Problem Analysis and Response- Increased Transient Population

Problem Analysis and Response- Increased Transient Population

The main problem in the provided case scenario is the increased transient population, which results from the closure of shelters in neighboring cities that has led to a surge in the transient population seeking refuge in parks. This is also the root of all other issues happening in the community, including public safety concerns like the presence of intoxicated individuals, fights, thefts, stabbings, and other criminal activities, which pose significant safety risks to both the homeless population and the general public. In addition, it also brings about sanitation issues like human feces in public areas, misuse of public restrooms for bathing and lewd activities, and general lack of hygiene, which contribute to unsanitary conditions in the park.

To address these issues using Community Oriented Policing (COP), as a police manager, I would implement several strategies based on the three core components. The first COP, as stated by Whisenand & McCain (2013), is community partnerships. Here, I would engage with community organizations, non-profits, and local businesses to form partnerships to address homelessness. Accordingly, the main goal would be to provide shelter for people experiencing homelessness. As such, these efforts would involve identifying key stakeholders within the community who are already working on homelessness-related issues. This may include homeless shelters, outreach organizations, faith-based groups, healthcare providers, and advocacy groups.

Secondly, for the subsequent core component, organizational transformation (Whisenand & McCain 2013), I would allocate resources within the police department to support community-policing initiatives, such as creating dedicated units or assigning officers specifically trained to work with homeless populations. The main objective of this would be to help prevent the closure of shelters so that these problems do not occur. Secondly, this would also help prepare for future challenges; for example, if a shelter must be closed, the community, through established communication channels as well as help from the police, will know about it and take the necessary measures to provide another shelter.

Finally, applying the problem-solving COP component, I would work with community partners to coordinate resources and services for the homeless population. This may involve sharing information about available shelters as well as how new shelters can be opened to replace the closed ones. Further, for future purposes, I would work with advocacy groups for people experiencing homelessness to ensure that shelters are not closed without replacements being offered.

References

Whisenand, P. M., & McCain, J. (2013). Managing police organizations. United Kingdom: Pearson.

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Several large shelters for the homeless in neighboring cities have closed down due to funding problems. With the warm summer weather, there has been a sharp increase in the transient population. Your city’s abundance of parks with 24-hour bathrooms has become a refuge for a variety of homeless and emotionally disturbed persons. Wide-scale complaints are being made regarding drunks sleeping or passing out throughout the park, human feces in public areas, fights, thefts, and several stabbings, as well as the public restrooms being used for bathing and lewd activity. An article in the local newspaper about the problem and citizen discontent was titled, “Hobo Park Needs Help.”

Problem Analysis and Response- Increased Transient Population

Question for your post:

What is the problem in this situation?
As a police manager, how would you address the problem using COP:
Core Component 1: Community Partnerships
Core Component 2: Organizational Transformation