NCJ Number
191876
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 68 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2001 Pages: 133-135,137
Date Published
October 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses what one department did to address the needs and concerns of the community and bridge the gap between the community and the police.
Abstract
In response to community concerns, the Marietta, GA, Police Department developed Marietta Strategically Targeting Areas with Resources (M-STAR). The program's components include: zone management teams comprising police officers, other city employees, and citizens for each of the city's five patrol zones; monthly internal M-STAR meetings; patrol zone management team action form; and quarterly town hall meetings in each zone. The M-STAR program has contributed to a decrease in Part 1 crimes in Marietta, an increase in police responsiveness to the community, and an increase in public confidence in the police department. Acting on information obtained from the quarterly town hall meetings, the action forms, and individual contacts, the police department made numerous arrests and closed three crack houses. In addition, the department has addressed other problems related to traffic, parking, graffiti, and vagrancy. The article concludes that every department must gain the trust of the community it serves so that residents will work with law enforcement to find ways to correct problems rather than make new ones.