Policing Paper
Policing Paper Tyrone L. Sterling University of Phoenix Survey of Justice and Security AJS/502 Dr. Pamela Knothe June 14, 2012 Policing Paper The City of Chicago has adopted a new tool to use against fighting crime. This is what is known as the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS). Many people have never heard of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS). The Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy came about in April 1993 and was first implemented in five of the 25 police districts in Chicago. Rogers Park, Morgan Park, Austin, Marquette, and Englewood were the first locations of the CAPS Program.
The reasons these locations were picked was determined by their crime problems, economics, demographics, and their levels of community organization. In 1994 the other 20 districts of Chicago were participants of the CAPS Program. Outreaching is always a very important goal when there is a merger of organizations. In this case it is collaboration between a community and law enforcement (Chicago Police department) agencies. The benefits of incorporating this idea could include (but not limited to) the sharing of information, and increase trust between parties hat were involved or mainly working together to prevent crimes from taking place.
One key point that makes the CAPS a unique program is that it places the community, the police, and other city agencies on the same sheet of music in protect their neighborhoods against crime. In law enforcement it is always better to be proactive than reactive, and developing additional support always give him or her the upper hand. Crime prevention at the neighborhood level is effective because the use of new technology to help police and residents target crime hot spots. More efficient use of city services that affects crime, extensive training for both police and ommunity, neighborhood-based beat officers and regular beat community meetings involving police and residents. One main goals of the CAPS program is to implement successful and effective way to make neighborhoods safer by improving the quality of life. With the United States the CAPS program has been recognized as one effective and proactive means of police and community involvement in the fight against crime. In relation to functions of patrol, crime investigation, emergency, and critical incident response and future trends of the CAPS program.
One key point of functions of patrolling could be the proactive vigilance of the community (individual neighborhoods) in taking preventive measures in developing an increase of their crime rates. Crime investigations are still the sole responsibility of the Chicago police department; however, it is always easier to investigate crimes when he or she does have the support of the community backing him or her up. This has proven to be very effective means of adding in investigations, instead of the community not wanting to get involve, like it was in the past.
With relation to emergency and critical incident response, there have been positive comments that have been said about the CAPS program involvement in reporting certain situations. It is hard to predict the future brings for the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) Program. Observing past trends from when the program was first started, one could see how crime has gone down, the community has gotten more involve in the prevention of crimes in their neighborhoods. Above all the CAPS program has been identified as one of the best programs in the United States in community and police collaboration.
I know with any new program, there are budget stipulations. However, because this program has had positive reviews and comments, I think funding may not be an issue. In conclusion, the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) Program was explained as well as the origin. It was also noted when and above all why it was incorporated. There are ongoing discussions of how private security agencies and policing work together. There are few (if any) discussions of the role that a particular community and policing affect each other.
In this instance the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) Program should be followed and modeled in communities across the nation. In looking at the pros and cons of the CAPS Program, there are far many pros that outweigh the cons. In fact that alone shows the effectiveness of the program. For any other community, district, city, or metropolitan area; this program should be the basis of law enforcement and community collaboration. Reference: https://portal. chicagopolice. org/portal/page/portal/ClearPath/Get%20Involved/How%20CAPS%20works/What%20is%20CAPS
