Community policing is a concept and approach that recognizes that law enforcement alone cannot solve the root causes of crime. Law enforcement agencies are not staffed, trained or equipped with all the tools necessary to address the underlying factors that contribute to crime and disorder. A collaborative approach, requiring input and participation from public and private stakeholders, will provide the greatest resources in the global effort to address the underlying factors that contribute to crime. The profession of law enforcement was born out of the need to protect people and property. Historically, law enforcement was tasked with apprehending criminals and separating them from society. Job qualifications implied courage and physical toughness. The first training courses consisted of a basic overview of the available communication devices and the booking process. Times have changed; crime has evolved into a multifaceted issue with deep roots. Today, law enforcement has additional responsibilities with increased expectations. It is no longer just about courage, but about the ability to make complex legal decisions in the midst of danger and chaos. Officers are now required to complete many hours of training in detention, arrest, search and seizure, emergency vehicle operations and defensive tactics. Officers are trained to investigate incidents of domestic violence, sexual offenses and crimes against children. The communities in which we live, work and raise our children require the safest environment possible. A common approach to fighting crime is to respond after the event and incarcerate the offender. The results of this approach have been increasingly burdensome to law enforcement, the… medium of paper… another failed policing program. Law enforcement can continue to police in any way they choose, however bigger strides are waiting to be made. The success of the community policing program and the success of our community depend on our ability to convince others to work with us. The more stakeholders we can include in the strategy, the greater the chance of success. However, police departments around the world have implemented strategies to reduce crime; success will be measured by the positive relationships developed through this process. Works CitedBureau of Justice Statistics. (March 22, 2012) Office of Justice Programs. Retrieved April 5, 2012. From http://www.bjs.ojp.usdoj.govKappeler, VE & Gaines, LK (2009). “Community Policing: A Contemporary Perspective.” Fifth edition. Newark, NJ: Matthew Bender & Company.