History of Community Policing
Ibrahim Bamba
Prof: Daniel Simone
Class: PSC 245 THE HISTORY OF COMMUNITY POLICING The movement toward community policing has gained momentum in recent years as police and
Community leaders search for more effective ways to promote public safety as well as enhance the quality of life in neighborhoods. The roots of community policing come from the civil rights movement in the 1960s.Even though its origin can be traced to this crisis in police-community relations, its development has been influenced by a wide variety of factors over the course of the past fifty years. The civil rights movement (1960s) widespread riots and protests against racial injustices brought
Government attention to sources of racial discrimination and tension, including police.As visible symbols of political authority, the police were exposed to a public criticism. Not only were minorities underrepresented in police department, but studies suggested that the police treated minorities more harshly than white citizens (Walker).In response to this civil unrest, the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice (1967), recommended that the police become more responsive to the challenges of a rapidly changing society.
One of the areas that need the most improvement was the hostile relationship separating the police from minorities, and in particular the police from African-Americans. Team policing tried in the late 1960s and early 1970s, developed from this concern, and was the earliest manifestation of community policing (Rosenbaum).In an attempt to facilitate a closer police community relationship, police operations were restructured according to geographical limit (community beats).In addition, line officers were granted greater decision-making authority to help them be more responsive to neighborhood problems. Team policing was innovative, but opposition from police managers to
Prof: Daniel Simone
Class: PSC 245 THE HISTORY OF COMMUNITY POLICING The movement toward community policing has gained momentum in recent years as police and
Community leaders search for more effective ways to promote public safety as well as enhance the quality of life in neighborhoods. The roots of community policing come from the civil rights movement in the 1960s.Even though its origin can be traced to this crisis in police-community relations, its development has been influenced by a wide variety of factors over the course of the past fifty years. The civil rights movement (1960s) widespread riots and protests against racial injustices brought
Government attention to sources of racial discrimination and tension, including police.As visible symbols of political authority, the police were exposed to a public criticism. Not only were minorities underrepresented in police department, but studies suggested that the police treated minorities more harshly than white citizens (Walker).In response to this civil unrest, the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice (1967), recommended that the police become more responsive to the challenges of a rapidly changing society.
One of the areas that need the most improvement was the hostile relationship separating the police from minorities, and in particular the police from African-Americans. Team policing tried in the late 1960s and early 1970s, developed from this concern, and was the earliest manifestation of community policing (Rosenbaum).In an attempt to facilitate a closer police community relationship, police operations were restructured according to geographical limit (community beats).In addition, line officers were granted greater decision-making authority to help them be more responsive to neighborhood problems. Team policing was innovative, but opposition from police managers to