When was the last time you interacted with a police officer? Was it a positive or negative experience? I guess that depends on the context of the interaction. I've definitely had both good and bad experiences with cops but above all else their job is to make us feel safe. My knowledge of an officer's duties were very limited until I met an incredible sergeant with the Boston Police Department who really opened my eyes to all the roles they play in our communities. They are definitely more than the folks who write citations. One of the programs I got to see in action was the Safe Street Teams. This initiative provides high crime Boston neighborhoods with a police presence on foot and bike. This not only makes officers more visible, it allows them to connect with the community. I was amazed when I went on one of these beats and saw the level of interaction the public had with their precinct officers. This type of community policing does wonders in reducing crime. It builds trust as well as accountability from everyone. Some cities use COMPSTAT to show numbers for crime reduction but "criminals" are not data points. Data points may drive policy and funding but not behavior modification. These types of community policing methods go beyond numbers to personal connection, or at least that is the hope.
Full disclosure, I'm a huge Cory Booker fan. If you get a chance, check out Brick City (mini-series) and/or Street Fight (documentary) both are about Newark and Cory Booker. Mayor Booker has really taken to heart the importance of community when it comes to public safety. Since late 2009, the mayor has been a part of a night patrol composed solely of volunteers in the evening hours to drive around areas of high violence in the city. What's amazing is that the Mayor goes on these patrols showing his commitment to his city not just as an elected official but also a resident.
Every city/town has a community watch program and the more you get involved the more you can take comfort in knowing that you are helping to keep your streets safe. Mark your calendars for National Night Out, an opportunity to meet your officers and neighbors to talk about crime prevention. Take action because crime prevention is a community effort. Instead of just getting the "bad guys" and locking them up, it would be far more efficient to prevent crime before it happens by taking a stand on behavior we find unacceptable.
Check out this short video of Mayor Booker talking with volunteers before one of the night patrols:
If you are wondering what the title refers to, you apparently didn't grow up watching the same PSAs as I did. It's what Scruff McGruff would tell us to do after teaching us that drugs and bullying are bad and should be reported to an adult immediately.
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