What is Community Policing

Safety is one of the most important values for people, and cooperation between the police and the community is the best way to ensure it. This interaction is known by the English term Community Policing (CoP).

It means the police work taking into account residents' views on public order issues in each specific neighborhood, village, town, or city.

Community Policing is ongoing cooperation between the police, residents, and local authorities. The main goal of this interaction is to create a shared safe environment.

What does police-community cooperation entail?

The Community Policing approach is built on principles of ongoing communication, where:

  • the police and the local community are jointly responsible for safety;
  • the police respond to local needs and priorities defined by the community;
  • communication between residents and the police is effective and therefore yields results;
  • the approach to solving each local problem is tailored;
  • the cooperation is aimed at preventing offenses and developing preventive action plans.

CoP is not an autonomous program or a separate police department or station. It is an approach to the police's daily work.

Why does the community need Community Policing?

The development of Community Policing offers several benefits for residents of specific communities. In particular:

  • residents inform the police about safety issues and work together to find solutions;
  • The local police take residents' opinions into account when planning their work. Based on this information, local safety improvement programs are developed.
  • Communication with residents takes place via innovative platforms. They create online platforms and crime maps, hold themed meetings, and launch joint initiatives. These forums help residents receive quick responses to their inquiries and resolve safety issues more effectively.
  • Through closer communication and cooperation between residents and the police, people clearly know what the police do and what their role, rights, and responsibilities are.
  • Focusing on the causes of crime enables early prevention.
  • The community monitors police activity and receives up-to-date information about safety in their area.
  • The criterion for evaluating police performance is how they address the safety problems identified by residents. Evaluations are also provided by community representatives, local authorities, and independent experts.

Guided by the principle "fence yourself not with a fence but with good neighbors," people choose to live where it is safe. It is safe where Community Policing works effectively. Moreover, such homes become a profitable investment for their owners. Developing police–community cooperation creates a safe neighborhood, a safe town, a safe city.

Why do local authorities need Community Policing?

Responsible local authorities are always interested in maintaining law and order in their area. The community's level of safety affects people's well‑being. Quick and effective responses to crimes protect residents, while preventive work reduces the number of offenses and crimes in the future. That is why the role of local authorities in developing Community Policing is very important:

  • Local authorities, together with residents, identify areas in the city, village, or settlement that are dangerous for people.
  • Local authorities respond to citizens' requests to improve safety with concrete actions, which increases trust in them.
  • Local authorities set development priorities for the city or area that matter to residents and provide an effective plan to achieve those goals.
  • A safe area is more attractive for investment projects, enabling the attraction of external funds to develop cities and settlements.
  • The safer a city or village is, the more comfortable it is for tourists, who bring additional income to the community.

An example of cooperation between local authorities and the police:

Municipal maintenance officers, together with the police, patrol the streets, detect and stop illegal street trading. The municipal team in the city centre monitors order during public events. If they detect offenses, they call the patrol.

Why does the police need Community Policing?

Police officers are part of the community they are sworn to protect. They ensure that perpetrators receive lawful punishment.

However, modern policing must be guided by the needs of the local community. The requirement for police–community cooperation on a partnership basis is established bythe Law of Ukraine "On the National Police".

Why were these provisions adopted, and why should the police develop interaction with the community:

  • By involving people (for example, joint patrols, area surveillance and timely notification of patrol officers), the police more effectively prevent new offenses. As a result, the amount of work related to responding to offences and investigating crimes is reduced;
  • cooperating with active residents allows the police to gain community support and build trust between officers and the public;
  • addressing problems that concern the community helps form a positive image of the police;
  • by cooperating with the community, the police increase residents' awareness of their work (for example, the limits of police powers or alternative ways to resolve issues). This, in turn, helps reduce the burden onthe patrol police.

In which countries does Community Policing operate?

The Community Policing principle has been implemented and works effectively in countries such as Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Spain, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

In many countries there is the neighborhood watch practice (Ukrainian: сусідська варта). Residents of a village or an apartment-block courtyard form groups, divide shifts and patrol the area — for example, watching parked cars or playgrounds. If residents notice something suspicious or dangerous, they call the police.

In Ukraine the POLiS programme from the international organisation IREX operates. Thematic meetings between police officers and community members are held at libraries and other institutions. These meetings let the community understand police powers and ask any questions, even those not related to police service. This brings the community and police officers closer.