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For some agencies, it represents a philosophy, while for others, it describes activities and programs. Given the problem of defining community policing, it is not surprising that critics have questioned whether the law enforcement community seriously has embraced community policing (Breci and Erickson 16).
The general view of community policing, or the Community Oriented Police (COP) program, is seen in this description of the program instituted in Pittsburgh:
The COP philosophy centers around improving the relationship between the city's police department and members of the individual communities and neighborhoods they serve ("Community Police Training Mandated" PG).
To this end, special training is mandated for police officers and management personnel alike. In Pittsburgh, as in most cities, the program affects only a percentage of the total department, involves the creation of ministations in different neighborhoods, and the involvement of different elements of the community.
Community policing is part of the push for partnerships between local government, police, schools, and community groups as a means to prevent crime. How such efforts are made has been the subject of much study as different jurisdictions struggle with how to coordinate such a comprehensive effort. Even in areas where there is a COP structure, agency administrators rarely meet with community residents to identify common goals or to strategize about how to cooperate in a common endeavor. Another difficulty is found in the need to approach unfriendly or distrustful community groups to join in the decision making process. However, it is clear that forming lasting relationships among key government leaders, police departments, and community groups across the country would have a substantial impact on public safety issues. Fishbein notes that the community represents a major, often untapped crime prevention resource and that residents c...