Community Policing : A Handbook for Beat Cops and Supervisors (Criminal Justice Press Project)

This practical and clearly written manual explains the advantages and "how to" of effective community policing. Lt. Rahtz describes many examples of successful community policing, drawn from his own distinguished career as a Cincinnati police officer and manager, and from the research literature.

In community policing, patrol officers enlist community members as partners in solving local problems that breed crime and disorder. This does not mean that community policing is the same as "social work," "public relations" or being "soft on crime." To the contrary, working cooperatively with the community can help patrol officers become more effective in preventing and solving crimes. And community policing is usually more satisfying and less frustrating for the cop on the beat than the "treadmill" of chasing radio calls.

Community policing is neither complicated nor difficult to put into practice, according to Lt. Rahtz. The author offers step-by-step guidance for forging productive partnerships between patrol officers and community members. He then illustrates the use of problem-solving methods in community policing, and outlines the key supporting roles played by police supervisors and administrators. A wealth of suggestions and resources are provided to illustrate how officers can get started with effective community policing.