NCJ Number
179835
Date Published
1998
Length
0 pages
Annotation
Intended for use by law enforcement professionals and political leaders, this video features comments by national, State, and local law enforcement officers as well as citizens regarding the philosophy, goals, and tactics of community-oriented policing and problem solving (COPPS).
Abstract
The format of the video consists of comments by various individuals familiar with and involved in the COPPS philosophy of policing, accompanied by images of police and citizens involved in COPPS activities. In profiling COPPS, the video portrays police officers as leaders in organizing the community to analyze community public safety problems and devise a strategy for addressing particular public safety issues that concern the community. Community officer traits are listed as street-level criminologist, having a broad perspective, finding satisfaction in helping people, having a neighborhood orientation, and possessing creativity. The video shows police on bicycles mingling with citizens in public events, talking with citizens while on foot patrol, and entering the premises of businesses in their patrol jurisdictions. Police chiefs discuss the need for an agency wide commitment to COPPS that encompasses organizational structure and job descriptions. Problem solving is portrayed as a strategy of community policing. Under this strategy, community public safety problems are identified by police and citizens in a cooperative analysis that includes efforts to determine the various causes of the identified problems. Problem solving tactics are then developed to counter the problem, so that it will not continue after an initial reactive response by police. In solving problems, a variety of community resources relevant to solving the problem are used. Under COPPS, police thus become facilitators to stimulate, guide, and organize the community to use all of its resources to make it safer for all citizens.