Professor Skinner
CRMJ 387
11/30/17
Community Oriented Policing Success
One of the greatest issues facing police departments throughout the nation is the lack of trust between officers and the community. Some people are afraid to call police for help, out of fear for their own safety. To combat the issue, several police departments have adopted new strategies for handling the matter. In community policing, there are critical steps involved. Organizational transformation, community partnerships and problem solving are key to successful community policing. The Camden County Police Department, The Key West Police Department and the McFarland Police Department, have developed programs to regain the trust of the public. In Camden County, New Jersey, the police department designed a program to diminish gun related homicides and to regain the trust of the community. Camden has been plagued with gun violence, experiencing 47 murders with firearms, out of 57 total homicides. The county also suffered 380 aggravated assaults involving a gun. The CCPD implemented new technology to provide real time crime data. Access to accurate and timely data allows officers to more easily address civic concerns. The CCPD also increased the number of staff members …show more content…
If the community does not trust the police to protect them, then the police have no purpose. There are many success stories like the ones in Camden, Key West and McFarland, and they all vary greatly. The main objective is to restore faith between citizens and the police officers, though it may be difficult. Successful community policing also reduces crime because citizens are more likely to call upon the cops to handle situations. Without significant trust, there is a large strain on the community and more resistance is bound to occur. Police need to have a strong relationship with community members to ensure safe and proper police