Community Policing for Mayors: A Municipal Service Model for Community Policing and Beyond

• NCJ Number: 215377
• Author(s): Robert Chapman; Matthew Scheider
• Date Published: August 2006
• Length: 7 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
• Sale Source: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
• Publication Format: Document (Online)
• Publication Type: Program Description (Model)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded on August 29, 2006.

Annotation

This paper briefly discusses the concept and model of community policing for local and municipal governments, specifically the chief executive position of mayor.

Abstract

Community policing focuses on preventing crime and social disorder through the delivery of police services. The community policing model balances reactive responses to calls for service with a proactive problem-solving approach, centered on the causes of crime and disorder. In this model police and citizens are joined together as partners in identifying and addressing crime issues. Chances are agencies already possess and/or promote many community policing practices, such as citizen surveys and citizen volunteers. The community policing model simply takes the best and most effective, traditional law enforcement strategies and incorporates them into problem-solving and community partnerships. The support and leadership of elected officials, as well as the coordination of the police department and other municipal agencies, are vital to the success of these efforts. As chief executives, local mayors can facilitate and provide leadership to enter into partnerships when their participation is warranted. Mayors are influential in encouraging participation from important segments of the local community through direct contact with key stakeholders or media access to promote and provide information regarding these partnerships.