What is Community Policing?

Download:  Community Policing (file size 92k) Informative article about Community Policing in Madison Heights.

Community Policing is a unique method of policing through which law enforcement works with citizens in a proactive partnership to identify and solve problems in their community. The primary focus of community policing in Madison Heights is to be establish a more productive partnership with the citizens who live or work within the City. 

What makes our Community Policing Program unique?

While other law enforcement agencies have designated a few officers to be “Community Policing Officers,” the entire Madison Heights Police Department has been trained in community policing methods.

How does it work?

Uniformed officers from each shift select the areas which they prefer to work. All officers in a specific area function as a 24-hour team.  As a team, they will initiate contacts with persons within their selected area and identify unique needs for the area.  They will determine short and long range goals to be accomplished and implement the action needed to accomplish the identified goals.  These officers will be the most visible members of the department to the citizens.

Each team will have designated Sergeants and Lieutenants from whom they can seek guidance and assistance in securing resources to achieve the determined goals. In addition, Detectives will also be assigned to specific areas and handle cases within those areas.

During the day-to-day operations of the Police Department, uniformed officers handle most of the calls for service in their respective areas. For some minor calls, such as parking violations, there will be an increase in the amount of time before an officer responds to the call. For emergency and “crimes in progress” calls, any available officer will be dispatched. The area officer will also respond to these when the officer becomes available.