What is a progressive police department

[Matt18]

Can someone help me understand what a progressive police department means. I understand what the word "progressive" implies, but what does that actually mean from a patrol perspective.

Second, are all departments progressive and just vary on "how" progressive they are.

Some real life examples would greatly help clarify this. In other words a situation and how a progressive department would deal with the situation compared to a non-progressive (conservative?) department if there is such a thing.

Thanks

-Matt-

[ateamer]

To me, progressive means things like modern equipment (MDCs, nylon duty gear, Blauer Street Gear uniforms instead of Class A), work schedules that take the officers into account (no 5-8s for patrol - 4-10 or 3-12, and not rotating shifts every week), training in modern tactics and techniques, soliciting the street officers' input in procedures and policies and always looking for ways to improve. Bascially, not being stuck in the rigid mode of doing it the way it's always been done and doing things for tradition's sake.

[Matt18]

Thank you for your response. I was thinking that a progressive department was another way of saying a "proactive" department. You saved me much humiliation in my oral board interview on Thursday. Thank you!!!!

[Gene L]

Charlston, SC is (or was, and probably still is) a good example of what I consider a "progressive" police department. The then new Chief took over and started an aggressive program to decrease street crime. It worked.

He also pioneered the concept of "Community Oriented Policing." He started towing junk cars off the street, started an active program of tracking those on probation and when seen in questionable neighborhoods, having his officers question them and run them off. At first, some resistance from the black community, but I think they soon realized he had their best intersts at heart.

He's half black, half Jewish, which puts him in a unique position in a traditional city like Charlston. He has had his problems with the ACLU, a number of lawsuits, but the citizens of Charlston support him strongly.

He is aggressive in enforcing small crimes as well as large. A proponent of the "broken window" theory. It works for them.

[Smurfette_76]

A progressive agency is one that looks beyond the formerly accepted concepts of LE and attempts to enact new policies and procedures that benefit both the law enforcement officers and the community it serves. Some of those concepts are school resource officers, community policing theories AND community policing areas that hold monthly meetings to allow for dialogue between the citizens and the Officer assigned to the area. A third example of a progressive police department is one that has educational benefits and procedures in place that encourages it's officers to attend additional academic courses that not only benefit the Department but also the Officer in furthering his academic and professional goals.


Now THAT my dear is what we call a politically correct answer

[PhilipCal]

Charlston, SC is (or was, and probably still is) a good example of what I consider a "progressive" police department. The then new Chief took over and started an aggressive program to decrease street crime. It worked.

He also pioneered the concept of "Community Oriented Policing." He started towing junk cars off the street, started an active program of tracking those on probation and when seen in questionable neighborhoods, having his officers question them and run them off. At first, some resistance from the black community, but I think they soon realized he had their best intersts at heart.

He's half black, half Jewish, which puts him in a unique position in a traditional city like Charlston. He has had his problems with the ACLU, a number of lawsuits, but the citizens of Charlston support him strongly.

He is aggressive in enforcing small crimes as well as large. A proponent of the "broken window" theory. It works for them.

Is that Chief Greenburg? (Spelling). If so, we need more, no, many more like him.

[HolyRoller]

Reuben Greenberg, that is. I saw him at a criminal law symposium at Stanford in 96 debating a couple of liberal white defense lawyers about whether it's fair to have harsher sentences for crack cocaine offenses v. powder cocaine. The liberals cried racism because more minorities do crack than powder. Chief Greenberg said, so just increase the powder cocaine sentences to the same as the ones for crack! No more unfairness, no more racism.

As to what is a "progressive" department, I say it's that lets you carry any equipment you want and can qualify with (instead of a one-size-fits-none loadout), has policies designed to prevent and solve crime instead of just to appease the insurance company, doesn't shriek "liability!" and faint when you suggest something new, and bends over backward to keep people on either side of the badge from getting hurt or killed.