NCJ Number
182952
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 67 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2000 Pages: 35-44
Editor(s)
Charles E. Higginbotham
Date Published
2000
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Recognizing that a low tax base coupled with an increasing demand on city services requires innovative resource management and that reactive policing models are costly in relation to results, police and city administrators in Union City, California, established two award-winning community resource centers (CRCs).
Abstract
The CRCs accommodate police, city services, and community programs and operate with minimal impact on the city budget. In addition, the CRCs enable police officers to be proactive while addressing the needs of the community through on-site counseling, educational tutoring, legal aid services, health care, domestic violence services, and after-school programs. The CRC action team meets on a regular basis to identify the needs of local neighborhoods and to locate service agencies that can address needs or alleviate identified problems. With the participation and assistance of social service agencies and groups, police officers assigned to the CRCs have become facilitators and resource mobilizers for the community. Other benefits realized from the CRCs include trust-building with minority communities, reduction in policing costs due to community mobilization and improved service delivery, enhanced connection with citizens, heightened sense of security to service providers working in the community, reduction in costs associated with vandalism and graffiti, and cost savings due to collaborative efforts. 2 photographs