Running

head: COLLABORATION 1

Collaboration

Steven Shea

University of San Diego

COLLABORATION 2

In order to succeed in the twenty-first century, law enforcement needs to develop

essential partnerships. Reducing overhead by partnering with other local agencies can help to

control budgets. Working with schools can help to reduce school and gang violence. Working

with faith-based organizations can bring resources to assist in myriad circumstances. Working

with corrections can target repeat offenders. Finally, partnering with the media can help to

involve the community in solving crimes.

Budget constraints are a concern for most law enforcement agencies. Delivering

services at the most efficient level while providing the best service possible is a goal for law

enforcement. A proven strategy is to combine certain services across law enforcement

agencies. For example, the Vancouver, WA, Police Department and the Clark County, WA,

Sheriffs Office combined SWAT teams in 1998. The combined team shares one budget and

makes assignments regardless of which agency they work for (Clark County Sheriffs Office,

2008). The communications for this type of team can be complex.

Agency heads must communicate regularly regarding budget and policy for the team.

Team commanders must communicate almost daily for the purpose of daily operations. Team

leaders work together for training and for tactical field operations. The advantages of this

communication are to ensure everyone is working from the same policy standard and that

assignments are made bilaterally. The disadvantages for communication across multiple levels

could include turf disputes, budget disputes, and legal issues of indemnification.

School violence and gang violence is an evolving concern for all communities. While the

sheriff is responsible for responding to calls at schools within the county jurisdiction, the

response is not always timely and typically does not include non-criminal situations. Partnering
COLLABORATION 3

with schools can help defray the cost of a deputy, can help provide the school with a staff

member well beyond enforcement, and can build long term, positive relationships with youths

of the community.

Law enforcement managers and school administrators must communicate so as to

agree on policies and budgets. Deputies and school principals must communicate daily to

ensure the goals of both participants are met. The advantages of this communication include

regular policy evaluation and that deputies are meeting the ongoing needs of the school while

providing the safest possible environment. The disadvantages could include disagreement over

the role of the deputies in the school or the amount of time spent on enforcement versus time

spent teaching classes. Another disadvantage could occur during communication if the entities

cannot agree on the uniform appearance of the deputy.

Working with faith-based organizations can bring resources to the community to

combat homelessness and violence. These organizations are willing to partner with law

enforcement to provide winter housing for the homeless and emergency housing for families in

need. In 2012, Churches United for the Homeless provided emergency shelter for 741

individuals in the Fargo, ND-Moorhead, MN area, reducing the load on police looking for

assistance for those in need (2013). Communication channels can include encouraging

individual deputies to contact their own faith-based organizations, contacting organizations by

mail, and relying on the networking of the organizations. The advantage of using deputies to

reach out to their own organization is buy in from line staff. The advantage of sending letters

and relying on church networks is efficiency is getting the word out. The disadvantage of

relying on deputies to contact their organizations or even sending letters to known

COLLABORATION 4

organizations is the appearance of selecting certain faiths while excluding others. Similarly,

relying on the informal organizational networks could give the appearance of exclusion.

Law enforcement shares a common interest in local offenders with the Department of

Corrections (DOC). Embedding a corrections officer with a street crimes detective unit can

break down barriers between agencies and increase communication to enhance the safety of

the community. Critical to the process will be managers having regular communications

through quarterly meetings to ensure the goals of the program are met. Line staff detectives

and DOC officers communicating on the job regarding offenders and criminal acts can better

protect the community. The potential disadvantages of DOC officers and detectives

communicating directly could include blurring distinctions in law regarding warrantless

searches of offenders and distinctions of roles between the agencies (Parent & Snyder, 1999).

To avoid pitfalls, managers and participants should consider a system of evaluation to gauge

effectiveness.

Law enforcement must partner with local media to get messages out. As Jones points

out, law enforcement and media representatives have similar goals, but often feel distrust

toward one another (n.d.). Getting messages out regarding crimes and wanted persons is a

goal of both law enforcement and the media. A sheriffs office can issue press releases or hold

press conferences which provide the advantage of rapid communication. The disadvantage of

simple a press release is not allowing the media to ask clarifying questions, unless someone is

prepared to take calls. The disadvantage of a press conference could be the possibility of

confrontation or the unintended release of some information.

Employing multiple partnerships in the community can help to control budgets while
COLLABORATION 5

protecting the community. Appropriate communication is critical to the success of each

strategy.

COLLABORATION 6

REFERENCES

Churches United for the Homeless (2013) Emergency shelter. Retrieved from

http://www.churches-united.org/emergency-shelter

Clark County Sheriffs Office (2008) Southwest Washington Regional SWAT Team. Retrieved

from http://www.clark.wa.gov/sheriff/enforcement/swat.html

Jones, L. (n.d.) Police and media relations: How to bridge the gap. Retrieved from

https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Content/getdoc/9a5940ba-6100-45e3-86a2-

092f72480769/jones-larry-final-paper-%281%29.aspx

Parent, D. & Snyder, B. (1999, March) Police-corrections partnerships. National Institute of

Justice. Retrieved from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/175047.pdf