In 2013, the IACP Midsize Agencies Section set out to fulfill its promise to serve as an incubator for innovative police practices. With support and input from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), the section convened more than 40 police leaders and city managers to discuss their successes and challenges under the theme Sustaining and Advancing Community Policing in the New Economy. Through an interactive facilitated discussion, participants were asked three questions:

In a time of increasing demands and diminishing resources, how is your agency:

• changing its business model?
• maximizing technology?
• redefining community policing?

Participating chiefs and city managers offered successful examples and case studies, candidly discussed challenges, and offered thought-provoking considerations and solutions for the future proving midsize agencies are leaning forward in many ways.  The results are summarized in a new publication from the IACP and COPS Office, entitled Midsize Police Agencies: Surviving, Thriving, and Forging a New Business Model for Law Enforcement in a Post-Recession Economy.  This publication is follow-on to the 2009 IACP/COPS report, Out of the Shadows: Policy Research for Midsize Law Enforcement Agencies – A Call for Action.

The IACP Midsize Agencies Section is dedicated to providing a voice for police executives serving jurisdictions with populations between 50,000 and 500,000, as well as a forum for these leaders to share the unique challenges and opportunities in policing that emerge from departments of this size. The section is committed to embracing and leveraging the special capacity and flexibility of these agencies to innovate and drive progressive change within our profession with the goal of better policing our communities.

For more information or to get involved with the Midsize Agencies Section, visit www.theiacp.org/Midsize-Agencies-Section or email [email protected]