Psychology's Role in Effective Community Policing

Introduction to Community Policing

Community policing is a strategy that requires both new attitudes and commitments from citizens and new attitudes and commitments from police officers. It builds on the basic practices of policing by emphasizing cooperation between the police department and the citizenry, by emphasizing the prevention of crimes as opposed to simply catching perpetrators, and by developing long-term solutions to existing and potential problems in the community (U.S. Department of Justice [DOJ], n.d.). The goals of community policing include reducing crime, reducing the fear of crime, restoring and maintaining a sense of order in the community, and building and strengthening bonds between citizens, police, and state and local governments (DOJ, n.d.).

Peel's Nine Principles of Policing

The history of community policing goes as far back as the beginnings of governmental policing and the formation of law enforcement agencies. Sir Robert Peel is generally acknowledged as the originator of modern law enforcement agencies, as he spearheaded the formation of the London Metropolitan Police District in the early 1800s (Lentz & Chaires, 2007). Peel established nine principles of policing and community policy that are still relevant today and remain the focus of modern community policing (Lentz & Chaires, 2007):

1. Peel's first principle was that the basic mission of the police force was to prevent disorder and crime. Peel created a police force and introduced the role of the "police beat" as a form of patrolling in order to make law enforcement agencies visible. He felt that the visibility of law enforcement agents was a major deterrent to crime.

2. Peel believed that law enforcement agencies should work closely with the public and that public approval and public cooperation were the bases of a successful law enforcement agency. He believed that the ability of the police force to perform its duties and prevent crime was dependent on the public's approval of police actions. London was a very diverse city, and Peel believed that a key ingredient in gaining public approval and cooperation was for the police department to understand the different subcultures that make up the community — something that requires training and education.

3. Peel believed that in order to earn the respect and approval of the public, the police force must secure the willing cooperation of the public with respect to laws and police policies. If the public felt a particular law was unjust or was being unfairly applied, cooperation would not follow.

4. Peel believed that the degree of public approval and cooperation varied inversely — that is, was negatively correlated — with the amount of physical force the police exerted in order to compel obedience to the law.

5. Peel believed that in order to maintain public cooperation, the police department should not pander to public opinion but should instead demonstrate total commitment to the law, offer equal treatment and regard to all members of the public regardless of social standing or ethnic background, be courteous and friendly to all, and be prepared to sacrifice themselves in the service of maintaining the law.

6. Peel believed that physical force should be used sparingly — only when verbal persuasion is insufficient to obtain cooperation, and only to the minimum degree necessary to secure compliance and restore order on a given occasion.

7. Peel believed that the relationship with the public should at all times reflect the reality that the police are the public and the public is the police. Both parties must remember that police officers are members of the public who are paid to serve the interests of every citizen and the welfare of the community.

8. Peel believed that police officers must always recognize the limits of their authority and should never appear to act as judge and jury toward the individuals they are charged with arresting.

9. Finally, Peel believed that the true test of police efficiency is the absence of crime, not the number of arrests made or perpetrators caught.

Historical Development and Modern Frameworks

These principles are reflected in the later work of Sir Robert Mark (Lentz & Chaires, 2007); however, in the United States there was a significant move away from this model of cooperation during the 1950s and 1960s. The urban crises of the 1960s highlighted the need for more effective community policing and a return to the ideals of partnership between communities and law enforcement (Wilson & Kelling, 1982). Legislation such as the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 authorized funds to promote community policing and increase the visible presence of police (Skolnick, 2011). The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) was subsequently created by the Department of Justice to carry out this mission (Skolnick, 2011). According to COPS, in order to meet the goals articulated by Peel and Mark, police departments must develop community partnerships, engage in organizational transformation, and employ problem-solving strategies in the course of both maintaining community partnerships and managing organizational change (DOJ, n.d.). Psychologists, as experts in human behavior, can assist police departments in all three of these areas (Gottfredson & Polokowski, 2011).

Conclusion: Psychology as a Tool for Effective Policing

An important aspect of maintaining healthy relations with the community is ensuring that the public views police officers as servants and fellow members of the community — not as authoritarian external agents placed there to correct transgressions in a manner perceived as punitive. There is an extensive psychological literature on behaviors that reduce conflict and crime (e.g., Seligman, 2009), and psychologists can draw on this body of work to suggest ways for police departments to reduce crime while simultaneously improving their standing with the community.

There are also clear clinical implications for which police psychologists — particularly those trained in clinical psychology — can offer direct assistance. It is important for all members of a police department to have an outlet through which they can file complaints, receive help with personal issues such as depression or substance abuse, and seek guidance. Providing officers with a confidential, supportive environment functions as a professional "safe haven" that promotes wellbeing and resilience. It is equally important for the community to know that officers working in high-risk situations have access to such resources.

These are just a few of the ways that psychologists can contribute to more effective community policing. Because the field of psychology encompasses a vast number of subfields — including social psychology, clinical psychology, and industrial-organizational psychology — it can offer a range of perspectives for increasing cooperation between police departments and the communities they serve, and for helping police conduct themselves in accordance with Peel's original ideals.

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