Bibb County Model for Community Policing in Schools (From Policing and Crime Prevention, P 83-104, 2002, Deborah Mitchell Robinson, ed, -- See NCJ-193592)

• NCJ Number: 193597
• Author(s): Michael Dorn
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 22 pages
• Sale Source: Prentice Hall Publishing
• Publication Format: Book (Softbound)
• Publication Type: Program Description (Model)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This paper discusses the proven approach used by the Bibb County, Georgia, Board of Education Campus Police Department to reduce crime on all the county's school campuses.

Abstract

In 1989 the reputation of the Bibb County Police Department was so poor that the regional police training center would not accept recruits from the department for basic training as recognized police officers, and the Georgia Public Safety Training Center would not allow the department's officers to attend classes. Yet, within a decade the department had thwarted six planned school shootings, one planned school bombing, and one planned double suicide; reduced student weapons violations by an estimated 90 percent; and reduced all criminal incidents on school property by an estimated 80 percent. The department has been widely highlighted as an international model for community policing in the school setting. Key components of the Bibb County plan include: (1) standardized reporting and analysis of school crime; (2) community involvement in problem-solving; (3) careful selection of department personnel; (4) intensive and continual employee development; (5) employee empowerment; (6) alignment with community expectations; (7) providing personnel with quality equipment; (8) a competitive salary and benefits package; (9) leadership of personnel rather than management of human resources; and (10) being open minded as an organization.