If the trust relationship which Community Policing seeks to establish between police and civilians is to materialize, the community must be able to hold officers and their superiors accountable for their actions and be part of the evaluation of their policies. So far, this has meant citizens give input during the planning and implementation stages of new programs and initiatives. But to create a better working relationship, civilian participation cannot end there. In order for true accountability to exist, civilians must be involved when the police fail to carry out policies as they were designed, when policies are violated, and when officers break the law. There is a critical link between a community's trust in its police force and the ability of that police force to do its job.
Officers rely on the willingness of citizens to comply with their commands and investigations.
But if a citizen believes that the officer may not deal with the situation in a fair and humane manner, they may choose not to comply. Though most 9. Ibid , p. 14.