Even though community policing has a set of laudable goals, and in some cases has ameliorated a number of social and community problems, many police, academics, politicians, and community organizations have overstated the success of community policing. Moreover, there has been a disproportionate emphasis on public relations programs in support of community policing initiatives in lieu of implementing community policing as its originators intended it to be. The process of community policing as public relations has a series of causes and effects that are detrimental both to the police and constituencies they serve. This process subsumes three interrelated interpretations: more energy is expended on public relations efforts that promote community policing than in the implementation of actual community policing programs; public relations methods to promote community policing are used instead of implementing community policing initiatives; and the practice of community policing has become a public relations exercise. This paper reviews the literature and evidence that support the position that community policing is a manifestation of all three interpretations of the relationship between community policing and public relations; explains how community policing is implemented as a public relations tactic; posits some of the effects of community policing as public relations; and suggests a number of strategies to minimize community policing as public relations. 5 notes