COMMUNITY POLICING

HISTORY OF COMMUNITY POLICING:

The 1970’s marked the era of “professional” policing.  Standardized testing and hiring combined with scientific criminal investigative techniques, helped increase the professionalism of police departments.  The introduction of emergency 911 systems taught communities to measure police effectiveness by their response time to calls for service.  Quick and reactive responses to radio calls for service defines success. 

Rapid response lost its credibility as a successful crime prevention and control method because of research conducted during the Kansas City Preventative Patrol Project in 1976.  The Patrol Project clearly indicated the rapid response alone had little or no impact on preventing crime or apprehending criminals.  This fact became glaringly obvious during the 1980’s with the advent of crack cocaine, gang activity and the increasing levels of violence.  Prisons filled with drug offenders, but the high rates of incarceration did not diminish the crime rates.  Tension and mistrust grew between the police and the community they were protecting. 

Dr. George Kelling and Dr. James Wilson examined the delivery of police services and offered their “broken window” theory of crime prevention.  They believed that crime would decrease by addressing disorder issues and improving the quality of life in a community.  This theory transformed the delivery of police services in the 1990’s and moved professional policing into the community policing era. 

2008 COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DIVISION:

The Bay City Police Department implemented the Community Officers Patrolling Streets (COPS) program in September of 1990.  The objective was to proactively reduce crime, fear of crime, and establish a sense of neighborhood safety and responsibility in resolving problems. 

Community policing consists of three key components:  partnerships, problem solving and organizational transformation.  The Bay City Police Department’s delivery of police services contains all three components.  The Bay City Police Department strives to develop partnerships with a wide variety of people and organizations throughout our community.  We continually search for gaps in service and seek partnerships to address these gaps.  We engage in community outreach through the delivery of educational and informational programs and through involvement in the community. 

 Our COPS officers actively work with the Citizen’s District Councils (CDCs) in each neighborhood.  The COPS officers regularly attend CDC meetings and seek input from the members.  They share information regarding crime and disorder problems.  They also provide crime prevention information to the members. 

The entire police department utilizes the SARA problem solving method to scan, analyze, respond to and assess our efforts in dealing with identified problems.  COPS officers proactively work with community members to prioritize problems in their neighborhoods to ensure that we address the issues that are impacting their quality of life.  Abandoned houses, overgrown yards, public urination, disabled vehicles, barking dogs, loitering, and public drinking are just a few of the issues that have become the focus of combined police and community efforts.  The focus of our efforts directs a great deal of our activities to low-to-moderate income neighborhoods. 

The Bay City Police Department has developed partnerships with:

• Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Bay County

• Lake Huron Council of Boy Scouts

• Bay City Public Schools

• Bay County Probate Court

• Bay City Branch of the Automobile Association of Michigan (AAA)

These Community Policing partnerships provided the vehicle for development and implementation of innovative programs that have received national recognition. 

COMMUNITY POLICING DISTRICTS:

The Bay City Police Department has geographically divided the City of Bay City into five districts.  The east side of the city is divided into three districts and the west side is divided into two districts. 

District #2 is bounded by the Saginaw River to the west and north, the city limits to the east and Columbus Ave to the south.  District #2 is divided into nine smaller geographic sectors. 

District #4 is bounded by the Saginaw River to the west, Columbus Ave to the north, the city limits to the east and Lafayette / Kosciuszko to the south.  District #4 is divided into six smaller geographic sectors. 

District #5 is bounded by the Saginaw River to the west, Lafayette / Kosciuszko to the north, and the city limits to the east and south.  District #5 is divided into eight smaller geographic sectors. 

District #7 is bounded by Euclid Ave to the west, Midland St to the north, the Saginaw River to the east and the city limits to the south.  District #7 is divided into seven smaller geographic sectors. 

District #8 is bounded by Euclid Ave to the west, Wilder Rd to the north, the Saginaw River to the east and Midland St to the south.  District #8 is divided into eight smaller geographic sectors. 

SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS:

Throughout the academic year, Community Policing officers are assigned to Central High School and Handy Middle School.  The officers work in a proactive and problem solving partnership with the schools, residential neighborhoods and business districts surrounding the schools. 

Currently, Officer Darren Smithers is assigned to Central High School and Officer Rick Newbold is assigned to Handy Middle School.

The partner schools have a combined population of approximately 3140 students.  38% of the students qualify for free or reduced price school meals due to low income status.  The ethnic makeup of the student population is 85% white, 8% Hispanic, 5% Black/African American, 1% American Indian and 1% Asian. 

The Community Policing officers assigned as school resource officers promote a positive and healthy relationship between police, schools, students, parents and the community.  The partnerships developed establish a solid communication link between police department and school district personnel. 

The general duties of a school resource officer include:

• Assisting school administration in monitoring student attendance
• Reviewing, monitoring and actively participating in school safety operations (crisis plans, fire drills, etc.)
• Assisting in the formation of post-crisis management plans
• Ensuring physical security of the school buildings and parking lots which includes checking for loiterers, trespassers and unauthorized vehicles
• Reviewing and monitoring school traffic issues
• Investigating violations of the law which occurred in or near the schools
• Aid school officials in the development and implementation of proactive drug and alcohol prevention programs
• Assisting school officials with routine drug and weapon searches
• Helping school officials in the investigation of serious school code of conduct violations (fighting, assaults, vandalism, drug offenses, etc.)
• Providing school officials with assistance at special school events (sporting events, dances, etc.)

I C. A. N. N.:

Numerous sectors within Bay City have neighborhood groups known as I C.A.N.N. (I Can Create A Nice Neighborhood).  The group meets on a monthly basis.  The Community Policing officer assigned to the district attends the meetings.  They assist in facilitating, gathering information from residents on problems and concerns, sharing crime statistics, forming partnerships for problem solving and keeping the lines of communication open between the residents and the police.