My Vision of 21st Century Community Oriented Policing | Eastern North Carolina Now

    In this election cycle you will hear candidates talk about community oriented policing and how they will have Deputies get to know the people in Beaufort County. This is a nice, general statement that promises a change in the present culture of the Sheriff's Office. This is not a foreign concept to anyone at the Sheriff's Office and is practiced today to some degree. What candidates' statements lack is the precise way this will be carried out that is not done today. Their statements lack the specific systems they will put in place to make this work in new and innovative ways. Deputies realize it is important to know members of the community.

    The problem in this hectic, two-job world is finding the time to sit down and do that. Other candidates will tell you they plan to add more Deputies to patrol the county by saving money in the present budget. First, the Sheriff cannot shift members of the Office to different positions without budgetary approval from the Commissioners. If key supervisory positions are eliminated, salaries must be reduced and the upward mobility of the young Deputies is eliminated. There are many negative aspects to this idea that would impact the morale of the organization. The Sheriff cannot change any of the approved line item budget appropriations without the knowledge of the Commissioners. Any major changes to the approved budget would necessitate Commissioner approval. With all of this in mind, I have an idea that includes the spirit of community oriented policing that is tailored to the 21st Century electronic world.

    Community oriented policing began as a team policing approach that sought to return the police to the days before patrol cars where officers walked a geographically small area of a community. This may have addressed long-term problem solving, but it hampered rapid response to incidents of crime. As in life, a balanced approach to most situations is the most successful. Community policing grew out of this failure. Simply stated, the goal of community policing is to bring law enforcement and the public it serves closer together to identify and address crime issues. Instead of just responding to calls for service and arresting people, Deputies try to determine the cause of crime in a community and seek solutions. One of the main goals is to get the Deputy out of his/her patrol car and have more contact with people.

    Another key element of community policing is an emphasis on crime prevention. The community is encouraged to partner with law enforcement in programs such as Neighborhood Watch to reduce crime. This approach has been popular since the 1970s. This common sense approach to crime fighting shows people how to help themselves by identifying and reporting suspicious activity. As with any program, it is difficult to maintain interest, schedule meetings and organize events. People have several jobs, work odd hours and have family commitments that make it difficult for neighbors to get to know one another.

    What law enforcement must concentrate on are repeated incidents in a community with related characteristics that are a concern to the community. The goal of law enforcement and the community should be to find a solution to the problem instead of responding to each incident of crime as if it were an isolated event. Law enforcement must improve its relationship with the community it serves and gather information from the people to solve crime. Community involvement and support are keys to any successful law enforcement agency. The key to success is finding a way communicate with the community over a long period of time and develop a convenient way to correspond.

    The days of going on patrol as Andy did in Mayberry with Aunt Bea taking supper to the prisoners in jail have long passed. Deputies need to be friendly and build relationships within the community, but we must realize there are many demands on their time in this "do more with less" period of economic uncertainty. Everyone must remember Deputies are members of this community too and make positive contacts with people both on and off duty every day. They have family members and friends that extend this private contact with law enforcement. I have, and will, encourage Deputies to participate in community events in the county.

    I propose the BCSO and the people of this county take advantage of the internet to address crime in our county. Most people have access to a cell phone or computer that keeps them connected to the internet and social media in some form. I envision using real time information exchange to address crime in the county or any public safety concern or incident. This would include incidents outside the normal scope of crime such as traffic accident information. When an incident occurs in the county, a designated individual in the BCSO would send this information out in the form of text and seek information from the public. If pictures are necessary or appropriate, they can become a part of the message too. This is done today on the evening news long after the incident. With only a few Deputies working at any time in this 850 square mile county, we need the eyes and ears of the community to be effective. This sharing of information must be a two-way street much like what is done on a Facebook page.

    The BCSO will provide weekly summaries of incidents and crime plotted on a county map. This, too, will be done electronically. This information, along with community suggestions, will help shape the patrol patterns and investigative strategies of the BCSO. The Sheriff's Office does this now to a certain degree, but providing this information to the public quickly will result in more crimes solved and give the community a sense of empowerment and participation.

    This approach to community involvement will also allow me to institute what I plan to call "The Sheriff's Paul Harvey Corner" on the web page. If there is a rumor, a question, a concern or an allegation involving the Sheriff's Office, I plan to address it personally. This quickly will establish my position on a matter of public concern and reduce the time a baseless rumor has to spread. I will respond to negative information about the Office just as quickly as I will positive comments. An approachable, responsive law enforcement organization is more effective as it builds trust in the community and fosters a desire to participate and make this a better, safer community to live and work.

    I look forward to instituting this program at the Sheriff's Office and working with the community in specific and positive ways to address issues that concern everyone.

     Republican Candidate for Sheriff of Beaufort County
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