Online Publication of Undergraduate Studies 2018, Volume 9, Issue 2
Mechanisms of Community Policing
Mechanisms of Community Policing in High-Crime Communities Khirad Siddiqui
In recent years, a new law enforcement strategy known as community policing has emerged in an attempt to increase police effectiveness in high-crime neighborhoods (Crowl, 2017; Tyler, 1997). Community policing encompasses a theoretical framework of different police behaviors and practices that can span from attending community events to educating citizens on the role of police as allies (Greene, 2000). A unifying factor for these mechanisms is the goal of building closer relationships between police and citizens to create positive perceptions of police (Weisburd & Eck, 2004). Community policing responds to the needs of highcrime communities, where citizen perceptions of police have been persistently negative for decades (Reisig & Parks, 2000; Thomas & Hyman, 1977; Tyler, 1990, 1997). In fact, citizens in high-crime communities are far more likely to express dissatisfaction with police and to doubt their fairness than those in low-crime communities (Reisig & Parks, 2000). This is due in part to perceptions of police as unfairly punishing lower-income individuals, people of color, or otherwise marginalized groups (Reisig & Parks, 2000; Weitzer, 1999). Considering this historical context, proponents of the community policing framework posit that generating positive perceptions of police increases citizen willingness to comply with their policies (Tyler, 1997). However, there is no unified structure for community policing, resulting in the development of distinct versions across multiple police units (Kennedy & Moore, 1995). Since police units have labeled such a wide array of disjointed practices as community policing, this paper explores mechanisms that adhere to the main tenet of the community policing theoretical framework: that crime reduction should be accomplished through the generation of positive citizen perceptions of police in high-crime communities (Murphy, Hinds, & Fleming, 2008; Weisburd & Eck, 2004). Thus, this paper aimed to answer the following question: how do the mechanisms of community policing impact citizen perceptions of police in high-crime communities? Inclusive Language One of the most widely-implemented mechanisms is the use of inclusive language, which is defined as explicit communication to citizens that is fair, clear, and explanatory (e.g., an officer using the native language of non-English speakers or explaining that they are making traffic stops because they are worried about citizen safety; Huq, Tyler, & Schulhofer, 2011; Mazerolle, Bennett, Antrobus, & Eggins, 2012; Murphy, 2009; Tyler & Fagan, 2008). This is especially important in
communities with low perceptions of police fairness, since inclusive language can clarify why police are intervening in specific situations (Murphy, 2009; Tyler & Fagan, 2008). Inclusive language is widely utilized by police units because of its relative simplicity; it is less difficult and costly to implement changes in an officer’s language than to implement mechanisms that require organizational or hierarchical shifts (Mazerolle et al., 2012). When police use inclusive language, citizens are more willing to assist officers because they gain clarity and a sense of justice from the officers themselves (Huq et al., 2011). The sense of justice that citizens gain from inclusive language and their subsequent willingness to help officers can in turn generate more positive perceptions of police, further highlighting how the theoretical framework of community policing manifests in real-world applications (Mazerolle et al., 2012). Strategic Partnerships Another commonly used community policing mechanism is strategic partnerships between police units and community agencies (Crowl, 2017; Greene, 2000; Schnebly, 2008). Police units can partner with informal groups such as Neighborhood Watch, where police and citizens meet regularly and work together to reduce crime, ensuring that the community feels actively involved in combating crime (Greene, 2000). However, partnerships do not have to be with informal citizen groups, as some police units cite the benefits of integrating with the community more formally and choose to partner with municipalities (Schnebly, 2008). More formal partnerships can involve implementing “community-police stations,� which are physical bases that often resemble phone booths, and are staffed by police officers, usually near areas of high crime (Pate, Wyckoff, Skogan, & Sherman, 1986). These stations allow police officers to become available, visible through the windows, and integrated into their community, which subsequently makes it easier for citizens to maintain contact with them (Pate et al., 1986). Strategic partnerships mainly promote fear reduction, which is defined as reducing citizen levels of fear about police officers and rates of crime in their communities, as a primary method to generate more positive perceptions of police (Bennet, 1991; Crowl, 2017). For example, placing community-police stations next to highcrime areas can reduce citizen fear of crime in the surrounding area, while simultaneously physically integrating officers into the community can further reduce citizen fear of officers (Pate et Literature Review | 21
