The Problem Solving ability of the Fresno Police Department relies heavily upon community involvement through its newly established faith-based programs. Over the last two years the Southwest District of Fresno has heavily incorporated faith-based community involvement. The district outreach calls on all faith based groups and organizations, both private and public, holding them responsible to organize and participate in community outreach functions. Personal responsibility and accountability by all is what makes this a model, award winning project.
It is simply astounding the degree to which we have totally ignored faith in exploring the effectiveness of community based programs. We have over 140+ individuals and organizations that are active within this collaborative. The inner works include Catholic, Seventh-day Adventist, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baptist, Buddhist, Sikh, Christian, Atheist, Youth Offenders, Adult Offenders, Law Enforcement, City/County Programs, area businesses and residents all working hand in hand with no barriers to hinder the outcome of the community programs.
Our program can be transplanted into any community, has direct evidence that faith-based functions mixed with community oriented policing are, in fact, more effective in enabling and empowering people to overcome neighborhood crime.
We are able to show that faith-based belief and practice to be positively correlated with desirable social characteristics by partnering with these established and trusted resources already located on every other block. They provide gang, drug, and alcohol free nightly activities for higher personal understanding, which allows for higher levels of self-esteem and personal responsibility. The evidence is overwhelming, and the youth are being exposed to faith-based values of their choice, which engage in less delinquent behavior, and become involved in community activities and are establishing successful entrepreneurial programs.
Those working within the Southwest District are trained to reduce crime through prevention, intervention, enforcement, investigative and problem solving efforts. The staff and supervisors continually motivate and brief the officers on ways they can provide the highest level of service to the public, new referrals, programs, and what is happening within their district.
Given this evidence, it seems reasonable to expect that faith-based programs working with people who experience social ills will bring with them an added resource and degree of effectiveness that can collaborate with established successful secular programs. This gives sufficient reason to launch out into a new intervention process that is showing positive success and redeeming family based values.
We pride ourselves in delivering the highest level of quality service possible. The employees, volunteers and partners care about the Fresno community and strive to serve with compassion, honesty and sincerity with commitment to solving public safety and disorder issues.
The positive outcomes with the community can be directly linked to this chosen Community Faith-based Policing Strategy.
Greg Garner, Captain
Bruce Hartman, Sergeant
(559) 621-6105
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