Watchman Style Policing vs. Community Policing: Which is More Prevalent in Sonoma County?
Th Criminological literature provides evidence of two different styles of policing that are often considered polar opposites. On one end of the spectrum, there are law enforcement officers who engage in the "law enforcement," or "watchman" style of policing. The other end of the spectrum is the "problem-solving," or "community-oriented" police officer. In practice, law enforcement officers often lie somewhere in between the two poles in terms of interacting with the community. An officer's behavior is largely dependent upon which end of the spectrum an officers self-identifies as. The current study focuses on defining policing styles according to the practices of the Sonoma County Sheriff's Department. Data regarding perceptions of policing practices will be collected from both the Sonoma County Sheriff's office, and from community members.