NYPD Neighborhood Coordination Program

Introduction

NYPD neighborhood policing is a comprehensive crime-fighting approach established in New York City to improve collaboration and communication between the community residents and local police. The program has managed to improve engagement and connectivity society whilst keeping crime-fighting capabilities at bay. Recently, the Patrol Services Bureau has attempted to reorganize its patrol approach with the aim of achieving the objective of neighborhood policing. The purpose of this paper is twofold; first, it will provide a discussion and policy recommendation that supports the idea that the NYPD neighborhood coordination program is positive in relation to response time involving vehicle collisions with no injuries and shot fired jobs. Second, the paper will provide some policy recommendation that the department can implement that would be beneficial to the communities in NYC and the officers involved in the program.

Discussion and Policy Recommendation

The core obligation of the New York Police Department (NYPD) is to strengthen and ascertain the quality of life in New York City by collaborating with the community to maintain order, preserve peace, enforce the law, and reduce fear. The department strives to provide protection to the lives and properties of New York City dwellers by treating each individual with professionalism, respect, compassion, and courtesy. It thus provides police services and impartial enforcement of the law through deterrence and pursuit of law offenders (Walker& Archbold, 2018). Such services are usually achieved through the establishment and implementation of key programs such as the NYPD neighborhood coordination program. The idea is that the NYPD neighborhood coordination program is positive in relation to response time involving vehicle collisions with no injuries and shot fired jobs. The discussion below provides a supportive argument to the above-mentioned idea. 

NYPD runs a database where data related to vehicle collisions is recorded for future reference. The practice started back in 2011 where it became law. Initially, the TrafficStat Unit collects and verifies the data and eventually posts the information to the NYPD website. Such information is usually categorized into a city, borough, and precinct and crosses the street. The data is essential for the public to know the extent to which certain intersections are either safe or dangerous in NYC. The information is provided in pdf or excels format to make it easy for a casual user to record the data accurately and eventual in-depth analysis. The NYPD then provides a summary detailing the number of collisions and vehicles that were involved in the accidents. Such an initiative is due to the presence of the NYPD coordination program. It reaffirms the idea that the NYPD neighborhood coordination program is positive in relation to response time involving vehicle collisions with no injuries.

According to an article published on NYPD website titled, ‘Neighborhood Policing Now in Every Neighborhood in New York City (2018), neighborhood policing is a new paradigm shift that has effectively handled the issue of shooting and crime. The article claims that the program has enabled the NYPD to achieve its goal of strengthening the collaboration between police and the community. Such an approach has enabled the police to respond to crime incidences in real time thus, decreasing the rate of crime in New York City. 

The NYPD neighborhood coordination program is designed in a way that there are 3-5 precincts, which are fully staffed and corresponds to neighborhood boundaries. To increase familiarity with the local problems and local residents, police officers usually shift within the same neighborhood (“Neighborhood Policing Now in Every Neighborhood in New York City”, 2019). Resources such as cars, supervisors, sector officers, and radio dispatchers usually operate with the same precinct. Such an arrangement makes it easy for the police to respond within the fastest time possible where an issue related to vehicle collisions with no injuries and shot fired jobs is reported. 

However, a policy recommendation is hereby made to establish gun possession and usage in NYC, as well as, complicating the licensing procedures. The policy will ascertain that not every person has a gun possession. It will reduce the number of guns held by citizens while ensuring the law enforcement officers are well armed. In addition, there should be a policy allowing strategic positioning of 24-hour surveillance cameras and response team to handle road crisis. 

Policy Recommendations

Implementation of Body-Worn Camera 

Implementation of technology such as gunshot detection system, communications systems, predictive analytics system, automatic plate readers, GPS applications, social media investigation platforms, and facial recognition software would assist in managing the problem involving vehicle collisions with no injuries and shot fired incidences (Miller & Toliver, 2014). In such a list is the use of the body-worn camera by the NYPD police officers. The perceived merits for this policy is that it ascertains the accountability and transparency of the police, as they carry out their daily activities of enforcing the law and maintaining order in NYC. Body-worn cameras encourage respectful and lawful interaction between the police and the public. These cameras foster accountability, provide a contemporaneous and objective record of encounters, as well as, facilitate a review of events by supervisors. They assist in providing hard evidence, especially in a situation where shooting was involved. Body-worn cameras have improved time in of response by the police incidences involving gunshots. They are deemed to be essential for strengthening the relationship between the community and the police. 

Hotspot Policing-Police play a vital role in reducing crime in NYC. Such an objective can be attained by implementing evidence-based tactics such as hot spot policing.  Most researches claim that most crimes are carried out within specific loci preferably well-known blocks and streets. Using intelligence to deploy police officers in such loci can have a huge impact on reducing violence and crime in NYC. The policy would allow police officers to establish a strong rapport by collaborating with parents, shop owners, school officials, residents, building managers, and families. Such interventions will further make it easy for the department to focus on community needs. The policy will provide significant help to the department. It is beneficial to the community in NYC since it increases the friendliness between the police and the community at large. 

Stricter Alcohol Policies-A study carried out by the national council on alcoholism and drug dependence confirms that 40% of crimes are committed under alcohol inference. Besides, there is a nexus between gun assaults and alcohol stores.  A policy geared towards increasing alcohol tax, restricting an offender from taking alcohol in the near future and minimizing alcohol outlets in NYC can affect positively the fight against crime. 

Focused Deterrence Policing-The idea behind focused deterrence policing is that police have the capacity to increase the severity, certainty, and swiftness in respect to punishment procedures by use of innovative ways. In this case, the police interact directly with the offenders. The idea is to make clear inherent incentives for compliance with the law, as well as, the consequences associated with criminal activities. The policy is well effective, especially to high rate offenders such as drug sellers and gang members.

Conclusion

The paper sought to provide a discussion and policy recommendation that supports the idea that the NYPD neighborhood coordination program is positive in relation to response time involving vehicle collisions with no injuries and shot fired jobs. Police recommendations provided for the NYPD include focused deterrence policing, stricter alcohol policies, body-worn camera, and hotspot policies. 

References

Miller, L., & Toliver, J. (2014). Implementing a body-worn camera program: Recommendations and lessons learned. Police Executive Research Forum.

Neighborhood Policing Now in Every Neighborhood in New York City. (2019). Retrieved from https://www1.nyc.gov/site/nypd/news/pr1022/neighborhood-policing-now-every- neighborhood-new-york-city#/0

NYC OpenData (2019). NYPD Motor Vehicle Collisions Summary. Retrieved from https://data.cityofnewyork.us/NYC-BigApps/NYPD-Motor-Vehicle-Collisions- Summary/m666-sf2m

Walker, S. E., & Archbold, C. A. (2018). The new world of police accountability. Sage Publications.