By Dr. Jarrod Sadulski | 01/27/2026
In most communities, policing traditionally tends to be reactive. A crime occurs, the victim contacts law enforcement, and police officers respond.
While it has a role in law enforcement, reactive policing does little to prevent crime from occurring. However, community-oriented policing (also known as community policing) is a proactive strategy that law enforcement agencies have used for some time.
The concept of community policing differs from traditional reactive policing because it emphasizes:
- Partnerships
- Problem solving to address crime before it occurs
- Community trust
What Is Community-Oriented Policing?
To increase public safety, many law enforcement agencies across the United States have engaged in proactive community policing. This type of policing aims to prevent crime before it occurs through addressing:
- Crime trends
- The underlying causes of crime
- Community involvement in public safety
Community-oriented policing is based on the concept that crime can be mitigated or reduced through collaboration with the community that police officers serve. This type of policing engages various stakeholders such as:
- Local citizens
- Private businesses
- Community organizations
Through developing relationships, organizational transformation can occur. This work may include multiple stakeholders conducting a systematic review of current proactive police measures to reduce the fear of crime within a community and foster community trust in local police departments.
The History of Community-Oriented Policing
Community-oriented policing has been around for decades. The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services was established in 1994.
Since that time, many changes and new approaches have been taken to strengthen community-oriented policing initiatives. Programs such as the National Night Out occur the first Tuesday of August each year while other states celebrate it on the first Tuesday of October each year.
The National Night Out initiative promotes police-community partnerships by inviting the public to:
- Visit local police stations
- Talk with officers
- See police equipment
Community-Oriented Policing and Partnerships
Community policing is responsible for developing formal partnerships with community members to promote proactive policing and crime prevention.
Community-oriented policing also implements policing strategies such as proactive problem- solving to combat crime and replaces many traditional policing models. Community-oriented policing services are effective because they emphasize long-term trust building based on transparency and collaboration with community members.
Community-oriented policing services may designate specific police officers to be involved in community policing. These officers may receive additional community-oriented policing services training to better help them communicate and serve the public.
To build community trust, one of the most important aspects of community-oriented policing services is to address fear of crime and to increase the quality of life within communities. When local citizens feel that their voice is heard in community-oriented policing services, they are more likely to be engaged.
Law enforcement agencies should encourage community engagement in identifying neighborhood concerns. Community policing meetings can be held within the community's local government buildings to encourage everyone to get involved in crime reduction strategies. These meetings with community leaders and local law enforcement agencies can lead to meaningful community-oriented policing initiatives.
The models of community policing and problem-solving techniques vary based on the needs of the community. Organizational strategies may depend on the size of the police force and its budget.
For instance, small law enforcement agencies may engage in crime prevention efforts and community safety through public involvement through neighborhood watch programs. They can also create citizen police academies that train citizens on their role in community safety and reporting crime to law enforcement.
However, regardless of the size of a law enforcement agency, many police departments rely on community partnerships to reduce crime. Small local agencies typically have limited budgets and must allocate their resources carefully. Larger police agencies may have a specific division with the Patrol Department that manages community policing initiatives.
These officers may go to monthly community meetings to foster a stronger relationship with the community. An Office of Community-Oriented Policing may provide training for other patrol officers on community policing skills, which may include:
- Conflict resolution, especially between certain racial and ethnic groups
- Ethical conduct
- Problem-solving approaches
An Office of Community Oriented Policing may also be responsible for the oversight and accountability of justice assistance programs within the community, as well as ensuring procedural justice.
Law enforcement agencies that have earned public trust through demonstrating police accountability, being transparent about their policing philosophy, and engaging community members in the problem-solving process tend to be more effective in combating crime.
Law enforcement officers and police departments that properly apply community policing projects reduce crime. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) supports community policing and creates standardized criteria to agency implementation. It also produces community policing training curriculum to police personnel.
My Experience with Community-Oriented Policing
Community-oriented policing was an important part of my job when I served as a patrol officer at a local police agency in South Florida. In my experience, community policing initiatives were part of my daily routine between calls for service.
The community policing efforts that I participated in included directed patrol. Directed patrol involves proactive patrol measures in communities or certain areas that have seen an increase in crime.
Directed patrol is often based on community concerns and crime data that reflects where it is predicted that a crime may occur next. For example, intelligence-led policing and other proactive police initiatives use crime data to predict crimes.
Once an area is identified as a potential target of crime, directed patrol is used to discourage crime through the presence of police officers and police resources. This effort may include police officers who are:
- Using foot patrols
- Driving around in marked patrol vehicles
- Strategically placing security equipment such as CCTV in a particular location
The SARA Model
Another important component of community-oriented policing and problem-oriented policing is the SARA model, which can greatly assist in crime reduction. This community policing model stands for:
- Scanning
- Analysis
- Response
- Assessment
Police departments can apply the SARA model to a wide range of crimes and public disorder problems.
Scanning
This component of the SARA model involves identifying and prioritizing community-based problems that are either recurring or causing harm to the community.
Scanning seeks patterns that can be established often through crime data or citizen complaints. For example, a string of robberies that target a certain geographic area of the community, repeated burglaries in a specific area, or an increase in drug activity can be identified in the scanning phase.
Analysis
In the analysis phase, police officers examine the scope of the problem and examine the causes.
Police officers examine crime data or talk with community members to identify potential offenders, victims, and witnesses. They will also analyze when and where crime occurs and identify any underlying causes.
Response
During the response phase, police officers create strategies to address not only crimes that are occurring but also the root causes of those crimes. This work increases the perception of police legitimacy within the community.
In this phase, police officers will:
- Utilize increased enforcement efforts
- Foster environmental changes to mitigate the trend
- Engage social services
- Encourage community involvement, since citizens have an important role in serving as the eyes and ears of the police
To proactively address community problems through the response phase, police officers may mitigate threats through improved lighting and community outreach through juvenile programs to reduce juvenile delinquency. They may also use directed patrols to demonstrate an increased police presence.
Assessment
The assessment phase measures the effectiveness of the measures implemented in the response phase. Law enforcement officers can assess the effectiveness of the police response by examining crime data to determine whether crimes decreased or increased.
In the assessment phase, law enforcement agencies also examines whether there were unintended consequences of their actions. For example, law enforcement officers need to be aware that implementing community policing initiatives and applying the SARA model to a specific problem can cause violent crime or public disorder issues to shift to a new location.
During the assessment phase, law enforcement agencies can also determine whether their SARA model strategies should be adjusted to increase the effectiveness of crime prevention. They can also review if those strategies should remain the same or be discontinued.
The SARA model is effective because it fosters strong police-community partnerships and is based on long-term solutions versus a disorganized or reactive response to crime trends. Furthermore, this form of community-oriented policing is data-driven and can be duplicated in other areas of a community.
Using Data-Driven Decisions for Allocating Resources
As a police officer in Florida, I experienced a significant increase in fast-food robberies and gun violence. Through intelligence-led policing and crime data analysis, the common times and days of the week along with the common geographic areas of where the crime was occurring could be established.
My policy agency applied the SARA model. To discourage crime, we used directed patrol. Law enforcement officers were present and highly visible during the most common times and locations of where robberies occurred. Hot spot policing can also be utilized as a form of community policing to mitigate crime and allocate resources where crime is most likely to occur.
Community-Oriented Policing in Schools
Community engagement to promote safety and reduce crime rates is essential in the criminal justice system. The principles of community policing extend beyond neighborhoods and can be implemented in schools.
For instance, law enforcement can build partnerships with school staff and parents to focus on prevention strategies. This partnership can provide alternatives to discipline for juvenile delinquency since schools act as a decentralized authority and apply discipline without criminal punishment or enforcement.
School resource officers can serve as mentors and educators on obeying the law and can build trust and positive working relationships with the younger population. Gaining the trust of parents and juveniles can also increase police legitimacy within the community.
An example of a police agency that effectively engages in community-oriented policing is the New Haven Police Department. This agency has reduced crime rates through community outreach activities, youth programs, and other community policing initiatives.
Community-Oriented Policing Must Adapt to Changes
As society, crime trends, and community needs change, it is vital that community policing continues to evolve. Technology has had a major impact on both policing and crime. Police agencies have a responsibility to implement technology into their community policing approaches.
For example, police agencies can use social media to promote community policing initiatives and suggest ways to keep the community safe. Social media should also be used by law enforcement agencies to inform the public of real-time information that could affect their security.
The Role of Intelligence-Led Policing
Intelligence-led, modern-day policing uses real-time crime intelligence from multiple sources, data, and risk assessments to assist with resource allocation, which can result in directed patrols. It helps police leaders with decision making and promotes organizational strategies. In addition, intelligence-led policing prioritizes prolific offenders and hot spots known for criminal activity.
Teaching the Next Generation About Community Policing Practices
Community-oriented policing continues to be an effective tool in proactively preventing crime and in strengthening communication between police officers and their communities. Police academy cadets who will be serving on road patrol should be instructed on the main tenets of community-oriented policing. Even those officers who are not directly assigned to a community policing role can apply the concepts to proactively stop crime and promote community trust.
The Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice at APU
For adult learners who want to study topics such as criminology, criminal investigation, U.S. law enforcement, and other related topics, American Public University (APU) provides an online Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice. This bachelor’s degree in criminal justice offers courses that deal with many areas of law enforcement, including criminal profiling, the criminal legal process, and criminal law.
This degree program also offers four concentrations so that students can choose the courses best suited to their academic and professional needs, such as:
- Maritime law enforcement
- General
- Entrepreneurship
- Organizational law enforcement
For more details about this degree program, visit APU’s security and global studies degree program page.
Note: This degree program is not designed to meet the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in any country, state, province or other jurisdiction. This program has not been approved by any state professional licensing body and does not lead to any state-issued professional licensure.
Dr. Jarrod Sadulski is an associate professor in the School of Security and Global Studies and has over 20 years in the field of criminal justice. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Thomas Edison State College, a master’s degree in criminal justice from American Military University, and a Ph.D. in criminal justice from Northcentral University.
His expertise includes training on countering human trafficking, maritime security, mitigating organized crime, and narcotics trafficking trends in Latin America. Jarrod has also testified to both the U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate on human trafficking and child exploitation. He has been recognized by the U.S. Senate as an expert in human trafficking.
Jarrod frequently conducts in-country research and consultant work in Central and South America on human trafficking and current trends in narcotics trafficking. Also, he has a background in business development.