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Benefits of Community Policing
Introduction
Community policy is a modern concept of enforcing law that aims at adopting preventive measures to address crime rather than reacting post crime. This modern policing mechanism requires strategic partnership between the police and the community. The combined police-citizen participation will help find solutions to existing problems of the society that may lead to a disorder or a crime. However, dealing with human resource is one of the key management challenges in effectively implementing community policing. Multi-dimensional skills are required to make the program a success.
Skill Requirement for Program Effectiveness
It requires a variety of technical, administrative, conceptual and people skills to effectively establish a community policing program.
Technical Skills
Community policing requires motivating and empowering both police officers and community. Tillman (2000) asserts that job analysis and performance evaluation systems based on community policing is essential to motivate officers to be creative and problem solvers. Creating a reward system for the initiative takers will also improve effectiveness. Tillman (2000) states that computerised crime mapping and analysis is a very effective tool in community policing. It helps empower both officers and community. It requires information collection, organisation and creation of a technology platform, open to public, to map patterns of crime from existing crime records and develop prevention strategies. Thus, technical skills required is knowledge of job analysis, evaluation system, structuring the incentive structures and basic technology. It also requires a deeper understanding of team dynamics and managing individual interests without affecting organisational values.
Conceptual skills
A strong vision, people-centric objective and a long term measurable goal are key elements of the conceptualisation stage. Strong leadership skills, ability to think ahead and designing a strategic path for everyone to follow are some of the key conceptual skills required for the success of community policing program. Following business ethics is also important at the conceptualisation and implementation stage.
Administrative skills
Once the technical and conceptual aspects are in place, good administration is an essential part of the program. The administration of the program should be such that the operative policies are interactive, implementation is flawless and the officers are accessible and focus on community needs (Coquilhat 2008). Dealing with these finer points requires a lot of planning, organising and execution skills. Multitasking is also an essential skill required for effective administration.
People skills
Gaining confidence of the citizens and building their commitment is not an easy task. Grinc mentions a study conducted by Vera Institute found that there is a great difficulty in establishing a solid relationship between the programs and neighbourhood residents (Skogan 1994). Thus, strong people management skills are necessary to mobilise people. People skills relevant for ensuring program effectiveness are good communication and listening skills, influence people’s thought process, collaborative skills and inviting feedbacks wherever necessary. Strong communication and trust building skills are the most important for influencing and mobilising people.
Conclusion
Human resource development is a key management challenge in effective implementation of community policing. Technical, administrative, conceptual and people skills are required to establish such programs. Thorough understanding of job analysis, team dynamics, evaluation system, incentive structures, and basic technology are the key technical skills required. Conceptual skills required are strong leadership skills and ability to think ahead. Administrative skills include planning, organising and execution skills. Important people skills for this program are good communication and listening skills, influence people’s thought process, collaborative skills and inviting feedbacks wherever necessary. However, the most important skills for success of community policing program are strong communication skills, trust building skills and following business ethics.
Coquilhat, Jenny (2008). Community Policing: An International Literature Review. Retrieved from http://www.police.govt.nz/resources/2008/community-policing-lit-review/elements-of-com-policing.pdf
Skogan, Wesley G. (1994). Community Participation and Community Policing. Retrieved from http://www.ipr.northwestern.edu/publications/policing_papers/caps4.pdf
Tillman, Rhonda J. (2000). The Effectiveness of Community Policing. Retrieved from http://www.emich.edu/cerns/downloads/papers/PoliceStaff/Unsorted/Effectiveness%20of%20Community%20Policing.pdf
