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Problem Solving Through Community Policing: Making the Critics Believers

NCJ Number
184985
Journal
Problem Solving Quarterly Volume: 13 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2000 Pages: 5-8
Author(s)
Rodney Hill
Date Published
2000
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses effectively applying principles of community-oriented and problem-oriented policing and getting police officers to believe in the concept.
Abstract
The article describes how community-oriented policing strategies were used to deal with criminal activity and quality-of-life issues in a large suburban apartment complex. A special Uniformed Tactical Team comprising four officers and a supervisor was established to work on reducing crime in the neighborhood. The team met with residents, beat officers, resident managers and a crime analyst to identify specific individuals and groups active in area criminal activities. Many of the individuals had outstanding warrants, which the local police enforced. Charges of loitering were brought against non-residents who were noted repeatedly and frequently in the area. The Team enforced anything that could legally force criminals off apartment property, including charges of illegally selling pit bull puppies. Fliers in English and Spanish, describing arrests made, explaining the anti-crime efforts and encouraging citizen participation, were posted throughout the area. The public's trust and confidence in the police improved, officers cooperated to make the community-policing effort a success and there was no micro-managing or second guessing.