Joanne Klein, associate chair of the Department of History, contributed the article “Community Policing in the United Kingdom” in the volume “A Global History of Crime and Punishment in the Modern Age,” published by Bloomsbury Academic.
She explores how community policing is messy and varied, like the people involved. Despite its 40 years of use, the phrase still has no clear meaning. Too often, community policing has become a magic bullet trap, raising expectations for quick solutions that do not require real change in police or community culture. She examines the myths and practices behind community policing, including the lack of uniformity that is essential to its success since every neighborhood must find its own solutions to its individual problems through mutual consultation and planning.