Community policing

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Community policing is a political philosophy in which the police and police department are seen as members of the community, with police officers being part of where they live and work. Cities and counties that subscribe to this philosophy tend to do much more community work than traditional police departments. This often includes having more police officers who "walk the beat" as opposed to driving around in police cars. The basic idea is to create bonds of trust and reliance between police and the public.

This approach requires officers to be open minded, unbiased, and sensitive to the concerns and problems of others; also known as the new policing paradigm. Even if officers do not agree with a complainant's viewpoint, they should try to listen and understand the problem. Police should display empathy and compassion with sincerity, not in a rehearsed way. Police must also develop skill in planning, problem solving, organization, interpersonal communications, and perhaps most importantly critical thinking.

At the heart of the police transition to community policing is the question: "How do the police identify and deliver high-quality services to the community?" In the past, the delivery of police services was accomplished in a reactive and unscientific manner, with little attention given to proactive policing. Today, the efficient delivery of police services requires a systematic process to 1) assess the needs of the public and 2) translate those needs into police services and programs that can be efficiently and effectively delivered to the community. In this way, police are becoming more sensitive to the needs of the community. They also have a better understanding of how their work affects the social environment.

In 1967, state-of-the-art policing was exemplified by a fast response to radio calls in this "Black-and-White" and a crowd drawn by the siren and flashing lights.

Some believe Tom Potter, the former police chief of Portland, Oregon, developed the philosophy while he was walking the beat as a young police officer, though others credit Sir Robert Peel, who came up with 9 principles of policing that form the basis of modern policing.

[edit] Criticisms

Many industry insiders view community policing as a watering down of police tactics due to political pressure.^{[citation needed]} An analogy often referenced by law enforcement professionals likens the police officer to a guard dog, the most effective of which would be a well trained but vicious beast with the capacity to defend against every conceivable threat to his beloved master. To some, community policing is seen as a attempt to make these animals more likable, reverse-transmogrifying them into lapdogs.