The Move To Community Policing

Community policing continues to be of great interest to policy makers, scholars and, of course, local police agencies. Successfully achieving the transformation from a traditional policing model to community policing can be difficult. This book aims to illuminate the path to make that change as easy as possible. Morash and Ford have produced a contributed anthology with original articles from a variety of well-known researchers, police trainers and leaders.

A critical look at the realities of community policing in South Los Angeles The Limits of Community Policing addresses conflicts between police and communities. Luis Daniel Gascón and Aaron Roussell depart from traditional conceptions, arguing that community policing—popularized for decades as a racial panacea—is not the solution it seems to be. Tracing this policy back to its origins, they focus on the Los Angeles Police Department, which first introduced community policing after the high-profile Rodney King riots. Drawing on over sixty interviews with officers, residents, and stakeholders in South LA’s “Lakeside” precinct, they show how police tactics amplified—rather than resolved—racial tensions, complicating partnership efforts, crime response and prevention, and accountability. Gascón and Roussell shine a new light on the residents of this neighborhood to address the enduring—and frequently explosive—conflicts between police and communities. At a time when these issues have taken center stage, this volume offers a critical understanding of how community policing really works.

Dennis P. Rosenbaum, one of the most important researchers in police and crime prevention matters, has published this collection of original articles outlining the state of evaluative research on American community policing projects for the past decade. All the big names in the field have been included. Among them are John Eck, Mary Ann Wycoff, Wesley Skogan, Robert Trojanowicz, David Bayley, and Mark Moore. . . . This book is unique. If the reader is interested in the contemporary North American point of view on police matters, but has time to read only one book on the subject, we would recommend this book. --André Normandeau in Canadian Journal of Criminology (translated from French) "This is a helpful framework and provides the reader with a focus that is often lacking in edited collections of papers. The Challenge of Community Policing is clear, well structured, and well referenced and provides the reader with a good understanding of the current situation regarding community policing." --Elizabeth Gilchrist in Urban Studies "This book provides an interesting insight into the ways in which progressive police managers are seeking to come to terms with changed times." --Karim Murji in LCCJ Newsletter "Community policing has become the new orthodoxy for police in the United States, as well as in other countries around the world. Although the movement′s philosophies and practices are spreading rapidly, little is known about the range of ongoing activities, the components of these experimental initiatives, the problems and challenges encountered, and the level of success in achieving objectives. Providing a clear picture of national and international trends in progressive police administration. The Challenge of Community Policing explores the cutting edge of this movement with some of the best empirical studies to date. In this volume Dennis Rosenbaum has gathered together the expertise of widely recognized researchers to address the fundamental question of whether community policing is on the road to fulfilling its many promises. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, the authors present a thorough evaluation of the social and organizational processes involved in planning and implementing community policing, as well as the effects of such programs." --L′Officier de Police Community policing has become the new orthodoxy for police in the United States, as well as in other countries around the world. While the movement′s philosophies and practices are spreading rapidly, little is known about the range of ongoing activities, the components of these experimental initiatives, problems and challenges encountered, and the level of success in achieving objectives. Providing a clear picture of national and international trends in progressive police administration, The Challenge of Community Policing explores the cutting edge of this movement with some of the best empirical studies to date. In this carefully edited volume, Dennis Rosenbaum has gathered together the expertise of widely-recognized researchers to address the fundamental question of whether community policing is on the road to fulfilling its many promises. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, the authors present a thorough evaluation of the social and organizational processes involved in planning and implementing community policing, as well as the effects of such programs and policies on police personnel, police organizations, citizens, and neighborhood environments. Researchers, practitioners, and policy makers will find that The Challenge of Community Policing skillfully bridges the gap between the theory and everyday practice of community police reform. "In this exceedingly informative collection, Rosenbaum has assembled cogent essays from some of the most respected criminal justice researchers. Contributors examine the experiences of many agencies in the U.S., Canada, and Britain that have adopted the community policing philosophy, candidly describe successes and failures, and provide an assessment of the future. . . . The volume separates fact from fiction and should shorten the learning curve of any law enforcement administrator who seeks to implement this alternative method of policing. Highly recommended for upper-division undergraduates and graduate students. A ′must read′ for law enforcement practitioners and criminal justice faculty." --S. L. Gottlieb in Choice "In The Challenge of Community Policing, Dennis P. Rosenbaum has made an important and timely contribution to policing in America. Important because he has assembled the work of a group of the nation′s most thoughtful and respected researchers on policing that provides a current assessment of the field′s progress toward reframing the way America′s cities are policed. Timely because it comes on the threshold of the greatest infusion of federal dollars into local policing in the history of our nation. The greatest portion of those dollars are dedicated to putting officers on the street to engage in community policing. The Challenge offers considerable insight into the experience of police agencies in America, Canada, and England that have had the courage to move into uncharted waters with the hope of having greater impact on crime, violence, and fear. The complexity of the issues are acknowledged while appropriate cautions and important questions are raised. This book will become a useful tool for researchers and practitioners as more police agencies make serious attempts to work with members of their community in a partnership to solve problems." --Chief Darrel W. Stephens, St. Petersburg, Florida "I recently had the opportunity to review The Challenge of Community Policing by Dennis P. Rosenbaum and found the book to be an excellent resource for both the academic and practitioner. The information is current, presented in a well-balanced manner, and relies on respected scholars who understand the concept of community policing. Given the importance of this movement in police practices, not to mention the central role community policing has in the current federal crime control initiative, The Challenge of Community Policing provides a thorough view of the philosophy and issues. Dr. Rosenbaum′s work is an important contribution to the literature." --David L. Carter, Professor and Director National Center for Community Policing

Keeping in view the role of the police in a modern society, the respect for the rule of law and the trust of the community as a critical resource, more and more police organizations around the world have embraced Community Policing with the objective of making the police sensitive to the needs of the community. However, in the absence of an institutional and legal framework and a resultant lack of understanding of the dynamics of policy processes, many such initiatives failed to stand the tes...

Community policing is a philosophy and organizational strategy that expands the traditional police mandate of fighting crime to include forming partnerships with citizenry that endorse mutual support and participation. The first textbook of its kind, Community Policing: A Contemporary Perspective delineates this progressive approach, combining the accrued wisdom and experience of its established authors with the latest research based insights to help students apply what is on the page to the world beyond. ’Spotlight on Community Policing Practice’ sections feature real-life community policing programs in various cities, and problem-solving case studies cover special topics. The text has been revised throughout to include the most current developments in the field such as how the current climate of suspicion associated with terrorism threats affects the trust so necessary for community policing, and how the newest technologies can be harnessed to facilitate police interactions with citizens. Additionally, the book now explores the fragmentation of authority and emphasizes the importance of partnerships among the numerous law enforcement agencies, government agencies, and private social service agencies. * Each chapter contains learning objectives, key terms, and discussion questions that encourage comprehension * Video and Internet links provide additional coverage of topics discussed throughout the text. * Includes a 'Ten Principles of Community Policing' addendum