NCJ Number
115743
Date Published
1988
Length
18 pages
Annotation
An evaluation of the first 3 years of the Citizen Oriented Police Enforcement (COPE) project begun in 1982 by the police department in Baltimore County (Md.) indicated that the project became more successful as it evolved and that it is at least moderately successful at reducing fear, satisfying citizens, and solving neighborhood problems.
Abstract
In addition, it may succeed at displacing or deterring certain crimes. The program has evolved from saturation patrol to crime prevention to problem-oriented policing. It is expected to continue indefinitely as a component of the police department's operational strategy. Information for the evaluation came from surveys of police officers and citizens. Findings show that as problem-oriented policing, COPE deals less superficially than traditional single-complaint policing with the kinds of problems that concern many neighborhoods. The COPE strategy involves surveying and interviewing community residents before defining problems and searching for solutions. COPE officers have sometimes discovered sources of fear quite different from those they had anticipated, indicating that police departments should not assume that they know what a community's problems are. The Baltimore County experience indicates the potential of the COPE strategy for delivering to communities the kind of quality police services they need and want. Notes and descriptions of activities in specific neighborhoods.