Transcript THE BENEFITS OF D.A.R.E. FOR COMMUNITY POLICING(1)

D.A.R.E. AND
COMMUNITY POLICING
David L. Carter
Michigan State University
The information in this presentation was prepared for the WSU Regional Community Policing Institute, by
David L. Carter, Ph.D., National Center for Community Policing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
48824. The information may be reproduced with attribution to both the WSU RCPI and the author.
Changing the Police Paradigm
REFORM MODEL…
• Crime Fighters
• Experts
• Top Down
• Control
• Obedience
• Thin Blue Line
• Routine
• Numbers/Rules Driven
COMMUNITY-BASED MODEL…
• Problem Solvers
• Partners
• Bottom Up
• Facilitate
• Autonomy
• Mini-chief
• Risk Taking
• Mission/Outcome Driven
Questions Police Executives Should Ask
About Community Policing & D.A.R.E.
• Will it improve the department’s ability to provide
efficient and effective service?
• Will it reduce crises and improve discretionary
practices in the maintenance of order?
• Will it enhance the professional standards as well as
the job satisfaction of the officers in the department?
• Will it respond to citizens’ concerns of crime, order
maintenancen of these?
Questions Police Executives Should Ask
About Community Policing & D.A.R.E.
• Will it streamline communications and coordination
both…
> Within the department?
> Between the department and other organizations?
> Between the department and the community?
• Will it respond to realistic problems within the
community?
• Will it help plan for future strategies and problems
within the community?
Community Policing and D.A.R.E. Have
A “Hand in Glove” Relationship…
• Both philosophies have similar underpinnings
> Both are proactive
> Both are non-traditional
> Both embrace “customer-oriented” problems
> Both seek partnerships with the public
+ Community Policing—> Citizens
+ D.A.R.E.—> Students, Parents, Teachers
• Both challenge the traditional wisdom that the
status quo has not worked
> Community Policing—> Reactive policing;
preventive patrol
> D.A.R.E.—> Role of police; preventive behavior
Community Policing and D.A.R.E. Have
A “Hand in Glove” Relationship…
• Officers who practice both are frequently
ridiculed as not being “real cops”
> Kiddie Cops; Lollipop Cops; Wave and Grin Squad
• Both embrace current management research and
thought, notably Total quality Management
> Customer oriented
> Proactive
> Problem solving
> Service oriented (The British like to point out that
they do not have a “Police Force” but rather a
“Police Service”
Community Policing and D.A.R.E. Have
A “Hand in Glove” Relationship…
• Both have evolved to respond to social and
environmental change
> Noteworthy because the police bureaucratic and
paramilitary not known for change
> Community policing evolved to incorporate POP
and COP
> D.A.R.E. evolved to include violence
• Both have developed support from politicians and
citizens as innovative approaches to crime control
> On one hand this provides resources and
incentives…
> It also increases police accountability
Community Policing and D.A.R.E. Have
A “Hand in Glove” Relationship…
•
Both have their critics
> While critics can be a problem, enlightened leaders
will listen to them because they sometimes have
good insights
> Some criticism is emotional, responding to change
in the status quo rather than being rational, for
example: the Kansas City Preventive Patrol Study
> Academics and researchers who simply “look at
the numbers”
+ How much crime did we prevent?
+ How do we quantify the value of “peace of
mind” (e.g., 911 calls)
+ Research is sometime wrong or conflicting (e.g.,
domestic violence mandatory arrest)
Your Role in Organizational Change
• Create a vision—look to the future
> This is a difficult process which does not come easily
> Requires the courage to challenge conventional wisdom
> Recognize there will be criticism
> Define and articulate your vision
• Exercise your leadership (most effective via modeling)
> Be fair to all
> In the department…
+ Deal with the “morale has never been worse” issue
+ Be a coach and cheer leader
> In the community…
+ Motivate the community
+ Be a good politician
Your Role in Organizational Change
• Be a change agent
> This is a constant process; not a one-time practice
> Remember, organizational change is very difficult
• Show commitment
> Without demonstrated commitment—and some
sacrifice—there is little reason for others to follow
your leadership
• Have patience—time is a necessity
> This goes against our national persona of wanting
things done now
> Change can take a generation, it cannot be “forced”
• Everything is more difficult than it appears
The Benefits of D.A.R.E. For
Community Policing
• It “humanizes” the police—that is, young people can
begin to relate to officers as people, not as a uniform
or institution.
• It permits students to see police officers in a helping
role, not just an enforcement role.
• It opens lines of communication between youth and
the police
• It opens lines of communication between the school
district and police to deal with a wide range of issues
such as violence in the schools, drug abuse, or any
other problem for which there is mutual concern.
The Benefits of D.A.R.E. For
Community Policing
• It serves as a source of feedback to the police
department to better understand the fears and
concerns of youth in order to help the police develop
problem-solving efforts which extend beyond drugs.
• It places the police in a different light with respect to
many adults within the community; specifically
parents, teachers, school staff, administrators, and
school board members.
• Exposure to life in the public schools can broaden
officers’ perspectives and understanding about
concerns expressed by community members.
The Benefits of D.A.R.E. For
Community Policing
• D.A.R.E. training is an instrument of socialization
which introduces officers to a philosophy which
measures success by community acceptance and
support rather than the numbers of crimes and
arrests.
• Using D.A.R.E. officers as a resource, the
department can become more creative in developing
problem-solving initiatives.
• D.A.R.E. officers can serve as a conduit to provide
information to young people beyond drug-related
matters, particularly in question and answer sessions.
The Benefits of D.A.R.E. For
Community Policing
• D.A.R.E. can serve as a stimulus for youth to become
more involved in other responsible activities such as
the Police Explorers, Police Athletic League, or other
youth-oriented initiatives.
• D.A.R.E. reduces peer pressure and balances values
as related to all types of responsible behavior.
Barriers to Overcome…
• The resistance to change which affects the police
and community alike.
• The desire to see successes in the short term, when
change requires long-term re-socialization.
• The natural tendency of people to settle for the status
quo rather than take risks.
• The unwillingness to recognize that even in failure we
gain knowledge; sometimes how to modify an
initiative which may ultimately lead to success.
• The lack of sincere commitment to invest effort,
resources, and patience into a nontraditional venture.