The concept of community policing brings up different ideas for different people. Generally, however, it is considered a policing philosophy in which the same officer patrols and works in the same area on a permanent basis in order to form proactive partnerships with citizens to identify and solve crimes. According to the author, the distinguishing characteristics of community policing are that it is a philosophy, it is personalized, it involves partnerships with citizens, and it includes problem-solving ingredients. The history of policing is briefly sketched to show how the community policing philosophy emerged through citizen’s fear of crime and desire for an improved American police force. In defining the concept of community policing, policymakers and other interested parties identified the improvement of citizen quality of life as a main component of community policing, coupled with a focus on solving the underlying causes of crime. The implementation of community policing impacts many components of the criminal justice system, not just the law enforcement component. Prosecutors, district attorneys, and judges need to be part of the planning and implementation process so that when citizens are arrested for order maintenance concerns, these other facets of the criminal justice system will respond appropriately. Additionally, probation and parole officers may benefit from working with community policing officers in terms of their ability to identify problem areas and people for parole officers to focus on. Concerns with the community policing model include constitutional challenges that may arise because community policing efforts may change the way in which laws are enforced. Other concerns with community policing initiatives involve cost considerations and public support. Since effective partnerships with community members is the base ingredient of community policing, without public support, community policing initiatives will not be as effective. However, the regular interaction between police officers and citizens that is fostered under a community policing model has been shown to build trust in police and lower citizen fear of crime. 4 Endnotes