Engagement and participation in citizen-focused policing
From Future of Local Services to the Public
Contents |
Summary
Over recent years concentration on citizen-focused policing has inspired a greater desire to engage with members of the public and create an environment for local communities to shape and contribute to local policing. The desire to take citizen engagement further can be seen in the establishment and recommendations of Louise Casey’s 2008 Review (Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime) (1) and in the more recent Green Paper on Policing produced by the Home Office (2).
Aside from the issues of structural accountability (discussed in article entitled 'Empowerment and accountability in local policing'), opportunities for future engagement include regular local meetings, more direct and regular published information, participatory budgets, and standing/voting for locally elected representatives.
In addition to the opportunities to participate in the decision making process, there are examples of successful opportunities for citizens to participate in direct action. For example, residents in Balsall Heath, Birmingham founded the Balsall Heath forum to - amongst other things - man the police station so it could stay open longer, and stay up at night to ‘picket’ streets and discourage curb crawlers.
Impacts
Under the proposals presented in the Green paper local people would have a stronger voice through:
- regular local meetings with neighbourhood policing teams to discuss priorities - also attended by local agencies;
- regular publishing of information on crime including crime maps and monthly updates detailing action taken to tackle crime, opportunities to engage; and contact details of the local neighbourhood policing team.
- voting for newly elected Crime and Police Representatives who would be involved in the police authority and have control over a Community and Safety Fund to address locally identified problems.
- Involvement in Community Safety Participatory Budgets.
Further impacts include
- Neighbourhood policing as the face of local engagement:
- Acceptance of a wider neighbourhood management approach: presence of local authorities and agencies at neighbourhood policing public meetings and vice versa; publishing of joint information and campaigns
- The potential of increased community volunteering to support local policing.
Relevance
Members of Neighbourhood Policing Teams
Local residents
Innovations
For more information on Balsall Heath Forum see www.balsallheathforum.org.uk
References
(1) Louise Casey Engaging Communities in Fighting Crime Review
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/crime.aspx
(2) Home Office Green Paper From the Neighbourhood to the National: policing our communities together
http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/police-reform/policegp/
Related Links
Sir Ronnie Flannagan Review of Policing
http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/police-reform/Review_of_policing_final_report/flanagan-final-report
