Through Partnerships for Community Safety, Colorado State Cooperative Extension is helping to provide education, facilitators and resources for communities that want to take a united approach to issues such as underage drinking, speeding and community beautification code enforcement. Colorado State Cooperative Extension's partners in the project are the Colorado Regional Community Policing Institute and the Neighborhood Resource Center. The concept of community policing has been around for years, but because of a lack of resources for law enforcement, the approach can be difficult to implement. Community policing is a philosophy that promotes an organized, united, community approach to solving problems. The philosophy requires community, government and police commitment, and it is effective against crime, fear of crime and other community issues.
Many people feel disconnected from their community for a number of reasons.
Perhaps they work in a different town, are new to the city, have lived there all of their lives but the community has changed, or they simply aren't involved. When more people invest in a community's problems, more people are invested in finding an agreeable solution and making it work. There's strength in numbers. Chief Lowell Richardson of Fruita agrees. About 20 teens who use the skating park attended the first meeting in Fruita.