The Evolution of Community Policing in the United States and Around the World, Coursework Example

Abstract

The term “community policing” is not one that is easy to define; it can refer to everything from citizen-managed neighborhood watch programs to organized approaches developed and carried out by police officers and administrators. This paper will trace the historical evolution of community policing in the U.S., from the earliest “town watch” groups of the colonial era to cotemporary policing models in the nation’s largest cities. Comparisons between community policing models in the U.S. and in other nations will be further used to highlight the various ways that community policing has been envisioned and applied. These historical and contemporary examinations of the far-ranging issues applicable to the term “community policing” will help to clarify both the textbook definition and the real-world applicability of this approach to preventing and solving crime.

Introduction

The term “community policing” does not easily lend itself to a simple, all-encompassing definition. Internet searches of the term return information on everything from neighborhood watch programs organized by concerned suburban residents to politically-influenced committees organized by city governments. Moreover, the concept of community policing has been explored and embraced in different ways by police forces in cities and nations around the world. In order to understand what community policing is and how it can be utilized as a helpful and successful approach to police work, it is first necessary to explore the various ways in which it has evolved and been applied. This paper will provide a historical overview of community policing in the United States, tracing the course from the first “town watch” programs of the colonial era to contemporary models of community policing in the nation’s largest cities. Concurrent with this overview, comparisons will be made between community policing models in the U.S. and those in a number of other nations in various parts of the world. Taken as a whole, this examination of will help to clarify what the term “community policing” means and how it can best be applied to the problem of preventing and solving crimes.

References

Brogden, M., & Nijhar, P. (2005). Community policing: National and international models and approaches. Portland, OR: Willan.

Miller, L. S., Hess, K. M., & Miller, L. S. (2005). Community policing: Partnerships for problem solving. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Palmiotto, M. J. (2011). Community Policing: A Police-Citizen Partnership. Hoboken, NJ: Taylor & Francis.