Preview

Community Policing

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1360 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Community Policing
Community Policing

What is community policing? According to The Committee on Law and Justice, Community policing (problem-oriented policing, neighborhood-oriented policing or community-oriented policing) is a policing strategy and philosophy based on the notion that community interaction and support can help control crime, with community members helping to identify suspects, detain vandals and bring problems to the attention of police. One of the most effective means of involving the community in exploring creative ways to enhance public safety is to provide them a Community Policing Officer, who acts as a problem solver to other public and private agencies that can help. The history of modern law enforcement began 166 years ago with the formation of London Metropolitan Police District in 1829. Robert Peel assigned his "bobbies" to specific geographic zone and held them responsible for preventing and suppressing crime within the boundaries of their zones. He believed that placing officers in the community would make them known to the public, and citizens with information about criminal activity would be more likely to tell a familiar officer rather than a stranger; and also become familiar with people and places and be better able to recognize suspicious people or criminal activity and also be highly visible on their posts, tending to discourage criminals from committing crimes in the direct area. "While Peel believed overall civilian control to essential, he also believed that only military discipline would ensure that constable actually walked their beats and enforced the law on London's mean streets, something their nonmilitary predecessors, and the watchman had failed to do." (Patterson)
Most major U.S. cities had established public police departments by the Civil War, much like London officers; they wore distinctive blue uniforms and walked assigned beats. One of the earliest articulations of what would later develop into the community policing

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Even before formal police agencies were established, communities still found ways to protect themselves and their property. It took many trials and errors to find a system that would work to protect citizens, mainly from one another. The first organized police department was established in 1829 in London. Sir Robert Peel founded this Metropolitan Police of…

    • 1136 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The history of the police agencies can be trace back to the 1630s, during this time the earliest colonists use the English style of policing. The civic duty for all citizens was “watch and ward” this offered no training or pay, it was the responsibility of the citizens to monitor the behavior of community members. Policing relied heavily on community consensus and the willingness of citizens to assist in capturing criminals (Wilbur, 2000). Sheriff’s Posses and constables were consisting of able-bodied men, because their service was liable. The collection of taxes and the supervision of election was the responsibility of the county sheriff. The night watchmen were in charge of looking out for suspicious activities and at times conducting weather reports (Wilbur, 2000).…

    • 1208 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Police history plays a big role in today’s police stations today. When we think about policing we think about what we see on TV and all the police shows and movies that are all out now. But in reality it is not really like that. Policing dates all the way back to the early times with Great Britain and their soldiers they had to protect the queens and kings and protect society from thieves.…

    • 508 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    1800's Police System

    • 1840 Words
    • 8 Pages

    This force grew within one year to 3,000 men, organized into seven divisions, policing the metropolitan area. This excluded the City of London, where a separate city police force was established in 1832. The civilian nature of the force was emphasized in the uniforms; black stovepipe hats and blue swallowtail coats. Recruits had to be under thirty-five, at least five feet seven inches tall, physically fit, literate, and of good character. Many recruits were former soldiers or sailors, and came from outside London.…

    • 1840 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    The history of policing dates back several thousand years ago when there was no order or peace and inhumane acts upon citizens was the norm with religious, political, or military police acting as the law. Policing was unstable and unorganized. Citizens took the law into their own hands and served as judge, jury, and executioner. There was not such a thing as being “innocent until proven guilty.” If the community believed an individual was guilty of a crime then the community would handle the offense themselves. American policing stems from the English heritage; crime prevention and control, preventive patrol, and the quasi-military organizational method became the policing structure. The English colonists brought a criminal justice system as part of their cultural baggage (Walker & Katz, 2008, p. 24). In addition, American policing also used other features from the British system. A member of England’s elite social and political class fought to improve the structure of the law enforcement for more than 30 years. History expresses itself and acknowledges this member as the “father” of modern policing, otherwise known as Sir Robert Peel (Walker & Katz, 2008, p. 25).…

    • 946 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the history of Law Enforcement the duty of police is to maintain order, dealing with lawbreakers. At the same time, citizens were responsible for protecting themselves and maintaining an orderly society. With the pass of the time, throughout the Law Enforcement field, organized police department have change dramatically. In addition, the modern style police departments did not appear until the fourteenth century in France and nineteenth century in England. Moreover, the first police officers…

    • 1312 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    A community based policing program needs three key elements: Community identification, Methods of helping the community, and Police involvement within the community. This can be hard to do because the changing face of society is forcing many police organizations to make many changes in the way they run, organize and structure their departments.…

    • 2492 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sir Robert Peel Paper

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Under the term of the Metropolitan Act of 1829 the London Metropolitan Police was formed, it was one thousand members strong and all members were easily recognized due to their uniforms that included blue coats and top hats. Sir Robert Peel’s “bobbies” had four specific operating philosophies; the first one was to reduce tension and conflict between law enforcement officers and the public, the second one was to use nonviolence means in keeping the peace, therefore the bobbies did not carry firearms, the third one was to relieve the military from certain duties, such as controlling urban violence, and the fourth one was to be judged on the absence of crime rather than through high-visibility of police actions. The out come of this was so successful that it was soon implemented in smaller towns in England and the United States there after. ← good regarding firearms and violence.…

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    History of Policing Final

    • 1200 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The function of policing has played a considerable role in American history. The policing occupation has worked toward protecting citizens’ rights and helping America to become the free nation it is today. The United States of America is built from the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights, from this document we gather the rules of policing and make sure that every Americans rights are met. The evolutions of policing practices that officers have learned have changed American history for the better. As new problems in society arise, police must change and adapt to protect and serve the public.…

    • 1200 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The responsibility of Law Enforcement Officers is to protect citizen’s constitutional rights, enforce laws, and provide service. Sir Robert Peel also known as the father of modern policing created a police force because society was becoming more complex. This was a result of the industrial revolution but also to avoid having the military to deal with the civil disorder. According to scholar David Sklansky “several decades ago, when social scientists were discovering the police, and the Supreme Court was beginning to construct the modern law of criminal procedure, American law enforcement was structured roughly the same way it is today” (p. 1209). Policing relied largely on the locals. Police departments are considered quasi-military with organized hierarchy.…

    • 2255 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The importance with this type of policing is on preventing crime before it occurs, not reacting to concerns when the offense happens. Community policing offers a type of control over how their neighborhood is ran. Community policing recommends that police become a bigger part of the areas they patrol. This aids police to gain a stronger sense of resident 's wants and helps residents to improve bigger trust within the police. Together, the community and local department work along to attain a standard goal of a safer, higher place to measure. When both sides come together then the crime rate will in fact drop considerably. There are always ways that this program will not succeed but if the foundation remains strong then there is no way that this will fail. With all programs there is a process and with this one there are two in…

    • 2075 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Police History Policing

    • 791 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Police History Kenna Puckett CJA/214 October 20, 2014 Eric Crawford Police History Policing in the United States dates back to the 1800s, but the police of the modern world are much different from the first police that took patrol. The first patrols did not have cars or two-way radio communication, but they started off always evolving policing and law enforcement organizations. In our current time the government has a direct relationship with law enforcement which affects policing practices. Federal, State, and local governments all play a role in policing practice. Although the law enforcement industry is ever-changing, sometimes it is important to understand where it came from and where it is going. Sir Robert Peel…

    • 791 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Community policing is an important step in reducing resistance and in gaining the commitment from the community as a whole, individual organizations and the department. It benefits both the community and the officers that protect and serve. The officers are provided with self-satisfaction from community…

    • 1555 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Policing Then And Now

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Around the 1600s, the city of Boston established the first system of law enforcement in the 13 colonies; they called it the "night watch”. The officers that were a part of this were not paid and only did this job part-time. It was not until fifty years later that these officers were hired on as full time and were paid a salary (Waters & Doll, 2013). In time, almost all the major cities in the United States had a police force.…

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    back to Sir Robert Peel, the father of the modern Police system, who said "the…

    • 2028 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays

Related Topics