Law enforcement professionals can work with communities of color to build upon trust and understanding, while maintaining the partnerships that address community concerns. The following programs exemplify policing for progress.

The Law & Your Community - National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)

The Law & Your Community is a national initiative driven by NOBLE chapter members who partner with community stakeholders to improve communication and provide citizens with information on federal, state, and local laws. Sworn officers and law enforcement personnel use PowerPoint slides, videos, and role playing to engage community members of color in dialogue about civil and constitutional rights, self-defense laws such as “Stand Your Ground,” the benefits of mentorship, the realities of working in law enforcement, and navigating communication with law enforcement officials.

The Stop Hate and Respect Everyone (SHARE) Tolerance Program - Los Angeles County, California, Sheriff’s Department

In response to a rising number of hate crimes, the Los Angeles County (California) Sheriff’s Department developed the Stop Hate and Respect Everyone (SHARE) Tolerance Program. Deputies use state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment to engage middle school, junior high school, and high school students in dialogue around hate crimes. SHARE participants start with viewing a documentary about hate crimes. After the film, deputies facilitate a discussion on tolerance and the importance of respecting people’s differences.

Operation Graduate - Clearwater, Florida, Police Department

The Clearwater (Florida)  Police Department, in collaboration with United Way of Tampa Bay; St. Petersburg College, Clearwater Campus; Pinellas County Schools; Florida Department of Juvenile Justice; Clearwater Parks and Recreation; and the Upper Pinellas Ministerial Alliance developed Operation Graduate to help at-risk youth between the ages of 14 and 18. Operation Graduate introduces participants to college experiences and provides families with service referrals and interventions. Clearwater Police Department provides mentorship, facilities for recreational and educational activities and scholarships alongside its educational partners who provide credit repair advice and access to college courses.

Victim Assistance Notification Form - Mundelein, Illinois, Police Department

The Mundelein (Illinois) Police Department provides crime victims with the Victim Assistance Notification form, which lists pertinent information about the criminal case, and possible service providers for referrals. For Hispanic residents who lack English proficiency, a Spanish version of the form is used. Additionally, the department supports victims through a collaborative partnership with A Safe Place, a local domestic violence service provider.

Asian Outreach Resource Officer (AORO) - Des Moines, Iowa, Police Department

Growth of the Asian community in Des Moines prompted the Des Moines (Iowa) Police Department to create the Asian Outreach Resource Officer (AORO) position. Officers who speak Asian languages are assigned to make daily contact with community members to provide an understanding of the role of law enforcement, welcome the Asian community to assist law enforcement, and encourage the Asian youth to pursue careers in law enforcement.

The Safety and Accountability Audit - Duluth, Minnesota, Police Department

The Duluth (Minnesota) Police Department implemented the Safety and Accountability Audit in response to concern over the lack of prosecutions in cases of sexual assault against Native American women. The audit identified problem areas, such as a policies which could compromise a victim’s safety. Changes in policy and training were implemented in order for the department to improve its services.

The Tapestry Project – City of Mankato, Minnesota

The Mankato (Minnesota) Department of Public Safety created the Tapestry Project to build a stronger community through education, mentorship, and cross-cultural learning between immigrants and lifelong residents. The project provides an opportunity for people to share experiences and build community connections. Immigrant members of the community are nominated to attend a seven-week course alongside interpreters and “community connectors” such as faith leaders to discuss tenant-landlord relations, basic public safety needs, neighborhood relations, integration into housing, and city services aimed at improving the quality of life.

St. Louis Nites Basketball League - St. Louis, Missouri, Metropolitan Police Department

The St. Louis NITES Basketball League is a partnership between the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; St. Louis Department of Parks, Recreation, and Forestry; Area Resources for Community and Human Services (ARCHS); and Fathers’ Support Center. Police officers serve as coaches to 10 teams of men between the ages of 18-35 during an 11-week basketball league. The league provides positive interactions with the police and opportunities for mentorship. To play in the league, participants take six life skills classes coordinated by Fathers’ Support Center. The life skills classes teach young men about health and fitness, financial competency, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, and the realities of fatherhood.

Operation Conversation: Cops & Kids - New York City, New York, Police Department

The New York City (New York) Police Department launched Operation Conversation: Cops & Kids to address the need for positive relations between inner-city youth and the police. The Cops & Kids workshop uses improvisation and conversation to help teenagers and police officers improve relationships in a non-hostile environment. Since the program’s inception, more than 100 workshops involving thousands of youth and police officers have helped strengthen the relationship between the Department and the youth of the city.

African American Outreach Program - Austin, Texas, Police Department

The Austin (Texas) Police Department created the African American Outreach Program to improve relationships with the African-American community. Officers assigned as community liaisons participate in community programs and events. The community liaison links the African American community to the Austin Police Department— and with other city departments, law enforcement agencies, businesses, churches, and schools— by providing referrals to other agencies or health and human services; participating in neighborhood meetings; speaking to citizens regarding crime or other issues; assisting the community with identifying volunteer opportunities within the Austin Police Department; and providing crime prevention resources.

Ministers Against Crime (MAC) - Fort Worth, Texas, Police Department

The Fort Worth (Texas) Police Department designed a 12-week police academy to give ministerial volunteers from inner city neighborhoods a detailed overview of the investigation of offenses and the preservation of crime scenes. Following graduation from the academy, ministers are given identification cards, portable radios, and distinct clothing to identify their relationship to law enforcement. Officers are made aware that MAC is a welcomed presence at police scenes, within limits established by the program. Ministers serve as an ally to the police during a crisis to prevent escalation and provide support to victims where a minister is requested or needed.

It Takes a Village to Raise a Child - Purcellville, Virginia, Police Department

To address their city’s rapidly growing youth population, the Purcellville (Virginia) Police Department created eight community policing sectors. Assigning an officer to each sector helped community members and law enforcement build relationships. Outreach strategies include basketball games with youth, public safety days, an end-of-school picnic, homework assistance, Christmas caroling for senior citizens, and a competition for scholarships.

The Social Navigator Program (SNP) - Hamilton Police Service

The Hamilton (Ontario) Police Service implemented the Social Navigator Program (SNP) as a street-level, multipronged social service solution to help break the cycle of arrests, divert individuals from the judicial system, and improve the quality of life for its community members. Hamilton and Ontario Provincial Police officers identify and refer repeat offenders and at-risk individuals to a “social navigator,” a social worker or health care professional. The social navigator interviews the referred individual and redirects the community member to the most appropriate social agency.

YouTube Videos 

The following videos show law enforcement departments working with their communities to build trust and understanding.

• Community Policing Aims to Create Safer Neighborhoods - Long Beach, California, Police Department 
• Protecting Native American Sovereignty, Tule River Tribal Police Department, Porterville, California
• Safe Street Team Program - Boston (Massachusetts) Police Department
• 2015 Youth Police Academy Highlights- New York City Police Department 
• Community Policing - Lakewood (Ohio) Police Department 

Community surveys can be used to collect information about the public’s perception of your law enforcement agency and promote ways that the agency listens and responds to community opinions and concerns. In addition to being a measure of police performance, community surveys can be used to analyze how police deliver services and help decide if the allocation of resources needs to change. Adapt these surveys to suit your community's needs.

Listed below are sample community surveys to assist in the assessment of neighborhood conditions, community and police performance, and local program outcomes.

• Durham (New Hampshire) Citizen Survey Questionnaire
• Geddes (New York) Police Department
• Lexington (Massachusetts) Police Department
• The Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services Community Survey on Public Safety and Law Enforcement

See more information on IACP internal and community surveys.

STEPS FOR EXECUTIVE AND COMMAND-LEVEL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

• Communicate promptly and frequently during critical incidents. Use professional discretion to determine what constitutes law enforcement–sensitive information. Allow key community members access to information about the situation at the scene. Communicate to frontline officers performance expectations for communicating with the community, particularly how they to interact with citizens in an emotionally charged situation.
• Establish relationships with the community by fostering dialogue between law enforcement and residents. Successful strategies include convening monthly meetings with community members; increasing bicycle and foot patrols; and establishing programs that solicit involvement from residents, such as Coffee with a Cop, Neighborhood Watch, and National Night Out programs.
• Use surveys to gather feedback from frontline and community stakeholders.
• Develop relationships with the media and use social media outlets such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter to publicize positive interactions between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Social media should be used positively and carefully to engage and inform the community. Department personnel should be mindful of their personal use of social media, as speech is part of the worldwide electronic domain.
• Identify, recruit, and retain officers with the interpersonal skills necessary to foster relationships with the community. Review and revise recruiting, selection, and training practices to attract and retain these individuals.
• Conduct bottom-up reviews of all agency policies, procedures, tactics, and techniques to ensure that values are effectively communicated and exercised throughout the organization.
• Teach supervisors how to coach and mentor officers. Help officers establish career goals.
• Provide clear understanding of performance expectations and the policy and procedures linked to performance.
• Draft written policies and procedures for Internal Affairs, ensuring fair, unbiased, and timely investigations of officers.
• Increase transparency by collecting data, policies, and procedures and making them publicly available in the languages spoken in the local community. Share challenges and successes.
• Promote continuous training in ethics, integrity, and discretion.
• Ensure that professional development and in-service training highlights the history of community-police relations, as well as the history of the neighborhood or city.
• Engage the community in law enforcement training by opening training exercises to the public and allowing observers and community members to serve as trainers.
• Implement a mentoring program within your agency to build trust and legitimacy with at-risk youth.  This will help improve police and community relations, while also establishing a recruiting ground for future law enforcement officers.

STEPS FOR FRONTLINE OFFICERS

• Treat every member of the community with respect and treat non-enforcement engagements as an opportunity to build trust. Trust is earned through sincere interest, collaboration, and commitment to justice. In addition to modeling professional behaviors to the community, officers must be role models for other officers.
• Get out of your patrol vehicle. Build relationships through non-enforcement interactions by participating in community events, seeking out mentorship opportunities with youth, and serving as a community coach for youth sports, particularly in areas where police enforcement is ever present.
• Use favorable discretion by issuing verbal warnings to low level offenders (i.e., traffic offenses or criminal activity). Articulate why actions are being taken, in order to make the public aware and create trust.
• Engage the youth in high-crime areas by participating in pick-up games of basketball, football, double-dutch, etc. Hold follow-up conversations with parents and guardians of truants and curfew violators. Use community festivals, sporting events, and holiday celebrations to engage in dialogue with diverse community members and increase cultural competencies.
• Work with law enforcement leaders to develop consistent and strategic messaging about expectations for building relationships with the community, particularly how officers should interact with citizens in a difficult or emotionally charged situation.
• Encourage community stakeholders to participate in programs that increase community trust, such as citizen police academies, Neighborhood Watch, and National Night Out initiatives.
• Seek out training opportunities provided by local colleges and universities, law enforcement organizations, training institutions, and federal partners such as the COPS Office Community Policing Learning Portal. The Community Policing Learning Portal provides free community policing training and resources to law enforcement and citizens.

STEPS FOR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS

• Meet with local law enforcement leaders to hold periodic briefing sessions on the “State of the Community.”
• Engage law enforcement to attend and participate in community events, meetings, and other activities.
• Identify key points of contact to serve as volunteer community liaisons during critical incidents to enhance communication and promote the reporting of crime and suspicious activity.
• Engage local and national organizations to establish a network of partners that share responsibility for identifying, reducing, eliminating, and preventing problems that impact community safety.
• Call on local, city, county, and state leaders to ensure accountability for law enforcement.
• Provide information to law enforcement regarding unlawful acts that impact the safety of the community. 
• Act as constructive critics and discourage activists from politicizing incidents before the facts are known and investigations are conducted.
• Encourage community members to volunteer with a local police department and consider the law enforcement profession as a means to repair the system from within.
• Seek opportunities to participate in citizen police academies to gain a better understanding of the law enforcement profession.
• Encourage community members to seek out publications and webinars regarding civil and constitutional rights, procedural justice, and implicit or unconscious bias.