The Future of Community Policing

The policy philosophy known as community policing has evolved since it inception. Many of its core values can be traced back to the early 1800’s when Sire Robert Peel introduced what have become known as the “Peelian Principles” of policing. In America, some of the earliest attempts at operationalizing community policing were in the 1960’s with “team policing” models. Since then, it has been shaped by a myriad of influences.

Community policing will become progressively integrated with technology over time, using platforms that facilitate real-time interactions between citizens and police officers as well as predictive policing techniques. Artificial intelligence will be fused with many, many aspects of policing, including community policing efforts. Holistic approaches to address the causes of crime and disorder, combining social services with police efforts, will coalesce as result of community and political pressure. Training officers on matters like cultural competence and mental health will become a mandate. Youth engagement will be prioritized to foster early mutual trust between police officers and youths. Collaborative governance models will allow communities a say in policing decisions while efforts will be taken to address systemic issues like racial profiling. Finally, a health-oriented approach will be taken with police partnering with healthcare professionals for appropriate interventions while community policing will include environmental sustainability considerations.