Starting in the 1970s, law enforcement professionals began to learn that rapid response to crime wasn’t always the panacea for making arrest and solving crime. What replaced that accepted wisdom was the new belief that disorderly behavior in neighborhoods, vagrants, drunkenness and unruly children sent a message to the criminals that the citizens do not care about their neighborhood. As police attempted to slow the crime rate, the crime rate actually increased. Police found themselves responding to the same problem in the same neighborhood time and time again. The role of law enforcer simply did not work alone. This frustration gave rise to a new concept called Community Policing. Even though the concept of self rule or self government dated back to ancient Rome, this new concept of law enforcement put more emphasis on citizen involvement. Police officers traditionally feel that it is their sole responsibility to fight crime, but the reality is that the police can’t do it alone.

Under a Community Oriented Policing program, citizens and police officers come together in partnership to work in concert to eliminate problems, maintain order, provide services and fight crime. Although the two key components of Community Policing are relationship and problem solving, accomplishment of this concept may encompass many different police programs or police activities. The links to the left are a sample of the some of the tasks and programs in which the McMinnville Police Department approaches the concept of Community Policing.