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Community policing

Definition

A policing model that builds sustained partnerships between officers and residents through foot patrols, neighbourhood liaison, and joint problem identification. Emphasises prevention over reactive response and gives front-line officers discretion to address local concerns.

Related terms

Discretion
The latitude police officers exercise in deciding whether and how to act. Studies by James Q. Wilson showed that street-level discretion shapes...
Hot-spots policing
A tactic that concentrates patrol resources on small high-crime micro-locations (street segments, addresses, or intersections). Supported by consistent evidence from randomised controlled...
Police legitimacy
The public belief that police authority is rightful and deserving of voluntary compliance. Distinguished from compliance secured through fear of sanctions. Legitimacy...
Problem-oriented policing
A model developed by Herman Goldstein in which police identify and address the specific conditions generating recurring crime or disorder, using the...
Procedural justice
The perceived fairness of how police make decisions and exercise authority. Four components: voice (people feel heard), neutrality (consistent, unbiased decisions), respectful...

Explained in

  • Policing Styles and LegitimacyA policing model that builds sustained partnerships between officers and residents through foot patrols, neighbourhood liaison, and joint problem identificatio...

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