Community Policing

1.08.01 PURPOSE 

This General Order establishes the framework for community policing efforts and outlines the Department’s commitment to fostering trust, promoting public safety, and addressing community issues collaboratively with residents, merchants and organizations. This policy guides all Department employees in their day-to-day community engagement, problem-solving practices, and accountability. 

1.08.02 DEFINITIONS

• Community Engagement – Actions taken by Department employees to build trust and relationships with community members, including participation in events, collaborative problem-solving, and initiatives coordinated by the Community Liaison Unit (CLU).
• Community Policing – A philosophy where sworn members build collaborative, transparent, and trusting relationships with the communities they serve, aligned with the ‘guardian’ mindset. This includes integrating strategic goals from the Department’s Community Policing Strategic Plan and annual reports.

1.08.03 POLICY 

A. The Department embraces a community policing philosophy that promotes proactive engagement and problem-solving in collaboration with the community. For the purposes of this DGO, "member" means a sworn member and "employee" means sworn and non-sworn members of the Department.

All Department employees are expected to:

1. Engage in meaningful interactions with community members to foster trust and partnerships.
2. Promote transparency by providing clear and accurate information.
3. Collaborate with community members, leaders, and organizations to address local issues.
4. Be accountable for their actions and ensure continuous improvement in community policing efforts.

B. The S.A.R.A. model (Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment) will be used for problem-solving, and members are expected to apply it when addressing problems in the community.

C. Employees will participate in mandatory community engagement activities as outlined in the Community Policing and Problem-Solving Manual (DM 2)

1.08.04 PROCEDURES

A. Key expectations and responsibilities of employees: 

1. Community Engagement – Employees actively participate in community events and outreach outlined in DM 2, which are tracked by District Station Captains.
   1. Station Captains will appoint at least one Community Liaison Officer (CLO), to serve as a liaison between the Captain, CED, and the community.
   2. Station captains will document their monthly community meetings and publish weekly newsletters, in addition to other engagements outlined in DM 2.
2. Problem-Solving – Members will utilize the S.A.R.A. model in collaboration with community members to identify community problems, analyze their causes, develop solutions, and assess outcomes. Documentation of the process is required using the Community Policing Tracking Form (SFPD Form 509). The procedures for the form are in DM 2.
3. Surveys and Feedback – Survey results inform the annual Community Policing Plans and ongoing strategy adjustments. District Stations will review summaries of survey data during Field Operations Bureau (FOB) meetings to support district-level improvements in community engagement. 

B. Annual Plans – Commanding Officers of every Bureau and District Station, as well as the Drug Market Agency Coordination Center (DMACC), are required to submit a Community Policing Plan (CPP) to the Community Engagement Division (CED) by November 1st of each year.

1. The plan should align with the Department’s Community Policing Strategic Plan and include clear objectives for community outreach, problem-solving, and crime prevention.
2. Approved plans will be posted by CED on the website by January 1st of each year.
3. District stations will track and report progress of their annual plans during monthly crime community strategy meetings (CCSM) and use feedback from community surveys to adjust strategies as needed. 

C. Community Engagement Division Annual Report – CED will publish an annual report that includes survey results and details community policing activities and outcomes by January 1st of each year, along with the CPPs. 

1.08.05 TRAINING 

A. Employees will attend biannual community policing training that includes community engagement and customer service techniques, problem-solving strategies, customer service, and procedural justice. 

B. Commissioned Officers will receive additional training in managing and evaluating community policing efforts. 

1.08.06 OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES 

A. Internal and External Review Committees will review the Department’s community policing strategies and ensure objectives are being met, as outlined in DM 2.