More community policing needed to combat PR crisis

Spring is a great time for local police departments to step up their community policing activities. This involves patrol officers building positive relationships and solving problems in the district or neighborhood they are patrolling through proactive interpersonal communications with local residents.

Today, positive relationships and trust between police and citizens is needed more than ever before. Over the past two years, negative news coverage of the policing profession has deeply tarnished its image and reputation. Serious police misconduct, illegal and unethical behavior resulting in officer arrests and convictions locally and nationally, has created deep mistrust, dissatisfaction and a lack of appreciation among those that police officers are sworn to protect and serve. Look no further than recent news coverage in the Boston Herald of a Michigan police officer shooting a Black man in the head who was face down on the ground, or the former Boston Police union president who pleaded guilty to sexual assault and child rape, the Woburn cop arrested for allegedly strangling and assaulting his estranged wife, and the continuing scandals involving the Massachusetts State Police.

In a survey I conducted of Massachusetts college men and women ages 2035, 75% believe local police departments need to do a better job of communicating with residents, 70% believe local police officers are unfriendly or unapproachable, 70% do not trust local police departments and believe officers do not relate well with the community. As a suburban police chief told me after hearing these results, “Wow, this is not good.”

This is why community policing is an important tool toward regaining the public’s trust and appreciation.

A growing number of local police departments have stepped up their efforts of community outreach and relationship building through creating neighborhood watch groups, youth sports partnerships, citizen policy academies, coffee with a cop and community police advisory boards. All are steps in the right direction. But more work must be done by individual patrol officers through personal interactions.

While on routine patrol, officers must take the initiative and responsibility to engage citizens they encounter by stopping to informally talk to them when they are mowing the lawn, walking their dog, having coffee in a neighborhood cafe or with kids playing basketball on a neighborhood court. A friendly smile, a wave and informal conversation is an effective relationship-building tool. Justice Department research and law enforcement leaders believe that this personal connection is essential to building trust between residents and patrol officers, especially during this time of policing’s public relations crisis.

Bill Bratton, who led police departments in Boston, New York City and Los Angeles, required NYPD patrol officers to park their radio cars and walk the streets, talking to store owners and local residents. “Riding around in a patrol car with rolled up windows prevents officers from engaging, connecting and building trust with the public; they need to park their radio car and meet and greet those they are protecting,” Bratton said. A former president of the Massachusetts Major Police Chiefs Association said the police uniform could be an intimidating barrier to community policing. “Today’s officers must be viewed as friendly and approachable human beings. Riding in a patrol car all day causes officers to lose their connection with the community which leads to mistrust. Park and talk is what officers need to do.”

It’s up to every department leader to understand the importance of stop and talk communications and continually motivate their patrol officers to embrace and perform this important function during their patrol shifts.

Billerica resident Rick Pozniak has worked as a public relations and crisis communications executive. He is the author of a white paper on the image and reputation crisis impacting policing. Pozniak, who taught at the New England Institute for Law Enforcement Management now teaches at several local colleges.