Local police and Justice Department try new approach: collaboration

FBI training on how to access video from private security systems has also helped the department communicate faster with the community to catch suspects, he says.

“We are now alerting the public within hours, rather than days, which has facilitated the identification and apprehension of dozens of individuals suspected of crimes ranging from child luring to murder,” he writes, “much to the satisfaction of both the cops and the community.”

Indeed, the long-term advice from and consultation with a federal technical assistance provider can help address community concerns, says Professor Robinson.

“All of these kinds of steps and efforts toward collaboration won’t improve things overnight, but they are steps toward building a relationship over time,” she says in a follow-up email.

Even the Arkansas cities of Little Rock and West Memphis, which were included in the VRN expansion after a DOJ analysis found violent crime levels there “far in excess” of national averages, commended the Justice Department for how it is approaching reforms.

Patrick Harris, first assistant to Christopher Thyer, US attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, adds that collaborative reform is preferable to “throwing money [at problems] and walking away, which is what happens with grant awards.”

Thomson of the Camden County Police Department also cites downsides of the old approach, referring to “the ephemeral benefits of the traditional band-aids like grants or task force deployments.”

As a more collaborative approach has gained momentum, some cities have actively solicited federal help, especially when it comes to violent crime. Earlier this year, Baltimore asked for the Justice Department’s assistance. And in 2012, the Philadelphia police chief requested a DOJ investigation after a spike in police shootings. He praised the final report earlier this year.

As Burke of Radford University sees it, some local law enforcement agencies are warming to federal help, and in some cases are even inviting it.

“These are police agencies without an ego,” he says, noting that “the bigger issue is the community.” The approach, he adds, “may bring trust back.”

Article Appeared @http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Justice/2015/1002/Local-police-and-Justice-Department-try-new-approach-collaboration

 

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