The Core Principles of Community Policing

The core principles of community policing are allowing the community or citizens to handle most minor issues. However, in exchange, the police will attain more time to work together with the people developing relations that are vital for long-term solving of community issues (Dempsey et al., 2018). The community-based solutions are imposed, thereby bolstering accountability and respect between the two parties. As previously stated, community policing involves the development of relations between the community and law enforcement. It acknowledges that the police are not able to solve all social problems affecting society, such as homelessness. By working with individuals and organizations in the community, they can develop viable solutions (Dempsey et al., 2018). The approaches take advantage of the vast resources available in the community to identify the best approach to aiding issues such as homelessness. Homelessness is an issue facing numerous communities’ country-wide. Though the issue is commonly accepted, the solutions offered must incorporate a social and law-enforcement aspect for effective outcomes. As previously mentioned, community policing involves the interaction between law enforcement and communities to develop and impose strategies to aid in the resolving of issues such as homelessness. By defining, understanding, and engaging with each other various solutions can be developed to end homelessness (Roussell, 2015). Currently, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has changed its tactics from regulating to checking in. In other words, the LAPD took the initiative in 2020 to check on homeless individuals as well as the mentally ill as they constitute a large percentage of the homeless. Previously attempted initiatives included the clearing all misdemeanor warrants of homelessness (Dazio, 2019). Decriminalizing the social problem was the initial phase of the community agreement. The tactic employed by the LAPD can be identified as prevention and intervention. Initially, law enforcers responded to issues of homelessness; however, with the strategies developed from community policing, they have assumed a pro-active approach to solving homelessness in Los Angeles.

References 

Dazio, S. (2019).  LA police chief aims to wipe out minor warrants for the homeless . Police1. Retrieved 6 August 2020, from https://www.police1.com/community-policing/articles/la-police-chief-aims-to-wipe-out-minor-warrants-for-homeless-MhnvjiwdoxImmyHn/.

Dempsey, J., Forst, L., & Carter, S. (2018).  An introduction to policing  (9th ed.). Cengage learning.

Roussell, A. (2015). Policing the Anticommunity: Race, Deterritorialization, and Labor Market Reorganization in South Los Angeles.  Law & Society Review ,  49 (4), 813-845. https://doi.org/10.1111/lasr.12168