1. Best Practices in Community Policing

2. Outline 1330-1340 Chief Douglas Holland ●Introductions ●Community Policing Defined ●The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing 1340-1350 Sgt. Michael Rudinski ●Wrap Around Community Policing ? 1350-1400 Chief Anthony Ayers ●Community Collaboration Through JAG Programs 1400-1410 Chief Kelvin Sewell ●Youth Engagement 1410-1435 Q & A and Audience Discussion

3. Community Policing Defined The assigning of the same one or two policemen to a particular area so that they become familiar with the residents and the residents with them, as a way of reducing crime Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime. A philosophy that combines traditional aspects of law enforcement with prevention measures, problem-solving, community engagement, and community partnerships A police strategy for fostering trust in a community in the effort to enhance crime prevention, in which officers hold regular meetings with community organizations and patrol on foot or on bikes to develop personal relationships with community members

6. Community Policing & Crime Reduction Recommendations 4.1 Law Enforcement agencies should develop and adopt policies and strategies that reinforce the importance of community engagement in managing public safety. 4.2 Community policing should be infused throughout the culture and organizational structure of law enforcement agencies. 4.3 Law Enforcement agencies should engage in multidisciplinary, community team approaches for planning, implementing, and responding to crisis situations with complex causal factors. 4.4 Communities should support a culture and practice of policing that reflects the values of protection and promotion of the dignity of all, especially the most vulnerable.

7. Community Policing & Crime Reduction Recommendations 4.5 Community policing emphasizes working with neighborhood residents to co-produce public safety. Law enforcement agencies should work with community residents to identify problems and collaborate on implementing solutions that produce meaningful results for the community. 4.6 Communities should adopt policies and programs that address the needs of children and youth most at risk for crime or violence and reduce aggressive law enforcement tactics that stigmatize youth and marginalize their participation in schools and communities 4.7 Communities need to affirm and recognize the voices of youth in community decision making, facilitate youth-led research and problem solving, and develop and fund youth leadership training and life skills through positive youth/police collaboration and interactions

8. What is Community Policing Recommendation 4.2 Community policing should be infused throughout the culture and organizational structure of law enforcement agencies. Sgt. Michael Rudinski Hyattsville City Police Department

9. Why Community Policing? Perception is reality, Every individual we touch could one day be a witness, victim or unfortunately a victim of a crime. The relationships we build mean everything. How they perceive police will help or hinder us in the future. Officers benefit by enhancing their own competencies, learning to better understand and value the community, and increasing their commitment and energy to their organizations. Police Departments benefit by improving their services, gaining community recognition and trust, and fostering support. Communities benefit by improving quality of life, coordinating community services, and authentically embracing diversity by reaching out to every generation and demographic represented in your community. Also the exchange of knowledge and relationship building benefits the community as a future investment.

10. What is Community Policing? Can one officer really transform a community? Under the community policing model, where officers are empowered to identify and solve problems proactively, the answer is certainly YES. Being an effective community policing officer involves a unique blend of skills. Learn what makes a good community policing officer and explore ways you can develop the needed skills

11. What is Community Policing? Community involves three key components: Developing community partnerships Other Government Agencies Community Members Non-Profits Private Business Media Engaging in problem solving Scan Analysis Response Assessment Implementing community policing organizational features. Agency Management Organizational Structure Personnel Information Systems and Technology

12. How We Do It Coffee With A Cop Prescription Collections Child Safety Seats Citizen Police Academy Twitter Facebook Nixle Resource Partnerships National Night Out Educational Programs Community Meetings SRO Program Youth Engagement Foot/Bike/Segway Patrols Bilingual Services

13. Joint Agent Group (JAG Team) Recommendation 4.3 Law enforcement agencies should engage in multidisciplinary, community team approaches… Chief Anthony Ayers Capital Heights Police Department

14. Joint Agent Group (JAG Team) What is the importance of starting a JAG Team? How to create a team and who can be part of a team? How does it work and what are the goals and objectives? Is it cost effective and are there any additional costs? How successful can a JAG Team be inside your community?

15. What is the importance of starting a JAG Team? Addressing social issues are a big part of reducing crime in a community. To make a constant impact on crime and nuisance complaints, every community should have a Joint Agency Group. A JAG Team brings information, guidance, stabilization and enforcement to any location within your community. Using Federal, State, local agencies with grass root organizations, a JAG Team can take on any community issue.

16. How to create a team and who can be part of a team? To create your team you must build relationships with the agents, inspectors, caseworkers, school counselors, etc, that control and work the community that will be addressed. Listed are some members of a typical JAG Team: -Police/Police Chaplains/States Attorney’s Office (Nuisance Abatement Unit) -Social Services (Adult/Child/Vulnerable Adult Units)/Crises Response Unit -Zoning/Code Inspectors/Animal Control/Public Works -School Administrators/Counselors -CPAC Community Public Awareness Council – Juvenile Diversion Program -Juvenile Services -HUD Housing Urban Development Section 8 / HUD Office of the Inspector General -Fire Department -Parole and Probation -Grass Roots Organizations -ETC.

17. How does it work and what are the goals and objectives? Each JAG Team will have a coordinator who receives complaints and issues from the community as well as from members of the team. They conduct visits once a month and stay in a small area to address more homes and be efficient. Due to the members working in their assigned areas, the team would not need to use overtime or any other extra costs. The team will send out a Code Violation Notice, prior to the visit to advise the home owner/occupants of the concerns. During the visit only the trained team leader and a police officer will address the occupant at the door. The rest of the team would standby outside until needed. The first team will triage the situation and bring in the team member to handle the situation that pertains to their skill set. This will provide the occupants with fast service to change their nuisance and or criminal behavior.

18. Is it cost effective and are there any additional costs ? A JAG Team is very cost effective. No overtime is needed and it is not a Task Force. The Team is made up of individuals that handle that area during their normal duties which helps them close out their cases in a safe and productive manner. “It is safety in numbers.” Staying in small enforcement areas cuts down on travel time and fuel. It also allows the team to visit more locations.

19. How successful can a JAG Team be inside your community? A JAG Team will give the community an initiative that they can address their complaints and concerns in a fast and efficient manner, that will show instant results. It is not uncommon for a Team to visit 8 homes in one day. If the team conducts 8 visits a month, at the end of one year 96 complaints would be addressed. The Team will be able to address any problems that may occur and can, the majority of the time, address problems at the location with a skilled professional.

20. Engaging Youth Through Community Policing Recommendation 4.6 Communities should adopt policies and programs that address the needs of children and youth most at risk … Chief Kelvin D. Sewell Pocomoke City Police

21. Easter Egg Hunt Held the Saturday before Easter Children ages 12 and under in attendance Food and drinks served to all children and families Raffle Prizes Free event for the Community; paid for by the City of Pocomoke

22. Back to School Picnic Free school supplies given to children in grades K – 8 th Food and Refreshments served Free Book bags Free event for the Community; (Paid for by the City of Pocomoke)

23. Children’s Christmas Party Toys given away to children in need ages newborn to 17 years old Christmas dinner is served Mr. & Mrs. Santa delivers the presents to the children Toys are donated & paid for by the City of Pocomoke Free Event

24. National Night Out Held the first Tuesday of August yearly To reduce crime in neighborhoods throughout the City Provide Food and drinks Dunking Booth Bouncy House Live Music Giveaways Free event for the Community; paid for by the City of Pocomoke

25. Chief Sewell Reading Day Read to the Pocomoke Elementary School Students Ask the students questions about the book when finished

26. When an agency claims to have “implemented” community policing last week, it’s a pretty good indication that it has not. Individual programs or projects that form part of this change may be implemented, but community policing is not implemented. You don’t start it at the beginning of the fiscal year. It is a process that evolves, develops, takes root and grows, until it is an integral part of the formal and informal value system of both the police and the community as a whole. It is a gradual change from a style of policing which emphasizes crime control and “crook catching”, to a style of policing which emphasizes citizen interaction and participation in problem solving.

27. Contact Us Chief Douglas Holland Hyattsville City Police Department dholland@hyattsville.org Chief Anthony Ayers Capital Heights Police Department alayers@capitolheightsmd.com Chief Kelvin Sewell Pocomoke City Police Department pocomokechief@comcast.net Sergeant Michael Rudinski Hyattsville City Police Department mrudinski@hyattsville.org President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/policingtaskforce