Introduction
Community policing is one of the most important philosophies that incorporates strategic organization and use of joint undertakings between the police community and other stakeholders to solve problems of crime and related problems in the society. The Greenfield police department new mission statement emphasizes a community policing policy. Its impact and effectiveness will be addressed as the outlined questions are answered.
Crime problem
One can arguably say that there could be no crime problem in the area though the residents perceive it in their minds. The police statistics indicate that there has only been one case where a car’s window was broken in the past one year. The officers also claim there is no crime problem. The Greenfield community has not yet reported any crime case to the police. Possibly the residents could be suffering from fear of crime.
Fear reduction is a police problem
The main task of the police is to protect the community in a way that the community can enjoy all their constitutional rights. Greenfield community is reported to live in fear of crime. They are not even able to take evening walks in their neighborhood park thereby being unable to exercise freedom of movement. They have also expressed concerns about theft from their cars in the parking lot. It can also be argued that the center’s owner has taken steps which have cost him by installing security doors and cameras due to fear of crime.
Possible causes of fear of crime at the center
The main possible cause could be media. The media is said to air crime on the news and in the newspapers. According to a report by Queensland police (2009), media was quoted as one of the factors contributing to fear of crime “the media is quick to report on negative incidents that occur whilst ignoring positive ones (success stories). Thus a perception is often generated that there is a higher risk of encountering crime than what there really is” (Queensland Police Service, 2009). Media in Greenfield is reported to air a lot of crime material on the news and papers and this could possibly be contributing to fear of crime in the area.
The police may be contributing to fear of crime by not actively reassuring the community of their security, and not involving the community in their efforts to maintain peace. The community seems to be suspicious of the kids but the police allude to them as not troublesome.
Greenfield Police department and the senior citizen
The community policing strategy seems not to address some community issues. There is little or hardly any police citizen integration. The police do not actively involve the community and are reported to flash their lights to make sure the residents see them in the area as a form of communication. They could instead take walks and even personally involve the residents in discussions and get to understand their particular concerns.
The owner of the center is reported to have offered classes every month on how to avoid being a crime victim and has also installed new security doors and cameras and he does not involve the police in any of his activities an indication that he may not have trust in the police The police and the media are not synchronized and this could be supported by the contrast between the official police crime reports and what the media gives to the community. The media seems to exaggerate the crime in Greenfield if police crime statistics are true.
Community policing strategy to reduce the fear of crime at the Center
The best strategy would be to enhance police community integration by taking measures such as improving on their patrols. A report by Bureau of Justice Assistance (1994) is quoted claiming that “effective community policing depends on optimizing positive contact between patrol officers and community members; patrol cars are only one method of conveying police services” (Bureau of Justice Assistance, 1994, p. 24).
The police may complement with officers walking on foot, install a police unit at the center or even use horses. The police may be advised to initiate frequent society meetings where residents can air their grievances and also suggest possible solutions to their problems. They could even assign the same officers to patrol the area for some time and in this way the officers will be used to day to day working of the residents and the residents will also get used to them hence promoting trust in the police force. The police may be advised to involve the media in their activities and partner with them in organizing the crime materials to be viewed by the media such as community newsletter. The police and the media may even host programs that, aim at enhancing trust and confidence in police (Bureau of Justice Assistance, 1994).
Conclusion
Community policing can be used to minimize fear of crime by using various strategies such as involving the community in their police activities, organizing security forums, optimizing their patrols, improving on communication between police and the community and partnering with the media.
References
Bureau of Justice Assistance. (1994). Understanding Community Policing. Bureau of Justice Assistance. Web.
Queensland Police Service. (2009). Fear of Crime. Queensland Police Service. Web.