Community Relations

Community Relations - Policy 339.1-3

339.1 Purpose & Scope

• The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines for community relationship-building.
• Additional guidance on community relations and outreach is provided in other policies, including the:
  • Hate Crimes Policy
  • Limited English Proficiency Services Policy
  • Communications with Persons with Disabilities Policy
  • Chaplains Policy
  • Patrol Function Policy
  • Suspicious Activity Reporting Policy

339.2 Policy

• It is the policy of the Forest Grove Police Department to promote positive relationships between department members and the community by treating community members with dignity and respect and engaging them in public safety strategy development and relationship-building activities, and by making relevant policy and operations information available to the community in a transparent manner.

339.3 Member Responsibilities

• Officers should, as time and circumstances reasonably permit:
  • Make casual and consensual contacts with community members to promote positive community relationships.
  • Become reasonably familiar with the schools, businesses and community groups in their assigned jurisdictional areas.
  • Work with community members and the department community relations coordinator to identify issues and solve problems related to community relations and public safety.
  • Conduct periodic foot patrols of their assigned areas to facilitate interaction with community members. Officers carrying out foot patrols should notify an appropriate supervisor and Dispatch of their status (i.e., on foot patrol) and location before beginning and upon completion of the foot patrol. They should also periodically inform Dispatch of their location and status during the foot patrol.