AMERICAN POLICE BEAT: SEPTEMBER 2017 37 faces so that real police work – arresting criminals – could go on unimpeded. My observations about the game of law enforce- ment are consistent with the published findings of recent Department of Jus- tice investigations in Balti- more, Cleveland and Fer- guson. They also jibe with the reflections of sociologist Peter Moskos of John Jay College, who spent a year working at the Baltimore Police Department. So what can we do to change this reality? The current crisis in American policing requires dismantling the old law enforcement game and starting anew. Many police agencies, including my old depart- ment, are collaborating with the U.S. Department of Justice and organizations like the Police Foundation to develop and implement a new game that redirects the work of the police away from law enforce- ment “outputs” such as arrests and drug seizures as a measure of success. This new approach emphasizes public safety “outcomes,” like strong, safe, thriving neighborhoods. My work over the past several years has focused on identifying and measur- ing the underlying psycho- logical processes in neigh- borhoods that build com- munity trust and cohesion in some places and “Stop Snitching” campaigns in others, that reinforce bar- riers between police and citizens. Uncovering these hidden dynamics enables officers to tailor policing strategies toward strong neighbor- hoods. Strong neighborhoods are places where crime rates are low and where residents and the police work together to keep it that way. In 2014, during my re- search year, the Browntown neighborhood in southwest Wilmington was such a place. The Wilmington po- lice worked closely with residents to build relation- ships through block-by- block organizing, regular neighborhood social events and collaborative problem solving. Surveys of this neighborhood at that time reflected strong support for the police and the willing- ness of residents to inter- vene as needed to prevent crime. In a recent editorial following the release of the Department of Justice report on the Baltimore Police Department, Kevin Davis, the new police com- missioner, claimed that “most police officers come to work every day and consistently do the right thing.” I agree that the vast ma- jority of police officers want to do the right things. But what constitutes the “right thing” is contingent on the game being played. Changing the goal of mod- ern policing to creating strong neighborhoods cre- ates a new game. It is the logic of this new game, rather than the moral reasoning of individual officers, that will lead to the cultural shifts in policing of the magnitude imagined by today’s police reformers – including those protesting on the streets. James Nolan, Ph.D is a Pro- fessor of Sociology. Dr. Nolan teaches courses in the area of crime and social control. His research currently focuses on neighborhood dynamics, police procedures, crime mea- surement, hate crimes, and equity and inclusion in higher education. His professional career began as a police officer in Wilmington, Delaware. In 13 years with that department, he worked in a variety of divi- sions, including patrol, com- munity policing, organized crime and vice, and planning and research. He is a 1992 graduate of the Federal Bureau of In- vestigation (FBI) National Academy. Just prior to joining the faculty at West Virginia University, Dr. Nolan worked for the FBI as a unit chief in the Crime Analysis, Research and Development Unit that provided management over- sight for the National Hate Crime Data Collection Pro- gram. Connecting with communities is easy at public events and at citizens’ police academies. But doing that every day is extremely difficult. APB360.com // 602-497-4606 Asset Tracking | Inventory Management & Audits | Expiration Warning Systems | Training & Education Records | Budget Management | Chain of Custody | Performance Analytics See the results now at APB360.com/LE How fast can you retrieve officer training records? If you can’t do it yourself within seconds, then you need APB360. Streamline your record keeping while eliminating spreadsheets and time consuming filing. With APB360 you will reduce liability and be able to track all operational aspects of your department. It’s simple, fast, and robust. Feel the relief of APB360.