Successful Practices & Strategies Vol. 1 | No. 11

San Jose Police Department

San Jose, California

www.sjpd.org

Community policing element

Community partnerships

Problem/issue

Other violent crime problem

Problem description

Quality of life

Community policing strategies implemented

The San Jose Police Department’s (SJPD) overall community policy strategy is beat-officer based, with 

officers serving as the nucleus of our community-policing efforts. Officers in the gang suppression 

program are able to identify problems and solve them through collaborative efforts with the 

neighborhood, schools, other City departments, the mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force, and other 

government agencies. SJPD officers are also able to assist the patrol division with emergent, highpriority, gang-related events. 

The SJPD maintains a standard of service to its citizens. The patrol division started a creative, multifaceted approach to solving the issues that plague the city: e.g., homelessness, prostitution, quality of 

life concerns, and gang violence, to name a few. The officers' approach has been to work with the 

community and community-based organizations to provide services where they're needed. 

This focused, directed enforcement resulted in an increase in the number of citations and arrests for 

quality of life concerns, in the closure of several brothels or illegal topless bars and coffee shops, in 

several weapon seizures and arrests, and in arrests of violating sexual registrants, and it resulted in a 

reduced number of gang violence in some problem neighborhoods.

Change and/or impact as a result of these community policing efforts

During the first quarter of FY 2012–2013, the gang suppression officers made 13 total arrests, including 

on-view and outstanding warrant arrests. There were also 7 criminal citations issued. Investigative stops 

were made, resulting in numerous documented contacts with gang members and their associates. Gang 

suppression officers also performed 16 parole and probation searches on gang members or on their 

residences.
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Some notable enforcement includes the following: 

• Officers assisted in the arrest of a suspect wanted for a carjacking and armed robberies.

• Contact was made with a gang member who was a parolee at large. The subject was booked and

returned to prison.

• Another subject on parole was contacted and attempted to flee from police. He was

apprehended and returned.

• During follow-up, the suspect vehicle was located in connection with an assault with a deadly

weapon/domestic violence case.

• Two pedestrian stops yielded in the subjects being arrested for a probation violation in regards

to a narcotics offense.

• Subject was arrested in connection with a stolen vehicle, parole violation, and an outstanding

felony warrant.

• Subject was arrested for an outstanding felony warrant.

• Numerous police contacts resulted in subjects being validated as gang members.

The opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the 

U.S. Department of Justice. References to specific agencies, companies, products, or services should not be considered an 

endorsement by the author(s) or the U.S. Department of Justice. Rather, the references are illustrations to supplement 

discussion of the issues. 

The Internet references cited in this document were valid as of the date of publication. Given that URLs and websites are in 

constant flux, neither the author(s) nor the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services can vouch for their current validity. 

Published 2014