The Evolution of Community Policing from Theory to Implementation: A Process Evaluation

This book examines the evolution of the concept of community policing and the theory of broken windows (introduced by James Q. Wilson and George Kelling in a 1982 "Atlantic Monthly" article). The work makes policy recommendations for the future of policing in a post-September 11 world. After I outline the theoretical and conceptual groundwork, review the literature, and present a broader descriptive picture of what community policing looks like in fifty-one of the larger cities across the United States, I conduct an in-depth qualitative analysis of four cities across the U.S. that have engaged in community policing. I examine San Diego as an example of a city that has engaged in top-quality community policing over the past few decades, Chicago as a city that has made uneven progress, Newark as a city that has made poor progress with community policing, and Lowell as a city that was slow to start with the concept of community policing but has seen great success in the reduction of crime in recent years. Yet these analyses neglect the impact of community policing. Exploring this effect, I apply current leadership and managerial theories to policing and police management. As the overall rate of crime fell significantly during the 1990s, the 'sexiness' of community policing lost its political luster and community appeal. Further, our post-9/11 society has limited federal funds for both traditional and community policing. Most likely, these funds for local police departments will decline in the future. These two significant events will probably not only cause a waning of community policing over the next several years but a reversion to the more traditional style of policing with its behind-the-wheel response-oriented technique. This reflexive 'return to the known' is a safe and cautious bureaucratic response in time of national uncertainty and extraordinarily difficult challenges. Such digressions may once again correspond with increased crime. I assume, however, that this effect may not result. With the application of nontraditional police leadership and managerial theories, I propose taking community policing to its next level of application.

Review :
"... a substantial contribution to the public policy debate... Readers, be they front-line police officers, those occupying leadership positions in police departments, elected or appointive city officials, academic researchers, or simply civic-engaged citizens, will profit enormously from Professor's Weiss's thoughtful, integrative, and challenging conclusions." (Prof. Ralph A. Rossum Claremont McKenna College)"