Kelsey Gray
Washington State University Extension
534 E. Trent Ave.,
P.O. Box 1495
Spokane, WA 99210-1495
(509) 358-7960, (509) 358-7979 fax

Michael Erp
Washington State University Extension
534 E. Trent Ave.
P.O. Box 1495
Spokane, WA 99210-1495
(509) 358-7951, (509) 358-7979 fax

Police ask: “What should we do to work effectively with our community?” Organizational on-site assessments provide data to assist the police officials with the implementation of community collaboration and partnership. Onsite Organizational and Community Assessments by Washington State University Extension through its Western Regional Institute for Community Oriented Public Safety (WRICOPS) address collaborative problem-solving and community engagement along with facilitating police: organizational transformation to enhance the agency’s ability to work closely with its community.

Onsite Organizational Assessment teams of Extension professionals and trained volunteers closely examine agency values, goals, structure, climate and external environment to ensure congruency with the principles of community policing. The Extension professionals have constructed a framework to identify key issues and barriers within an organization, and resources within a community for strategic implementation of community based policing. Common themes involving partnerships, problem-solving, CEO roles, data management and accountability emerge over 60 assessments conducted in a five-state region and nationally with seven Tribal governments.

Training manuals, white papers, research projects and evaluation projects have resulted from the more than 60 on-site assessments. Strategies and techniques have been developed and tested.