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by The R Simmons Group
SECRETS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN LAW
ENFORCEMENTSOLVING CRIME WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
The best indicator ofcommunity trust is…
...the presence of vibrant information sharing that enables the community
to become an extension of your police department.
Your community members may see the mission of reducing the fear of crime as something intangible, but
....with data-driven solutions you can inform them of the conditions that
invite crime so they become partners in the reduction of fear and crime.
The Fortune 500 list was started in 1955
Innovators displaced 66% of the 1955 list by 1985.
Source: Kaufmann Foundation
Secret #1Give to Get.
How does your police department deliver on its mission?
Is the community a willing partner that provides enough information to
fuel your department?
What holds the community back from freely sharing information, and how
can you change that?
Your police department must strive to gain the community’s trust
To gain trust you must be transparent, and keep the community informed.
Transparency, and freely sharing information builds a relationship
based on trust
With trust the relationship is transformed from a transactional one,
to a true partnership
This has been demonstrated by police departments participating in the
police data initiative.
Just as the NYPD adopted a transparency policy when it comes to data, your police department can not just share random information. It must listen to the community and provide valuable information.
Transparency is only one side of the coin; how receptive is your
department to receiving and then acting upon information in a timely
manner?
Is it convenient for all community members to share information, even
time sensitive information?
You should challenge assumptions on what engagement can be
The community must know that you are open to input at any time
Your department can create new ways to engage the community, while increasing effectiveness in crime
prevention and response
Technology provides new engagement opportunities that are just as rich as
traditional methods.
.. and allows your residents to be active partners in reducing and
preventing crime in their communities
Good intelligence will always be good, regardless of how it is received!
So you must communicate with community members wherever they
are, and on whatever device they choose
This will empower community members to provide quality
information, and increase transparency as well.
A ready, willing, transparent, and receptive police department shows you are ready, willing, and able to have a deep conversation with the
community
.. and invites community members to be active partners in reducing and
preventing crime.
Secret #2Embrace the evolution
of information flow
For many the preferred method of communication has changed
Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat have ushered in the era of short, direct, and
nonverbal communication
Many people routinely engage in quick, easy, conversations via mobile
devices
Presenting your thoughts in 140 characters is convenient because the
pace of life has increased
Texting is the most widely used
smartphone service, with 97% of
Americans texting at least once a day,
while only 41% of U.S. homes now
have land lines
Police departments should embrace this shift in communication
preferences
Embracing preferred communication styles can maximize the volume of
information flow
Police departments proved they could be effective at increasing safety, and
decreasing response times when they adapted 911 systems to
accommodate cell phones.
We must do the same when it comes to technology and communication
preferences
Community engagement should never be seen as one size fits all
An anytime, place, or form communication strategy is good for
both your department and the community
Secret #3Know what drives yourcommunity to engage
Every police department should know what drives its community to engage
It will help to increase the volume and quality of information flow
The answer lies in the basics- who, what, when, and how
Who is sharing, what are they sharing, when are they sharing, and how are
they sharing?
These answers will help you engage with the community in a way that
invites more input
....and help your police department anticipate and prepare for changes in
the community ,and community members’ communication
preferences
This will drive the flow of quality information, but constant
improvement takes consistent measurement.
People and times will change so adjustments will be needed
Quality information sharing takes constant monitoring and measuring of what is coming in, where it is coming
from, and what it tells you
You will need a consistent measurement strategy to know how
both why some community members choose to engage, and why other
members do not.
Collecting and evaluating the data is important, and needed to make
adjustments that show the community your police department
does not take them for granted
Time to acton the
3 Secrets
To effectively engaging your community your department must
focus on people, process, and technology
People
You police department must show the community it is valued
Gaining trust with transparency and effective communication ensures the community will see your department
as a willing partner
Process
Your department must focus on, and show it values two-way
communication
It should regularly share valuable information that affects the
community
..and show a willingness to listen to and act on community information
Technology
Your department should provide both traditional and nontraditional touch
points
New technology platforms make it easy for community members to share information at their place and time of
choice
Your police department should accommodate these communications
preferences
Technology choices should also be able to capture valuable data that can
analyze how and why community members are engaging
Technology shows your department has a commitment to share and
receive valuable information from all community members
Community engagement is your department's best tool, and you
should balance and continue to learn how people, process, and technology
drive engagement
To find out how the R Simmons Group can help you drive community
engagement go toThe R Simmons Group