to make communities safer or to reduce fear of crime. Law enforcement “needs” the community in order to effectively fight crime. Both the extent and nature of crime in our communities require different police strategies that involve citizens in identifying and responding to the issues.

It requires: the active participation of local government, civic and business leaders, and public officials fundamental changes in the structure and management of police organizations that police goals be expanded beyond crime control and prevention that police use a wide variety of methods to achieve these goals.

Two Core Components Focus on: community partnerships problem solving instead of crime fighting It is a philosophy more so than a specific set of actions. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAf23H2Dz7I Community policing requires the police to: develop community partnerships to address the problems of concern to the community. Community members to bring their problems to the attention of the police. encourage citizens to assist in solving the problems and concerns of the police. It is a philosophy more so than a specific set of actions. It requires that the organization and officers shift their frame of reference to seeing the community as a partner in solving problems that are related to crime in a wide variety of ways. If you have internet access, play the U-tube video in the PowerPoint. Note how the police officer wants to talk about crime tips and misses the point in terms of how the community wants to form a “partnership” and re-connect w/ officers. Their concerns are not necessarily what the officer has on his “agenda”. Discuss how this focus of the meeting exemplifies community policing and how it ultimately leads to better crime control.

Examples Community Coordinated Responses Family Justice Units Specialized Domestic Violence Officers/Units

Coordinated Response Model Duluth – Pioneer in the Field Interagency Communication and Cooperation key to the process Usually established a task force model whereby all stakeholders come to the table to coordinate the responses of all stakeholders Key Components: Establish Philosophical Approach; Networking/Interagency Communication and Cooperation; Policy/Protocol Development; Support for Victims; Accountability; Evaluation Duluth created the model in their original program in the 1980s.

Philosophical Approach Creating a coherent philosophical approach that makes victim safety the most important goal Eliminate victim blaming (attitudes and practices) Ask why should she use the system? Understanding that the perpetrator is responsible Examine all reforms to look for unintended consequences that may put the victim in harm’s way Create a coherent philosophical approach that makes victim safety the most important goal. If victims aren’t safe, then it doesn’t matter much what the rest of the system does. Victims won’t use it and it defeats the purpose of reform.

Networking/Interagency Communication and Cooperation Interagency dialogue is a must The process of setting up any Council is critical Regular, focused meetings Interagency dialogue is a must. You must have wide participation and cooperation from many agencies and systems that deal with the problem including the criminal justice officials and social service agencies, but also other facets such as representation from the medical, clerical and educational communities. The process of setting up any Council is critical to its long-term success. It needs people at the table willing to listen and learn from each other about their roles and what barriers they face when trying to work with battered women. It requires regular, focused meetings that identify ways to improve service, increase accountability, and make needed changes when there are loopholes or breaches in system response.

Policy/Protocol Development Focus on agency accountability Focus on individual accountability Helps ensure that change is lasting – beyond individuals who may leave agencies

Support for Victims Ensures that all essential services exist, identifies needs, and targets funding and implementation in areas where services are lacking Asks: How does this practice improve or impair a victim’s protection and safety?

Accountability Provides opportunities for treatment and change of offenders, but focus is always on accountability. Assesses all responses to ensure that batterers are held accountable at all levels. Holds agencies responsible for ensuring that batterers are held accountable

Evaluate Progress Collect data and use it to evaluate changes Willingness to change policies and procedures in light of findings Recognizing that some data will be difficult to deal with In other words, the process demands that it demonstrates that change is effective not just that “we think” this is working.

Key Questions What will improve the community response? What kind of resistance will there be to a different proposal? Why would that resistance be there? Who are the key leaders to sell on trying something new? How could proposed changes backfire – for the community, the police, the victim? What kind of training on the proposed changes will be needed? How can changes be institutionalized (policy/protocol?)

Impact for Law Enforcement Officers: Need to play an active role in working with coordinating councils Councils ultimately help officers because when all systems work together: victims will be more apt to cooperate with officers in arrest situations and be more apt to use the criminal justice system at all levels, and officers will have more options at their disposal including referrals to service agencies that will respond effectively and ultimately reduce the need for victims to rely upon police response. Impact for Law Enforcement Officers Departments, but also officers, need to play an active role in working with coordinating councils. It is part of the partnership and problem solving process. It helps officers connect to their communities. If there in no Council in your community, play an active role in creating one. Councils ultimately help officers on the beat, because when all systems work together, victims are more apt to cooperate with officers in arrest situations and more apt to use the criminal justice system at all levels. Officers will have more options at their disposal including referrals to service agencies that will respond effectively and ultimately reduce the need for victims to rely upon police response.

Family Justice Centers (FJC) Pioneered in San Diego. Are a place where all (or many) services for victims of domestic violence are provided in one place Reduces the burden of accessing multiple service providers Increases interagency coordination Services may include domestic violence advocacy, prosecution, police, housing assistance, income assistance, civil legal assistance, medical assessment and/or treatment, and faith-based support. Pioneered in San Diego. They are somewhat of a new development in the field. Domestic violence shelters have often served in this capacity, but lack the ability to physically locate a diverse number of agencies at one location. There are a handful of these units nationally (at least large, well-funded, highly successful models). Knoxville is one of the federally funded centers. They are usually a place where all (or many) services for victims of domestic violence are provided in one central location. They are designed to reduce the burden of accessing multiple service providers, running all over town, and spending an excessive amount of time to get services – time that may not be available for victims trying to escape abusive situations. They increase interagency coordination because employees work in the same building, know each other, and can walk down the hall to help resolve interrelated system issues. Services may include domestic violence advocacy, prosecution, police, housing assistance, income assistance, civil legal assistance, medical assessment and/or treatment, and faith-based support.

Specialized Domestic Violence Units/Officers In large police departments May involve patrol officers, detectives, crime analysts, victim advocates Idea is that they become “specialists” in the area In smaller departments, one or two officers can have these same role Example: Specialized Domestic Violence Officers/Units Are more apt to exist in large police departments. They may involve patrol officers, detectives, crime analysts, and victim advocates working in one department to address domestic violence cases. The idea is that they become “specialists” dealing with these cases. They have a better grasp on content (e.g. new laws and research) and an enhanced ability to deal with repeat offenders. It makes it harder for offenders to subvert the system by dealing with a wide variety of officers who may have little or no idea that other officers are also working with the same offender. Specialized officers will have a better knowledge of victim services and community coordination of these services, as well as working relationships with other employees in these organizations. The experts in this unit also can play a role in education in training of other officers and the community at large. In smaller departments, these same goals can be achieved if one or two officers have primary responsibility for investigation of these cases. They can become the departmental experts.

Ultimately A police response that sees domestic violence as integral to community policing and which engages with community wide responses will provide better services to victims, enhance police response, and help officers responding to calls for service.