Unfortunately, the traditional approach to crime control invests all anti-crime efforts in the police. The police embraced the role of crime-fighter but retreated from responsible for rising crime rates. The police were often quick to take credit for success but shun responsibility for failure. Community policing seeks to address crime without being overwhelmed by the effort. The crime problem is de-constructed into manageable pieces.
Officers become responsible for smaller geographic areas and projects.
By narrowing the approach, trouble spots can be identified and problem-solving progress measured. Officers work with, rather than against, the public. They develop relationships with community members and become accountable to the community, as well as to their departments. As officers address problems of social and physical disorder, criminogenic conditions diminish. In the process, the police become more effective crime-fighters.