About 25 years ago, a number of progressive police departments began experimenting with a new approach to policing that focused on improving relations between police officers and the communities they serve. This approach to policing, called community policing, focused on developing partnerships between the police and the community, addressing community problems through systematic problem-solving efforts, and finding ways to ensure that officers' efforts in these areas receive support from the police department. Today, community policing is widely accepted in police departments across the county, and the vast majority of community members and local politicians want their police department to be a community policing agency. As police departments implemented the community policing philosophy, they developed a deeper understanding of what it means to partner with the community. The community is not merely the people living or working within a city, but also the city's nonprofit and community-based organizations, local businesses, and, also important, government agencies. As police departments strengthen and advance their community policing efforts, they call on their colleagues in other departments of their own city government to assist with problem-solving efforts in the community. At this same time, many city administrators are seeking ways to increase community involvement in local government matters. These same managers are also trying to create a more transparent government structure that stresses accountability and responsiveness to the community. Cities that pursue these efforts are beginning to adopt a new approach to local governance—one that is service-oriented. We refer to this philosophical approach to local governance as “community governance.” At its most basic level, community governance takes the philosophy and elements of community policing to the citywide level. It stresses collaboration among city agencies and with the community, systematic problem-solving efforts, and organizational changes to support this new orientation. Advancing Community Policing through Community Governance: A Framework Document serves as a basis for defining the community governance approach and what it looks like in practice by taking the first step of starting the discussion about community governance. We hope that additional projects and research in the future will expand the community governance knowledge base. This document will be of particular interest to police chiefs, city managers, mayors, and other municipal agency executives who are interested in developing a more collaborative approach to local governance in responding to community problems and issues.

As law enforcement agencies strengthen and advance their community policing efforts they often call on their colleagues in other departments of their own city government to assist with problem-solving efforts in the community. Many city administrators and elected officials are also seeking ways to increase community involvement in local government matters in a more systematic way that results in a more transparent government structure that stresses accountability and responsiveness to the community. Cities that pursue these collective efforts are beginning to adopt a philosophical approach to local governance referred to as "community governance", which is collaborative across agencies and service oriented. Advancing Community Policing Through Community Governance details the community governance philosophy and describes its implementation in five communities across the country.

Community policing, as a philosophy, supports the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues, including crime, social disorder, and fear of crime—as opposed to responding to crime after it occurs. Community policing expands the traditional police mandate. It broadens the focus of fighting crime to include solving community problems and forming partnerships with people in the community so average citizens can contribute to the policing process. Originating during police reform efforts of the 1970s, the philosophy of community policing is currently widespread and embraced by many citizens, police administrators, scholars, and local and federal politicians. What sorts of collaborative partnerships have evolved between policing agencies and the individuals and communities they serve? How do police departments engage in systematic examination of identified problems to develop effective responses? How have police departments aligned their organizational structures to best support community partnerships and proactive problem solving? Just how effective have efforts at community policing been? These questions and more are explored within the pages of this new reference work. Features: A collection of 150 to 175 entries are organized in A-to-Z fashion in one volume available in both electronic and print formats. Signed entries, authored by significant figures in the field, each conclude with Cross-References and Suggestions for Further Readings to guide students to in-depth resources. Brief "What Works" case studies within appropriate entries profile community policing programs and strategies as tried in various cities and communities. Although organized in A-to-Z fashion, a thematic "Reader's Guide" in the front matter groups related entries by broad topic areas (e.g., Foundations; Methods & Practices; Legislation & National Organizations; Changing Agency Culture; Planning & Implementation; Training & Curriculum; Assessment & Evaluation; etc.). Also included in the front matter, a Chronology provides students with historical perspective of the development of community policing. The entire work concludes with a Resources appendix listing classic books, journals, and associations, followed by a comprehensive Index.

Keeping in view the role of the police in a modern society, the respect for the rule of law and the trust of the community as a critical resource, more and more police organizations around the world have embraced Community Policing with the objective of making the police sensitive to the needs of the community. However, in the absence of an institutional and legal framework and a resultant lack of understanding of the dynamics of policy processes, many such initiatives failed to stand the tes...