Community Police: Bridging the Gap between Community and Law

Author: Tempestte D.

Community policing is a partnership between police and the community they serve to address public safety issues. With the police no longer the sole guardians of law and order, all members of the community become active allies in the effort to enhance safety and quality of neighborhoods. Community policing has far-reaching implications.

Why is community policing important? It’s important because who better to protect the community than the people who live in it. As our communities face more difficult times, I’ve noticed that more and more people are coming together and starting community policing organizations.

Let's talk about a few. The first organization that caught my attention was The Chicago Neighborhood Policing Initiative (CNPI). The CNPI builds on a policing philosophy that is grounded in the principle that public safety is the responsibility of everyone who works and lives in the neighborhood. This organization helps the police stay organized in their ability to keep the community safe.

The next organization I would like to discuss is My Block MY Hood My City. This organization believes in taking personal responsibility for their communities. It is only through their efforts of service, empathy, and collaboration will they truly see their communities evolve. They step outside comfort zones and explore new communities, cultures, and cuisines in an effort to gain a greater understanding of the world and I love that about them! This organization targets the youth in our communities and puts in effort to understand them. That is what we need more of! After doing my research, I now see that there is a greater need for community policing that I didn’t understand until now, so let's come together and help our local police departments in their efforts to make our

communities a safer place to live. If these organizations can do, then so can we.

Resources

https://www.chicagonpi.org/mission/

https://www.formyblock.org/