| Community policing is the
cornerstone of all we do at the Arlington Police Department. Our Vision Statement reads,
“To achieve a safer community by providing excellent service and involving our
community as partners.” Successful community policing requires:
- Citizen involvement in problem
solving;
- Comprehensive accountability fixed at
the geographic level; and
- Timely, interactive communication.
Community policing is a key
crime reduction tool. The community policing model may involve officers attending a
neighborhood meeting with parents, and simultaneously citing their children for traffic
violations.
Perhaps one of the best
examples of true “community policing” occurred in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina
and Rita. APD officers and professional staff joined forces with other city departments
for a full activation of the Emergency Operations Center. Instead of simply providing
security at local shelters, we actively participated in helping citizens transition from
shelter residency to becoming new members of our community, new students at our schools,
and new employees at our businesses.
APD employees partnered with
the Star-Telegram, the Chamber of Commerce, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Texas
Workforce Solutions, Arlington Independent School District, and countless volunteers from
charitable and faith-based organizations for several job and resource fair events. In
fact, our participation, presence, and logistical expertise demonstrated at the job fair
held at the Arlington Convention Center so impressed executives at the Star-Telegram that
they committed to holding future job fairs in Arlington. I was so proud to see so many APD
employees answer this call for help. We have received numerous emails and letters from
citizens displaced by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita thanking us for our assistance
and protection.
The Arlington Police Department
has an internationally recognized reputation for innovation and effectiveness in the law
enforcement arena. To maintain this tradition
of excellence, we’ll continue to encourage open communication, while relying heavily
on the well-established pillars of respect, teamwork, leadership, and service. APD will continue to professionally,
compassionately, and simply do the job better than anyone else. Together, we can achieve what we cannot do alone.
Will Johnson
Chief of Police
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