community policing: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Technical
Quick answer
What does “community policing” mean?
A strategy and philosophy of policing that emphasizes building relationships and working collaboratively with community members to identify and solve problems of crime and disorder.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A strategy and philosophy of policing that emphasizes building relationships and working collaboratively with community members to identify and solve problems of crime and disorder.
A model of law enforcement that focuses on proactive partnership between police officers and local residents, often involving foot patrols, neighbourhood meetings, and problem-solving initiatives rather than reactive crime response.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The concept is identical, but implementation terminology may differ: in the UK it is often linked to 'Neighbourhood Policing Teams' (NPTs) or 'Safer Neighbourhoods' initiatives, while in the US it is frequently associated with specific programs like 'Police Athletic Leagues' or 'Coffee with a Cop'.
Connotations
In both varieties, the term has positive connotations of collaboration and trust-building, though it can be critiqued as insufficient or performative in some political discourse.
Frequency
More frequent in official policy documents, news reports on law enforcement, and sociological literature in both regions. Slightly higher frequency in US media due to greater public debate about police reform.
Grammar
How to Use “community policing” in a Sentence
implement community policinga shift to community policingcommunity policing in actionthe principles of community policingfunding for community policingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “community policing” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The force is looking to community-police the estate more effectively.
- We need to community-police our neighbourhoods.
American English
- The department aims to community-police the downtown area.
- They decided to community-police the park to reduce vandalism.
adverb
British English
- The officers acted community-policingly by organising a football match.
- They policed the event very community-policingly.
American English
- They engaged community-policingly with local leaders.
- The sergeant instructed them to patrol community-policingly.
adjective
British English
- The community-policing approach has reduced tensions.
- They adopted a new community-policing model.
American English
- Our community-policing efforts have built trust.
- He is a community-policing advocate.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, unless discussing corporate security strategies in a community context.
Academic
Common in sociology, criminology, and public policy papers analysing law enforcement models and social outcomes.
Everyday
Used in news reports, local government meetings, and discussions about public safety and police reform.
Technical
Core term in law enforcement training manuals, official police strategy documents, and criminology literature.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “community policing”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “community policing”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “community policing”
- Using as a plural ('community policings' is very rare).
- Misspelling as 'community police-ing' with a hyphen.
- Confusing with 'community service' (which is a penalty).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not primarily about numbers. It is about the strategy and quality of interaction between existing officers and the community, focusing on partnership and prevention.
No, that is a common misconception. The goal is to be 'smart on crime' by addressing root causes and building cooperation that aids in solving and preventing crimes, not by ignoring them.
Modern formal concepts developed in the late 20th century in both the US and UK, influenced by earlier models like Robert Peel's principles in 19th-century Britain which stated 'the police are the public and the public are the police'.
Yes, though it is challenging. It is often implemented through decentralised precincts or neighbourhood teams dedicated to specific areas, allowing officers to build local knowledge and relationships even within a large metropolitan force.
A strategy and philosophy of policing that emphasizes building relationships and working collaboratively with community members to identify and solve problems of crime and disorder.
Community policing is usually formal, technical in register.
Community policing: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈmjuːnəti pəˈliːsɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /kəˈmjunədi pəˈlisɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not applicable; this is a technical compound term with no idiomatic variations]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'COMMunity POLICING' as 'COMing together with the POLICE' to improve the neighbourhood.
Conceptual Metaphor
POLICING IS A PARTNERSHIP (rather than POLICING IS WAR).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a typical feature of community policing?