[RunD1987]

I think there is certain accreditations certain departments strive for. Know Manchester is one. Not sure about Old Saybrook, but they do approach the community style policing.

[canadian citizen]

Kidyankee.


Thanks for the kind words.


I should point out that Toronto has the largest city Police Service in Canada, with about 5500 uniform officers, plus over 2000 civilian employees.


This week the latest graduating class of the TPS were sworn in.


Forty eight percent of the class are female, and 34 percent of the class are a visible minority. Thirty one members of the class speak at least one other language besides English and some can speak two or more languages.


More than 50 percent of the class hold a 4 year University degree, and many are working on a further degree.


Here is a link to the news article.


Latest batch of graduating Toronto police constables approaches gender parity | CP24.com


Jim B.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by RunD1987

I think there is certain accreditations certain departments strive for. Know Manchester is one. Not sure about Old Saybrook, but they do approach the community style policing.

Did some research on this and you're right. It's called CONN-PAC and when a department becomes accredited (different than a "certification"), it looks like they're eligible for state grants for community policing and other campaigns (DUI enforcement, click it or ticket). Cool find. Thanks.

[willow wind]

I would like to see the police do two things in dealing with the community.

One is more foot patrols. I live on the shore in a town with large marinas, typical of much of the shoreline. Most of the crime in these towns is property related & boat equipment is a huge target. Can't see how it wouldn't hurt to have the police wandering around on foot through the marinas.

A big shoreline target for thieves is the outlet malls in Clinton & Westbrook. Shoplifting gangs from out of state thrive there. Again foot patrol policing might help ??

The second thing I think the police could do is to have lots of training in dealing with the mentally ill. Figuring out how to approach these situations can sure be trying for a police officer. Most departments have at least one person skilled in this. However, frequently by the time that person gets there the whole scenario has gone south into a mess.

I do agree with others that CT has excellent police forces as compared to the most of the rest of the country. Very well trained, well educated and professional.

[canadian citizen]

A better way to patrol the marinas is with cops on bicycles ...silent, inexpensive compared to patrol cars, low maintenance, no insurance costs, no fuel costs, better physical condition of the officers, and no pollution. A top of the line 20 speed bike costs about $500. Perhaps approach some of the local service clubs, to sponsor a couple of them ?


Patrol in pairs, vary the patrol route every day , and concentrate on visible security, such as unlocked doors, gates , and unsecured equipment. Make note of nonworking security lights, and report them in person to property owners. Investigate individuals that are loitering, or have no good reason to be there.


Does your town PD maintain a "key holders list " that allows them to make immediate phone contact with every business owner, in an emergency ? If not why not ? That is something that a bike patrol could do, by going into retail business locations and making sure that the contact person's information is up to date, and that their phone number is still correct. It also lets the public see the officers in a non-confrontational situation, rather than being issued a traffic ticket.


Does your local PD make use of social media? Being able to contact the community in a immediate way is very important .


Obviously, bike patrol officers cannot move as fast as a patrol car can....but they can respond in a few minutes to a lower priority radio call. And in situations in park lands, or off road, they can get into places that a patrol car cannot access. In my experience here in Toronto, as an Auxiliary Constable on a bike, my conversations with people were very positive, as they saw me as an individual on a bike, not an authority figure. Of course our training is to be " community guardians " not heavy duty enforcement warriors.


Jim B.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by willow wind

I would like to see the police do two things in dealing with the community.

One is more foot patrols. I live on the shore in a town with large marinas, typical of much of the shoreline. Most of the crime in these towns is property related & boat equipment is a huge target. Can't see how it wouldn't hurt to have the police wandering around on foot through the marinas.

A big shoreline target for thieves is the outlet malls in Clinton & Westbrook. Shoplifting gangs from out of state thrive there. Again foot patrol policing might help ??

The second thing I think the police could do is to have lots of training in dealing with the mentally ill. Figuring out how to approach these situations can sure be trying for a police officer. Most departments have at least one person skilled in this. However, frequently by the time that person gets there the whole scenario has gone south into a mess.

I do agree with others that CT has excellent police forces as compared to the most of the rest of the country. Very well trained, well educated and professional.

Of course, because they can get in and out easily. They are right off the highway. Now the new outlets at Foxwoods is a different story. With the crazy layout they first have to figure out how to get in and then worry about their exit. Bet they don't get much problems there. Jay

[kidyankee764]

Would anyone attend an event like this at their local coffee shop? It's a way to sit and talk with a cop about anything and everything. I think it's a good idea for towns to consider.

Coffee With A Cop

[Blargrifth]

Has anyone else gotten bad impressions from suburban police compared to urban police? I have found cops in Trumbull and Monroe to be hostile or having this feeling of superiority with those who they interact with. Whereas my interactions with Bridgeport police have been friendlier or at the worst indifferent. The assumption that I always made was that Trumbull/Monroe cops don't have enough to do so they are looking harder to find or even create problems.

Though I also recall that my first interactions with the Trumbull police were negative. Within a couple years of each other, my father was yelled at quite aggressively by a cop while he was dropping me off at school for not driving up far enough along the sidewalk. And then when I was 12 I was messing around with the phone and accidentally called 911 when I was home alone. The cops showed up soon after my mother returned home and as they approached her my mom pushed the dog away with her foot so they didn't get jumped on. A "why did your son call us" visit quickly turned into a "you're an animal abuser and we're going to report you" visit.

So growing up during high school I tended to look for ways to dislike cops. But I still have to wonder if others have noticed a difference like this. And the paramilitary equipment certainly doesn't make me feel any better about them. Perhaps the suburban departments are overstaffed?

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Blargrifth

Has anyone else gotten bad impressions from suburban police compared to urban police? I have found cops in Trumbull and Monroe to be hostile or having this feeling of superiority with those who they interact with. Whereas my interactions with Bridgeport police have been friendlier or at the worst indifferent. The assumption that I always made was that Trumbull/Monroe cops don't have enough to do so they are looking harder to find or even create problems.

Though I also recall that my first interactions with the Trumbull police were negative. Within a couple years of each other, my father was yelled at quite aggressively by a cop while he was dropping me off at school for not driving up far enough along the sidewalk. And then when I was 12 I was messing around with the phone and accidentally called 911 when I was home alone. The cops showed up soon after my mother returned home and as they approached her my mom pushed the dog away with her foot so they didn't get jumped on. A "why did your son call us" visit quickly turned into a "you're an animal abuser and we're going to report you" visit.

So growing up during high school I tended to look for ways to dislike cops. But I still have to wonder if others have noticed a difference like this. And the paramilitary equipment certainly doesn't make me feel any better about them. Perhaps the suburban departments are overstaffed?

I know many good officers from both communities. If you have concerns, keep an eye out for their communuty programs. Get out there and talk to them at these events. It's the best way to get some insider information on why they do what they do. Listen to their concerns and express yours. That's why I made this thread - to promote communication between cops and the community!

[AMSS]

I love the concept of community policing. In my small town, police (troopers) often make appearances at schools for everything from DARE to CT Loves to Read Day. There's even one who will be judging the science fair.

I'm in Waterbury every day also where the police have put a lot of time and work into PAL. It's no longer just Police Athletic League but Police Activity League. Kids are coached, tutored, and mentored by police. Shameless plug - Waterbury Pal :: Programs

The beautiful building and park is in a not so nice area of the city, but it's in the area it needs to be in and still attracts kids and families from other neighborhoods in the city.This is so important for kids to know their officers and what they stand for. I agree with RogerAnthony though that some incentive should be given for living in the community even though I understand wanting to separate your hometown from your workplace. I stated in another thread that too many city police officers get their training paid for by the city then jump ship as soon as they can for the suburbs and something needs to be done to slow that phenomenon down. It's not good for an officer to see a community as a springboard and not get to know the people he is supposed to serve. I also think beat cops are extremely important because they can handle small nuisances (noise, illegal parking, etc.) that effect quality of life.

I also think we in CT have been fortunate to not have any senseless tragedies happening so far. I don't know if CT Police Academy has better training or if it's because CT as a whole is strong on public education. Many of the controversial police killings in the country, in my opinion, featured cops that weren't that well trained or weren't screened properly. A few cops I know are now happily in internal affairs - a job that would make a cop shunned by his fellow officers twenty years ago. So even though things are perfect and I'm sure corruption still exists and officers need to be "caught" before they get too jaded, I think we've made progress overall. I hope whatever they are doing right continues.

So to answer the question after drifting off... absolutely to community policing. Good for the community and good for the police department.