A review of the literature demonstrates that there now is a distinct difference between a geographic community and a community of interests -- a distinction blurred in the past when both kinds of community typically overlapped to cover the same population. This has particular relevance to the use of 'community' in community policing, because crime, disorder, and fear of crime can help provide a community of interest and provide issues for linking the community and the police, thus restoring a traditional sense of community and helping to establish internal controls on crime. By having officers in a community every day, rapport is engendered, a two-way flow of information is established, and the officers become 'members' of the community. Officers act as visible deterrents to crime and in the role of ombudsmen, serve as the community's link to other public agencies. By helping law-abiding citizens reclaim their streets, community policing officers inspire a renewed sense of public confidence and safety. 19 footnotes.