Building Relationships of Trust: Recommended Steps for Chief Executives

Publication Date: 2014
Tag(s): community relations, community policing, crime prevention, law enforcement, strategies
Author(s): the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
Abstract: A key component of successful policing is building collaborative, trusting relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve, particularly immigrant and minority communities. Developing these relationships allows law enforcement to more successfully address the challenges of crime control and terrorism prevention. The knowledge and insight that come from trust-based relationships between law enforcement and the community are critical because they allow law enforcement to distinguish between innocent cultural behaviors and behaviors indicative of criminal activity. This document includes a checklist summarizing the recommended steps executives should consider when working to build relationships of trust with members of their community. As outlined in the document, this process must begin at the executive level but should be implemented department-wide. Implementation of these recommendations will enable agencies to more easily build and sustain those relationships. Each of the steps is outlined in more detail, to include action items, later in this document. This publication is one piece of the broader Building Relationships of Trust Toolkit.