Introduction
Community policing is not a single concept. It may mean a contrast to rapid response and enforcement-oriented resent to its norms; a process by which crime control is shared with the public, as in the neighborhood watch; or a means of developing communication with the public and interest groups.
The effectiveness of community policing depends on assumptions which are dubious in the case of some communities, and innovations in policing can produce unanticipated consequences. Those setting goals must be clear about whether it is intended to increase arrests, prevent opportunities for crime or manage reported crime rates. Each produces different 'foci' for evaluation. Further, a 'crackdown' in one area may prompt displacement so that foot patrol areas show a reduction but motor patrol areas an increase. The point is not to run down community policing but to be realistic in assessing its effects. Research comparing beat and motor patrol has criticized community policing because beat officers proved neither more nor less likely to prevent crime than their colleagues in cars. While that may be so, it can also be interpreted as showing that beat patrol is no less effective than car patrol, and may enjoy advantages of image and accessibility (Midgley, & Wood 1997).
Community policing involves reforming decision-making processes and creating new cultures within police departments: it is not a packet of specific tactical plans....It assumes a commitment to broadly focused, problem-oriented policing and requires that police be responsive to citizens' demands when they decide what local problems are and set their priorities (McLaughlin, & Muncie, 1998).
Theory of Community Policing
Community policing can be conceptualized at three distinct levels: the philosophical level, the program level, and the activity level.
Philosophical Level
At the philosophical level, three principles distinguish community-oriented policing from traditional policing: (1) shared responsibility for......
