Police Department > COPPS

The Poulsbo Police Department has embraced the Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving, or “COPPS”, philosophy. COPPS promotes and supports organizational strategies to address the causes and reduce the fear of crime and social disorder through problem-solving tactics and community-police partnerships.

Community Policing brings officers and citizens together to prevent crime and solve neighborhood problems. With Community Policing, the emphasis is on stopping crime before it happens, not responding to calls for service after the crime occurs. It shifts the focus of police work from responding to individual incidents to addressing problems identified by the community as well as the police, emphasizing the use of problem solving approaches to supplement traditional law enforcement methods. Community Policing gives citizens more control over the quality of life in their community. Community Policing means officers become a part of the neighborhood. This helps the officers get a better sense of residents’ needs and helps residents to develop greater trust in the police. In essence, the community joins the police department. Together, in partnership, the community and police department work together to achieve a common goal of a safer, better place to live and raise a family.

“On the Beat”

Community Policing acknowledges the importance of trusting officers and encourages them to move out of their patrol cars and into the community. Community Policing values talking with residents, business owners, children, and anyone officers encounter in the course of their work just as much as it values making arrests or writing tickets. Putting officers back “on the beat” is the cornerstone of Community Policing. It makes for safer streets and improves the quality of life. Each officer works to get to know people, help solve neighborhood problems, and put people in touch with other community service agencies as needed as well as help with solving and preventing crime. In addition to their regular duties officers may also work with community groups, teach residents how to prevent crime and work with youth.

Making community Policing work

Everyone in the community shares the responsibility for making Community Police work. There is a lot you can do. For example:

• Get to know your neighbors
• Hold community meetings
• Join a Neighborhood Block Watch group
• Talk to your neighborhood beat officer