NCJ Number
161458
Date Published
1994
Length
171 pages
Annotation
This report presents the results of evaluations of community-oriented policing (problem-oriented policing) in eight Missouri communities.
Abstract
For the purposes of this evaluation, "community-oriented policing" follows the definition developed by Eck and Spelman, which states that "problem-oriented policing is a departmentwide strategy aimed at solving persistent community problems. Police identify, analyze, and respond to the underlying circumstances that create incidents." The evaluation was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, a detailed description of each program was developed. In the second stage, onsite visits of the agencies were conducted to obtain additional information. Surveys of citizens and interviews with police officers were conducted in the second stage to obtain perceptions of various aspects of the impact of problem-oriented policing. Based on the findings, the report concludes that community-oriented policing provides a viable approach to providing police services in most communities. Although each program was distinctive, some common themes emerged. General recommendations are offered in the areas of executive support for the program, the involvement of agency personnel, identification of the target "public" to be served, and staffing. Other topics discussed are whether community- oriented policing can become standard operating procedure in American law enforcement, training, and whether there are techniques that are best suited for particular types of departments. Extensive tabular data, survey and interview forms, and 264 references