Community Policing Mission Statement:
The mission of the Seymour Police Department shall be to promote a partnership between the community, businesses, government, the media, and law enforcement designed to reduce crime and improve the overall quality of life, while encouraging the community to determine its own needs through the exchange of ideas and problem solving techniques by implementing a proactive patrol which will ultimately project a more professional image of the Seymour Police Department.
Background Information:
Community policing is a philosophy of policing and an organizational strategy. This strategy promotes a partnership between the community and law enforcement designed to reduce crime and improve the quality of life. A well defined community policing strategy has several components which include the police agency, the communities appointed officials, its elected officials, social service agencies, local businesses, the media, and finally the community itself. These partnerships with the community, businesses, government, and law enforcement foster an atmosphere of communication and cooperation and establish a bond of trust needed to combat crime and improve the overall quality of life.
Through these partnerships, officers in the Town of Seymour Police Department engage the public in a problem solving - proactive approach to addressing issues of concern in the community. Teaching the members of our community to determine their own needs, power sharing, and the exchange of ideas are also strategies used and taught by our officers.
The benefits of the implementation of the community policing philosophy are directly related to accomplishing the general goals and objectives of all law enforcement agencies. Reducing the fear of crime, eliminating the "us vs. them" mentality, and involving the community in the problem solving process are key benefits to this philosophy. The effective use of community policing increases positive, productive, police interactions with the public and strengthens our neighborhoods against the threat of crime.
The benefits given to police officers from this type of policing philosophy should also not be overlooked. The implementation of a community policing philosophy coupled with a total quality management approach to managing the officers involved gives the officers greater responsibility and the freedom to explore new ideas. The officers are also exposed to much more feedback from the community, they are rewarded for their accomplishments, and they gain a sense of accomplishment when working closely with the community.
|
