Joint Community Police Partnership

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2009

Foreign-born residents of Hennepin County increased 150% between 1990 and 2000. By 2000, more than 260,000 county residents were foreign born—most newly arrived from Spanish-speaking countries or Africa. In 2004, law enforcement data began to reveal a growing pattern of people from immigrant cultures experiencing conflicts within their cultures, with people from other cultures, and also with local police. Police from suburban cities asked Hennepin County officials to join with them to find new approaches to address this problem, and the Joint Community Police Partnership was born. Each of four suburban police departments has embedded a Community Liaison, funded by the county, who serves as a link between the community and the police. Multicultural police cadets hired by each department get schooling and on-the-job training funded by the county with the understanding that when they complete their education and cadet job duties satisfactorily, they will be offered a police position. Multicultural Advisory Committees were formed in each city to serve as a connection between the police and community residents. Police officers receive training on topics related to the cultural communities they serve while immigrant communities get training on the role of the police, U.S. laws, and personal safety.