Criminology

Community policing is a philosophy that seek for improving the relationship between the police and community members. The philosophy help in controlling crime, offering support to the police and the community, reduce fear and enable the community to actively help in identification of suspects, confine criminals and bring security issues to the attention of police. Community policing involves organizational strategies, which maintain the systematic use of corporation and problem solving skills, which address the underlying conditions that lead to public safety issues including crime, fear of crime and social disorder (Committee on Law and Justice, 2004). Community policing in North East, community policing is highly regarded and the police and community members working together towards a safe North East. Various programs have been established to assist improve police-community relationship which is the basic principle for community policing. There is the North East Community Policing Team that is dedicated towards safety of the people.

Community involvement in North East is encouraged by the police. The North East Police Department and the supporting staff are dedicated towards various programs that are part of the police mission in safeguarding the community. The fingerprinting service is one of the programs established by the North East Police Department, which offers fingerprinting services to the community at an affordable cost. Residents are able to take fingerprints at 10 through an established channel. A person in need of this service must present his or her own fingerprint card as given by the employer. In addition, residents can call to book an appointment for this service, which runs from Monday through Friday from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm. Once the fingerprinting is finalized, the applicant mails the cards to CJIS and the results are mailed back in two weeks time to the applicants address (Strathclyde Police, 2010).

In addition, a Seniors and Lawmen Together (SALT) program at Cecil County established in 1991 is a partnership between senior citizens, state, county and local law enforcement agencies as well as public and medical agencies which is directed at reducing criminal victimization of senior citizens as well as enhance the quality of life. This group has carried out a travel crime prevention campaign to educate senior citizens on safety matters. This has greatly enhanced safety in the area besides creating a good rapport between the police and the community.

The Human Resource Development Corporation is a branch of North East Police department that is involved in acquiring, apportioning and distributing resources and funds for needy in the community including the disabled, less fortunate in Cecil County. Drug abuse being a social and legal issue has also been taken care of in Cecil County. The Drug awareness Resistance Education is designed to educate the youths towards a drug and violence free lifestyle. This partnership of DARE with North East Police Department and Cecil County School System help many youths thus keeping them away from drugs and delinquent behavior. In the same line, Boys and Girls club of North East is aimed at helping young boys and girls to live their potential lives and become responsible and caring people in the society.

In addition, Cecil County is involved in sporting programs such as the Special Olympics of Cecil County established in 2004. It is aimed at preparing athletes from Cecil to represent the Cecil community (Strathclyde Police, 2010). The North East Neighboring Youth Panel on the other hand is a youth diversion program, which gives first time offenders the option of appearing before a community volunteers panel rather than through a juvenile court system. All this programs enhance police-community relations, which is critical in deterring crime.