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Manual of Policy and Procedures / Volume 3 - Policy and Ethics / Chapter 1 - Policy and Ethics

3-01/110.00 - Community Policing and Engagement


3-01/100.55 - Unit Commanders' Change of Command Responsibilities
3-01/110.05 - Juvenile Matters

The Department is committed to promoting and strengthening community partnerships, ensuring bias-free policing, improving community trust, and employing collaborative problem solving.  The Department continuously seeks to strengthen community trust through engagement with community members in a collaborative partnership.

Community Engagement

The Department shall reach out to and work with various community stakeholders and action groups (churches, mosques, synagogues, issue-based advocacy groups, fraternal organizations, chambers of commerce, city government, non-profits, etc.) to proactively problem-solve and identify policing priorities.  The Department recognizes that it serves diverse communities and seeks to engage all members of the public in its policing and engagement efforts.  The Department shall ensure that those with limited English proficiency can participate in Department-sponsored community meetings and engagement efforts by seeking out volunteers or Department personnel with relevant language skills.

Community Policing Plans

Each unit commander assigned to a patrol station shall create and implement a Community Policing Plan (CPP).  Unit commanders shall solicit community input regarding public safety and quality of life priorities to tailor the CPP to the community’s needs. 

Department members are encouraged to use this process to build collaborative working relationships with community members.  Outreach to communities who may be distrustful of law enforcement is encouraged.  All Department members assigned to a patrol station shall participate in the community policing and engagement process.

Proactive Problem-Solving

Community Policing Plans shall focus on prevention and not solely on enforcement when possible.  Unit commanders, working with sworn and professional station personnel and community partners, will be responsible for identifying problems in their response area and working proactively to solve them.  Problem-solving should also include listening to community member comments critical of the Department and working to understand their concerns.  Efforts should be made to resolve the issues identified through a collaborative process.

Each station shall update its established CPPs semi-annually.  Updates shall include the following:

  • Community feedback gathered through surveys and meetings to identify community priorities and quality of life issues;
  • Effectiveness of the current efforts and if the implementation plan will be modified;
  • Document any new or modified planned responses to the problems identified within the CPP.  Document if any modifications are result based or community input based; and
  • Share the information collected with the community.

Unit commanders shall continuously evaluate the effectiveness of the CPP and assess whether the identified priorities are still relevant based on crime and quality of life trends.  

Training

Department members shall receive at least eight hours of training on community policing and community engagement through either in-person or online training courses.