Chris Grill

LEPSL 560
Module 7 Assignment
10/21/21
 For law enforcement to be effective in today’s society, we need to change how we

approach policing in our communities. More than ever, community members are pushing for

increased accountability, transparency, and engagement from our police departments. To

meet the needs and level of policing that the community expects, our police officers and police

agencies must cultivate new relationships to be successful. Community policing is at the

forefront of the integral approach to building partnerships in the communities we serve. The

need to collaborate with local businesses, community stakeholders, politicians, and community

members can help reduce crime, identify social issues, build trust, and provide resources and

services to those in need. (McCampbell, 2014) By involving the community, they become

invested in making our neighborhoods safe and solving problems. Although Quakertown

Borough Police Department is thoroughly engaged in the community, developing a community

partnership initiative to promote community policing is needed.

Quakertown Borough Police Department traditionally utilizes community events and

community-based programs to develop relationships with community members. Members of

the department understand the importance of engaging with the community. The police

department hosts programs like Citizens Police Academy, Shop With a Cop, Coffee With a Cop,

National Night Out, and other events to build relationships with community members. The

department hosts the Ride-Along Program, the Bike Rodeo, Police Station Tours, Youth Aid

Program, and the K9 Mutt Strutt to connect with juveniles. These different events provide

community members with a look beyond the badge and humanize our officers. Through this

engagement with the community, our officers and department can work on promoting policing
positively. All of the programs are effective in community policing, but the department needs

to do more to involve community members in the policing philosophy.

For the Quakertown Borough Police Department to continue to progress in policing,

there is a need to change and evolve as the needs of society change. As a whole, the

organization needs to transition from placing importance on goals, structures, and efficiency to

more general issues of survival, environmental relations, and organizational effectiveness.

(Morgan, 2006) Although there is still a need for the structural and bureaucratic ways of

traditional policing, a switch to more environmental factors will result in a higher level of

success for the department. As policing changes, our organization needs to have internal

mechanisms that are as diverse as the environment in which we are working. (Loarie, 2021)

Having a self-regulatory system in place will allow our agency to be able to understand that

change is needed and adapt accordingly to the needs that arise. As the Quakertown area

evolves with the population becoming more diverse, our partnerships must represent those we

serve. Through a robust community partnership program, community members are

represented through community businesses, clergy organizations, schools, local media,

nonprofit groups, service organizations, advocacy groups, and political representation.

The community partnership program will include the Quakertown Borough Police

Department members to provide solutions to problems, institute policy change, and further

develop the relationship between the department and the community. Community

representation will be open to members who wish to bring positive and productive

engagement to the program to discuss and implement strategies to address the uncovered

issues. The Quakertown Borough Police Department will play an integral role in the community
partnership program. Four department members will be active in the discussions that are held

every month at community partnership meetings. The four department members will be the

Lieutenant, a Sergeant, and two patrol officers on opposite schedule rotations to provide more

access to the department. The Lieutenant will oversee the department’s involvement in the

partnership and provide assistance in obtaining funding if needed, notify the Chief of any issues

in the community, and present policy changes to the Chief as the environment changes. An

organization’s survival hinges on its ability to acquire an adequate supply of resources

necessary to sustain existence. (Morgan, 2006) The Lieutenant is capable of providing these

resources. The Sergeant will oversee the patrol officers and assist in attending meetings and

events in the community and be a liaison to leaders of the organizations that represent the

community partnership program. The Sergeant is able to assure that the members of the

program are adapting to the dynamics of the environment and sharing their strengths with

those involved. (Morgan, 2006) The two patrol officers will be the backbone of the

department’s involvement in the partnership program. They will be the face of the

Quakertown Borough Police Department and engage with those in the community. It will be

essential for them to be involved with matters in the neighborhoods they patrol, provide

monthly meeting members with pertinent information, and attend community events to

develop relationships with the department and community members. Even though formal

community-oriented officers are present, all members must realize that they need to change

their mentality and embrace the Quakertown Borough Police Department's culture with

community-oriented policing. (Loarie, 2021) This partnership will play an essential role in

bringing all parties involved together to identify the issues in the community and develop
efficient, effective, and thorough responses that address these issues with the community in

mind.

Funding will be an integral component to the success of the partnership’s ability to

implement programs and respond to the identified problems. The Quakertown Borough Police

Department and the Quakertown Borough Council are committed to the safety of our

community and willing to provide funding towards programs and resources. Additional funding

will be required and raised by the community partners and donations from the community

members. All representatives from the different partners will discuss the disbursement of

funds before allocating their use.

The Community Partnership Program is an initiative that is able to provide a more

systematic and comprehensive approach to addressing community crime and disorder

problems. (McCampbell, 2014) The program can accomplish what a lone individual can not and

help prevent the duplication of efforts from others. The program can create more visibility and

recognition of the community-police cooperation and enhance the ability to obtain resources

and future partners. (McCampbell, 2014) By collaborating and working as a team, the

Quakertown Borough Police Department can provide the community with a voice in how our

department approaches our policing philosophy. Members of the community will have a say in

the programs and implementation of those programs directly affecting them. This program

furthers the level of transparency and builds on the trust that the community expects while

allowing the department members to grow relationships with the members of the community.
Works Cited
Loarie, M. (2021). Professor. (D. E. Fritsvold, Interviewer)

McCampbell, M. (2014). The Collaboration Toolkit for Community Organizations. Retrieved from
The U.S Department of Justice:
https://rems.ed.gov/docs/COPS_CollaborationToolkit_CommunityOrgs.pdf

Morgan, G. (2006). IMAGES OF ORGANIZATION. Sage Publications.