Community Policing

The City of Urbana identified the need in 1993 to implement Community Policing as a primary effort to more effectively address citizen concerns about crime and safety. While traditional policing practices, which emphasizes random patrol and responding to calls, proved somewhat effective in addressing crime, this was not the case in addressing the public safety concerns. Community Policing emphasizes a collaborative problem solving approach between the police and the community in problem identification, prioritizing, and resolving their concerns.

The Urbana Police Department’s Community Policing strategy is to help make our community a safer environment in which to live, work, and recreate; through collaboration and problem solving in partnership with our citizens. The goal of our community policing strategy is to reduce crime and the public fear of crime by seeking citizen involvement, cooperation and support.