The Community Policing Since The 1980s

Community policing has seen a rise in every neighborhood, on all streets and in all towns since the 1980’s. All police have demonstrated that they can make a significant difference in their communities by getting to know them and understanding their needs. Peak (2015) states that “… community can and should play a crucial role in crime prevention and problem solving.” So, what is community policing and how do they work?

Peak states that “…[communitypolicing was developed to bring together the police and the community. (2015, Pg.98). This allowed the police and community to learn from one another. Lesson 4 says it is becoming “a growing tendency that is making it possible for officers to reduce crimes.” This is because both the police force and the community work together to reduce it, instead of each police officer doing everything. The police officers no longer take on the role of a crime fighter. Instead, they focus on solving problems in the community. The first, and probably most important, principle that police officers employ to conduct community policing, is the broad problem-solving approach. This lesson teaches. This allows officers a chance to shift their perspectives and collaborate with the community in a new way. Another advantage is that police priority now focuses on the community and what’s really happening. Police now deal directly with citizen concerns, problems, as well as crimes. The goal of the police throughout all this is to be as close as possible with the community. They are responsible for the needs of the community and can gain criminal intelligence through this. Officers and their community have now a way to communicate because of this close-knit connection. Peak (2015), pg. 98. Peak states that “community institutions like families, schools and neighborhood and merchants association are seen as key partners in the police’s creation of safer and more secure communities.” This is how it impacts these relationships.

While the ultimate goal is to keep people safe, the police also want to collect criminal intelligence. The police have established these principles to ensure that communication lines are always open. If a crime occurs in a neighbourhood with a regular police patrol, witnesses are more likely than anyone to speak to the one officer who knows about it. It’s about making connections and getting to know your neighbors, as in every other situation. With community policing, members of the public are considered to be more valuable than their neighbors. Peak states that community policing gives community members a higher status than traditional policing (2015, Pg. 98).

Community policing evolved a lot since the 1980s. Peak (2015), Pg.98. Peak states that community policing can be applied in many ways by both American and foreign police agencies. The application of this type of policing depends on the needs of the community, local politics and resources. Working with your community and getting to understand them is the best way for you to solve any crime. While there are many principles that can be applied to ensure police and community safety, all are designed to build trust and support each other.