COPS

Community Policing is a philosophy based on the notion that community interaction and coordination with law enforcement can help control crime. Community members help identify suspects, report neighborhood disorder, and bring problems to the attention of police who work with them to solve the problem.

The focus of community policing is not simply responding to crime, but preventing crime and resolving community problems collectively. The philosophy rests on the belief that the police and the community must work together as partners to solve the many challenges faced in today's society. This approach requires officers to be trained, open minded, and sensitive to the concerns and problems of the community.

Traditionally, the delivery of police services was accomplished in a reactive and unilateral manner. Little attention was given to proactive preventive, methods or looking at what the underlying causes of the crime or call for service involved. Today, the Forest Park Police Department works closely with the community to educate and learn from them. Potential hazards that exist for citizens are discussed with them in order to reduce the likelihood of them becoming the victim of a crime and to improve their quality of life.

At the heart of the police transition into community policing is the question: "How can the police identify and deliver high-quality services to the community in the most effective manner?" Through community outreach the Forest Park Police Department has found an answer to this question. Some of the programs currently being offered are;

Citizens Police Academy/Hispanic Citizen's Academy
Neighborhood Watch
Teen Police Cadets
TRIAD