THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
By Chief Allwyn Brown , Richmond Police Department
Foundational American Policing Thinking is , in large part , grounded in Peelian principles , and can be summarized in the following quote : “ The police are the public and the public are the police ; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence .” -Sir Robert Peel
It is this thinking that inspires the concept “ community safety is everyone ’ s responsibility , not simply a job for police .” Advancing community engagement through education and empowerment is what the Richmond Police Department ’ s Community Safety Academy is all about . As government ’ s safety experts , Police must assume the lead in creating linkages among police and the communities they serve . This linkage should facilitate the back-and-forth flow on communication on crime vigilance and prevention , as well as methods for working with police to address neighborhood problems and disorder .
The Community Safety Academy aims to educate , empower and engage residents from all neighborhoods within the Richmond community . The Richmond , CA Police Department gained national recognition for its
Community Policing model , succeeding the previously longstanding reputation as Richmond being one of the most violent cities in America , raising community satisfaction in reducing violent crime year after year .
The desired outcome of the 8-week instructional and experiential Community Safety Academy is to build on the power of community partnerships by reaching deeper into neighborhoods to grow existing police / community relationships . To do this , the academy first teaches crime prevention approaches that enhance personal safety , make built structures less attractive to criminals , and encourage participation with neighborhood watch associations . Secondly , it provides a “ behind the scenes ” look at the working of various police functions not readily available to the public .
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