Police officers cannot be everywhere but the community is everywhere. And there lies the success of community policing, provided, of course, it is well organised and that the various components work together.

First launched as a pilot project in Mellieħa last year, community policing is now being introduced in 11 other localities, involving 30 police officers and investment of €60,000, which does look a bit on the low side considering the project in hand. Spending money on centralised offices and buying equipment for the officers is good but good community policing takes a lot more than that.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri was right when he said that the biggest difference between traditional and community policing is the sense of collaboration between the authorities and the members of a community.

Earlier this summer, Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà insisted that, when speaking about community policing, there is a need to change mindsets both within the force and without.

University lecturer Janice Formosa Pace addressed the issue of community policing when she drafted a crime prevention strategy covering the years 2019-2021. Noting that the notion of community policing is often misunderstood, she points out that community policing goes beyond the traditional method of law enforcement because it primarily aims at working in collaboration with residents, public and private organisations in crime control in a specific geographical area and/or neighbourhood.

What really matters in community policing is ensuring a mechanism that fosters moral alignment between the police and the public, she notes.

Here, the changed mindset mentioned by Gafà is vital. This is best illustrated when the university lecturer underscored the fact that activities perceived to be diversions from ‘real police work’ have to be considered as core community policing duties.

Community policing will certainly benefit the residents of the localities where the concept is implemented, though ironically there are complaints from Mellieħa about the police station being closed. It not only serves as a more effective crime deterrent but also brings the police closer to the community. Also, the system is flexible and can change as the community changes.

Community policing effectively means the police become part of a neighbourhood, get a better sense of residents’ needs and help the community better trust officers. That is no mean feat and, therefore, thought, training and providing all necessary resources are a must.

It is not enough having officers on the beat and ensuring they smile to residents. There needs to be the right structure in place to implement community policing and offer specialised training. It is unlikely such a structure exists. It certainly was not there when Formosa Pace conducted her study in May 2017.

In view of the planned extension of the idea, this would be an opportune time for the police commissioner to go into detail on what the force is doing internally to ensure the concept is a success.

Yet, community policing does not only involve the police. The local council, school/s, businesses, clubs and the Church must all do their bit and this includes contributing, whether in cash or in kind, to make the concept work.

Adequate funds are required to procure expert training, run effective educational and information campaigns and purchase all the necessary equipment, not to mention the human resources aspect. Hence, all should put their hands in their pocket and give their share.

This is a golden opportunity to boost public trust in the police force and Gafà should do everything in his power to ensure it works.