To start with, let's clarify a
definition:
Community policing is a philosophy that promotes
organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and
problem-solving techniques, which proactively address the immediate conditions that give
rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of
crime.
Challenges to making
this system work start with building effective partnerships and insuring supportive
involvement by all the needed parties. If businesses or individuals are apathetic or
afraid to take part due to fear of reprisal, the level of self-policing that is
necessary to make community policing effective is compromised. Once adequate involvement
is obtained, training is the next step so that all parties understand their role and the
procedures that need to be followed to ensure safety and effective communications among
everyone involved.
Unfortunately, one major block to
effective community policing may become an overwhelming amount of criminal activity in
the given area. If the severity of problems goes beyond what members of the public can
handle, the community may have to be policed by more formal authorities with a harsher
set of enforcement tools and consequences available.
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