Community Policing - US Assistance Programs

Community Policing ICITAP Development Program

Community policing is an effective strategy that has gained wide-spread support in the U.S. and many other countries over the past 20 years. “Community policing is both a philosophy and an organizational strategy that allows the law enforcement organization and the community to work closely together in creative ways to solve the problems of crime, fear of crime, and the overall quality of life in their communities.” ¹ ICITAP has effectively provided community policing development and training assistance since 1996.

Community policing requires both the police and the community to change many of their perspectives. A striking example of this change can be found in El Salvador. Ten years after initiating the development of a completely new law enforcement organization to police the war-torn country, ICITAP helped the Government of El Salvador establish a community-oriented policing strategy throughout the country. The result has been the most dramatic decrease in crime in El Salvador since the end of its civil war in 1992. ICITAP also assisted Bosnia/Herzegovina with implementing policing activities to engage the community, such as bicycle patrols and neighborhood watch programs. These activities have significantly increased the level of trust and confidence that Bosnian citizens have in their police.

ICITAP’s Community Policing Development Program is based on the premise that successful democratization requires a basic level of security and citizen trust in key governmental functions. Certainly, the police figure prominently in this equation. The transition to community policing represents a fundamental shift in the service philosophy of many foreign police agencies. It is accompanied by extensive adjustments in the law enforcement agency’s structure, policy and procedure, deployment strategy, and mission.

http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/icitap/communityPolicing.html