2. Impetus for Change in Policing
Local police departments were isolated and
alienated from important segments of the
community.
Research had undermined the assumptions of
traditional police management and police
reform.
Recognition of the fact that the police role is
complex.
Recognition of the importance of citizens as coproducers of police services
10-2
3. The Roots of Community Policing:
Broken Window Hypothesis
Broken Windows Hypothesis: Developed by James Q. Wilson and
George L. Kelling; argues that police should focus their resources
on disorder problems that create fear of crime and lead to
neighborhood decay. A broken window begins neighborhood decay.
Types of Disorder:
1. Social Disorder (Social Disorganization): A condition said to exist
when a group is faced with social change, uneven development
of culture, maladaptiveness, disharmony, conflict, and lack of
consensus.
2. Physical Disorder: A form of societal neglect resulting from
physical decay within a neighborhood; examples include
vandalism, dilapidation and abandonment of buildings, and trash
buildup.
10-3
4. Characteristics of Community
Policing
Community Policing: A model of
policing that stresses a two-way
working relationship between the
community and the police; the police
become more integrated into the local
community, and citizens assume an
active role in crime control and
prevention.
10-4
5. Community Policing
Community Partnerships
Collaboration between police and community
Consultation
Citizens can express problems and needs
Police can educate citizens about crime and disorder in
community
Allows citizens to present complaints
Provides forum for police to inform the citizen about
successes and failures
Mobilization
Neighborhoods
Civil and administrative law
Other municipal agencies
10-5
6. The Effectiveness of Community
Partnernships
Foot Patrol
Increased citizens’ feelings of safety
Positive feelings toward police department
Varied feedback on effectiveness of crime reduction
Neighborhood Watch
Repeatedly found to have little impact on crime
Policing Where “Community” Has Collapsed
More successful among middle-income people,
homeowners, and whites than among really poor
renters and racial minorities
10-6
8. Evidence of Organizational Change
Little evidence to support the idea that
police organizations are changing their
structure as a consequence of community
policing
However, increased police visibility as a
result of community policing
Incorporation of community policing
principles into academy training for
officers
10-8
9. Problem Solving
Last element of community policing
When the police and the community engage
in a cooperative effort to solve neighborhood
problems
Requires participants to identify the
underlying causes of problems rather than
respond to the problems themselves
29% of local police agencies encourage
officers to engage in problem-solving projects
10-9
10. Pulling It All Together: Implementing
Community Policing at the Departmental
Level
Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy
(CAPS) Program
The CAPS Plan
Involvement of entire department and entire city
Permanent beat assignment for officers
Commitment to training
Community involvement
Link between policing and delivery of other city
services
Emphasis on crime analysis
10-10
11. (CAPS) Obstacles to Change
Problem
of resources
Public opposition to planned closing of
precinct station houses
Getting rank-and-file officers committed to
CAPS
The 911 system
Traditional system would pull officers away
from problem-solving activities
10-11
12. CAPS in Action
Citizen interaction with police important
Attempted through regular beat meetings where
citizens could discuss neighborhood problems
• Problems discussed included drug problems, youth
problems, loud music, police disregard for citizens
Evaluation of CAPS
Mixed results
High level of awareness of program, but did not
increase as time went on
Increased police visibility
More time spent on problem-solving
10-12
13.
Community Policing: Problems and
Prospects
A Legitimate Police Role?
A matter of policy choice
A Political Police?
Community policing expands police role and erodes traditional limits
The more they dig into the root of social problems, the more they place limits
on individual liberties
Decentralization and Accountability
Decentralization creates a potential loss of control over police behavior
Impact on Poor and Minority Communities
Intrusive on lives of those living in low-income areas, more arrests, fewer
men in these communities who can find jobs due to their criminal record
Conflicting Community Interests
Especially financial interests
But Does Community Policing Work?
YES: Study funded by the COPS Office showed that the community policing
strategy implemented by the Clinton administration was extremely effective
10-13
14. The Roots of Problem-Oriented
Policing:
Herman Goldstein recognized complexity
of the police role
Helped draft the American Bar Association standards
that emphasized different responsibilities of police
Goldstein argues we should think of the police as a
government agency providing a wide range of
miscellaneous services
Also argues that the police are prisoners of their
communication system
• 911 forces them into a reactive role and makes them think in terms of
isolated incidents
10-14
15. The Problem Solving Process
(SARA)
Scanning
Look for and identify possible problems
Analysis
Collect information about the problem and attempt to
identify its scope, nature and cause
Response
Analysis information used to develop a strategy to
address the problem
Assessment
Evaluation of the effectiveness of the response
10-15
16. Effectiveness of Problem-Oriented
Policing
Problem-Oriented Policing in Newport News
Increased police presence in area reduced reported burglaries
by 60 percent
Utilized SARA model
Problem-Oriented Policing in San Diego
70% of officers used some aspect of SARA model
However, most POP projects were not carried out in a
traditional “text book” fashion
The Boston Gun Project: Operation Cease Fire
Reduced youth-gang homicides by 70%
Residents’ fear of crime reduced by 21%
Faith in police increased by 33%
10-16
17. Characteristics of Zero-Tolerance
Policing
Zero-Tolerance Policing
Based on broken windows theory
Calls for the police to primarily focus on disorder, minor
crime, and the appearance of crime
Characterized by interventions that aggressively enforce
criminal and civil laws
Based on the presumption that communities that need the
police the most are also the least likely to have strong
community social institutions
Does not attempt to carefully identify problems or thoroughly
analyze cause of problems
Focus on place-specific interventions
A back-to-basics strategy
10-17
18. Effectiveness of Zero-Tolerance
Policing
Zero Tolerance Policing in NYC
Giuliani instituted zero-tolerance strategy that focused on
enforcement efforts against panhandling, vandalism,
public drunkenness, public urination, and prostitution
Result was a drop in serious crime rate, however this also
came about as part of a general nation-wide trend in
drops in crime rate
Operation Restoration
Chandler, AZ
Restructured police department and gave more
responsibility to planning and development dept.
Result was a decrease in public morals crimes like
prostitution and disorderly conduct
10-18
19. Potential Problems with ZeroTolerance Policing
Conflict between police and the public
Encourages officers to be overly aggressive
Increase in no. of citizen complaints
Increase in crime in the long run
An arrest record has a long-term impact on a
person’s immediate and future employment
Impact on poor and minority communities
Focus on minor offenses means poorer
minority communities will be affected more
10-19