Community PolicingQuestioning some basic Assumptions

ommunity policing is the principal operational strategy for many police organisations throughout the world. However, Community Based Policing, Community Oriented Policing or simply Community Policing is a value laden idea. Consequently, the way an organisation understands the history of police/community relations and the notions of 'community' and 'community policing' will largely dictate outcomes in terms of its implementation. The thesis of this paper is that our understanding of these issues at both the theoretical and operational levels contains certain assumptions which, when unpacked, provide a greater understanding of the processes involved in implementing community policing models in Australia. Amongst those assumptions are, the historical context of policing in Australia and its effect on police/community relations; the problematic notion of 'community' and its implications for the implementation of some form of community consultation; the way in which 'community policing' is understood the nature of community involvement will dictate the organisation of community consultation and the predominant role of the community in police/community relations.