By Renee Worthing
Staff Writer
Sanford Police Chief Thomas Connolly is introducing a “whole new idea” in policing that will help community members become problem solvers. The concept – community policing.
The goal is to empower community members and change the way police respond to calls. Rather than a reactive police response in which officers deal with crimes after they have been committed, police hope to create a proactive approach.
Community policing focuses on crime prevention, problem solving, community engagement and partnerships to prevent crime before it happens.
Within a couple of months, two Sanford police officers, Jared Archambault and John Flewellyn will begin implementing the program in a neighborhood bordered by June, High, Cottage and River streets in Sanford.
Connolly said the area hosts a “population in need.” He said officers often respond to the area for burglaries, drugs and assaults, but he hopes a community policing approach will get to the root of the problems.
Not only will the officers ride bicycles and walk through the neighborhoods, they plan to engage residents in conversation and hope to create connections.
Connolly said because the officers will be permanently assigned to the zone, they will become familiar with residents and the officers will get to know the beat on a more personal level.
Archambault and Flewellyn, who both volunteered for the opportunity to work with the targeted area, said they were excited about the new approach.
“We will be the ones they interface with,” Flewellyn said, adding the program is not a “magic bullet.”
Archambault said he expected fewer calls for service.
Community policing will also streamline the chain of command for Archambault and Flewellyn. Connolly is giving the officers authority to contact services such as the public works department to assist with issues that may contribute to crime such as unsafe street lighting.
“I will prove that I am trustworthy [to residents],” Archambault, a two-year veteran of the department, said. “If someone says the street lighting is unsafe, I will call the right people to resolve it.”
Local churches are anxious to assist in the program, Connolly said, and he hopes surrounding businesses, including Goodall Hospital, York County Community Action and the Wolves Club will join in the effort.
Enabling officers to access services will allow them to proactively fight crime.
“If there is a mental health issue, we can help them get help,” Connolly said.
The community-policing plan may include two groups of community members and businesses, which will meet and discuss issues that concern them.
Connolly hopes events such as bicycle give-aways and community picnics will pull the community together and encourage residents to become more involved in their neighborhood.
“Where there is community apathy, there is more crime,” Connolly said. “That is a fact.”
He said a federal grant, “Safe Schools, Healthy Students,” designed to prevent violence and substance abuse among youth, school and communities is already in place and work is underway to determine why kids commit crimes.
Community policing will also coordinate with the youth-centered program, “Strategies for a Stronger Sanford.”
The initiative is expected to kick off in September after the officers undergo special training.