Neighbourhood policing is a general term used to describe police cooperation in communities to help cut down crime. Neighbourhood policing varies between different neighbourhoods, adapting to specific needs of the area. Neighbourhood Policing schemes are also known as neighbourhood management programs and safer neighbourhoods.

Neighbourhood policing gives local communities a platform to directly interact with the police force, discussing the community’s perspective and finding mutual solutions to implement.

To gain a balanced view of issues affecting security in the local area Neighbourhood Policing teams are formed with members form different cross sections of the community. Using skills from different sectors these individuals can pool their resources and draw on the shared knowledge to find solutions to problems. As well as local police officers other individuals involved are owners of local businesses, volunteers and in residential areas with elderly or infirm people wardens and supervisors.

Another recent addition to neighbourhood policing forces is community support officers. Community support officers are dedicated to working within communities getting to know the local people and providing a reassuring deterrent for any criminals hoping to operate in the area.

Different communities across Britain vary in population and crime rates significantly. Bearing in mind that there isn’t a perfect crime reduction plan that applies to all communities, neighbourhood policing is an effective way of making a plan to cater specifically for the local area’s needs.

Contributors from the local community have a dedicated neighbourhood police officer to help implement and devise plans to protect the area. You will have regular contact with your local neighbourhood officer who will keep you informed of any developments.

Neighbourhood policing as its name suggests is successful as it focuses on specific small areas involving the input of key members of the community who recognise the local area’s potential weak spots and listen to the local people’s needs and worries.

Issues are conveyed by the local neighbourhood policing team in meetings open to all the community where they can be discussed from different points of view and different approaches can be considered to benefit the community as a whole. After assessing any problems the committee can present them to the police who can implement plans for tackling or reducing the effects of problems in the neighbourhood.

Neighbourhood policing helps by making people feel safer in their homes. Many people today experience a lack of community spirit and see this as a contributor to levels of crime. Neighbourhood policing works with the contribution of the whole neighbourhood representing everyone’s personal views on security. Without the work of the community neighbourhood policing can’t function.

If you are interested in starting or contributing to a neighbourhood policing scheme visit your local police station for further information.