Demographics, Future Impact on Community Policing

When community demographics change—for example, when communities becomes more diverse— how police agencies carry out community policing also changes because of alterations in the makeup of the agencies and in the focus of their service. Relationship building within the community is affected, as is the nature of problems that the police will seek to solve through community collaboration. By studying future demographic trends, police leaders can lead agencies into new relationships with growing populations and identify possible problems. Changes are likely in many aspects of policing, such as the diversity of the composition of police agencies, police and social services provided, crime patterns and problem solving, the importance of effective communication skills, and the kinds of technology needed. This entry outlines how demographic changes impact ...