State of the Art in Community Policing: An International Perspective (From Police and the Community in the 1990s: Conference Proceedings, 1990, P 5-15, 1991, Sandra McKillop and Julia Vernon, eds. -- See NCJ-132447)

• NCJ Number: 132448
• Author(s): D Bayley
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 11 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Type: Conference Material
• Language: English
• Country: Australia
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

Community policing became a major movement of change and reform in policing internationally during the 1980's as demonstrated by community policing programs in Canada, the United States, Japan, Singapore, and Australia.

Abstract

Community policing programs implemented in various Canadian cities focus on decentralized local policing efforts. The result has been an improvement in the number of crimes solved. In Michigan, New York, Texas, and California, such programs are directed at community crime prevention, local criminal investigations, diagnosing community needs, and meeting the needs of minorities. Community policing in Japan is based on mini-police stations scattered all over the country. There are 6,500 mini-police stations in cities and towns and 10,000 in rural areas. Singapore's system of community policing is very similar to that of Japan. Community policing in Australia is Australia is primarily an add-on crime prevention program, except for New South Wales where community policing beats have been established. There are now over 200 police officers assigned to such beats. Community policing in all varies in terms of personnel, organization, police officer functions, basing, community consultation, the use of volunteers, and funding. Although community policing was initially developed as an urban police idea, rural police officers have also implemented the concept. In order for community policing to be institutionalized, several recommendations are offered: (1) police forces have to decide programmatically what they want community policing to do; (2) community policing must be managed, staffed, and funded in line with available resources; (3) community policing works best when police officers are given responsibility for a particular area; (4) new criteria for evaluating police officer performance must be developed if they are assigned to community police work; and (5) community police officers must be brought together at regular intervals to share information and experiences.