Three themes help define the concept of community policing. To begin with, police officers should be accountable to the community as well as to the police organization. Secondly, police must be connected with their communities and integrated into community functions. This requires the officers to interact with and become familiar with citizens and public leaders within the community. And finally, police work must be aimed at a variety of social problems, not simply reacting to reported crimes or law enforcement matters.
Most police departments are responsible for the administration and control of their own budgets.
They maintain separate units that are charged with processing information on wanted offenders. Many police offices maintain their own personnel service, while larger departments often contain an internal affairs branch, which is in charge of policing the police. Training has become a continuous process in many departments. It usually begins at the police academy and involves extensive preservice training in firearms handling, law and civil rights, emergency medical care, and restraint techniques. In an effort to professionalize police forces, the growth of administrative and management skills has improved the quality of policing and paved the way for reform.