Is crime in your town too high? Would you like to do something about it? Do you feel that the police department would frown upon any intervention which was not run through their offices? Well, this is a particularly troubling challenge, but I have some thoughts on this and I'd like to discuss this with you if I might.
A few years back I produced an article titled; "Why are Government Policing Agents Afraid of Community Neighborhood Watch Groups?" which was based on my experience in starting up "mobile neighborhood watch groups.
" Then a little over a year ago, someone had contacted me who was having a similar problem setting up a "community patrol" in their neighborhood who asked me; "How do I start a Community Patrol group if my local police department wants no part in the group at all because the police think they have everything under control.
My local police department thinks that anyone who wants to make efforts in preventing crime in my community is an intrusion to their job duties.
They don't want me doing a Community Patrol at all.
Shouldn't I be working in a community partnership with the police? Should I just go about my Community Patrol without working with my police department? How do I go about this?" Wow, these are some great questions indeed, and obviously it makes sense to work with the police, and not step on their toes.
You can add eyes and ears to the community, and this also helps deter crime as well.
Visibility helps prevent crime, perhaps one of the reasons there are fewer crimes is due to all the smart phones with digital cameras on them these days.
Still, as the gentleman points out here, yes, this is definitely a real problem as the police feel that they are being undermined and that their efforts are being made a mockery of, they want to be in charge of policing and have all the control, it's definitely a control issue.
In fact, I've gone to the same challenges before myself.
Unfortunately, in the police business it is much about protecting their own fight them, along with the police union.
They don't want anyone butting into their territory.
Indeed, if you initiate such a community watch program in your town, you might find yourself underwater.
You see, as I've helped communities put together these programs, I was amazed at how much scrutiny the police department would go through in screening all the applicants.
They went through their police records, gave the individuals are hard time, and all sorts of other stuff.
It was amazing.
Sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness than permission.
Maybe it's better to work behind the scenes, and not even talk to the local police department, until you got all the politicians, and other community members involved.
At that point the police department does not have a choice.
Of course if they were doing their job there would be any crime, therefore no need to start a community patrol anyway.
So they have their own selves to blame, and think for the actions you are taking.
Okay so, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.