The purpose of this study was to evaluate Portland, Oregon's community policing policy by using focus groups to discuss the development and effectiveness over one year, Spring 1994 to Spring 1995. The group discussed included management level social service providers and was one piece of a large scale program evaluation. The collected data developed into six major categories: 1) personnel policies and institutional memory; 2) training; 3) consistency; 4) community involvement and responsibility; 5) partnerships or relationships, and 6) change over time. The most highly discussed issue was the discrepancy between the philosophy of the Bureau, community policing, and the way in which the Bureau moves personnel. Data analysis suggested that the level of confidence and support felt by social service providers has increased dramatically over one year. Although, the group participants still have many issues they would like to see resolved, all recognize this is a process that takes time. Generally, community policing has rooted itself and established a footing with the social service providers who are committed to assisting in the molding and development of community policing as well as providing resources to assist in that Journey.

Four research questions guided this documentation and assessment of the Portland Police Bureau's conversion to community policing. These questions generated a description of the events and circumstances that created the perceived need for change in the Bureau's role and function; a search for justification for selecting community policing as an alternative policing approach; a comparative analysis of past attempts to implement innovative change of a similar dimension in police organizations; and an assessment of the process by which the Bureau implemented this new policing strategy. The findings indicate that the prominent factors driving this change are first, the limitations of conventional policing tactics against emerging new patterns of crime and disorder; second, an intensification of public interest in quality-of-life issues; and third, an increase in the numbers of progressive police officers that are influencing change in the traditional police culture. The process by which the Bureau effected changes in its organizational structure and design to accommodate community policing strategies was assessed using theoretical guidelines abstracted from the organizational change literature. This assessment led to a hypothesis that innovative change which is incongruent with organizational traditions and culture must be implemented organization-wide, in an "all-or-none" fashion, to maximize the probability that the change will become institutionalized. The Bureau's inadvertent adherence to most of the guidelines suggests that a pattern may exist to guide the implementation of innovative organizational change. It was also found that the traditional bureaucratic policing structure has been relaxed, but remains quasi-bureaucratic in character, as a function of retaining the traditional military rank structure.

This dissertation deals both with the theory and practice of community policing in the United States and elsewhere while focusing on a specific community policing project in Portland, Oregon. It discusses the history of police work in America, as well as that of the Portland Police Bureau. It also explicates the various meanings of "community policing," along with the problems and issues that have surfaced as the community policing movement has evolved. The research reported here was based on a project conducted by the Portland Police Bureau and numerous supporting agencies. The project was inaugurated in May 1990 with the following goals: improve quality of life of the residents, reduce the fear of crime, and reduce the levels of actual crime. Iris Court is a public housing complex owned and operated by the Housing Authority of Portland. It was recommended as a demonstration site for community policing because of past and ongoing problems of crime in and around it. The Portland City Council had mandated that community policing become the policing style in Portland, and the demonstration project was intended to test various community policing strategies. The tenants were surveyed prior to the implementation of the community policing strategies. The Metro-Life Enhancement Team was formed, an action plan was developed, most of the action plan items were implemented, and the tenants were resurveyed one year later. The evaluation of the project was conducted to assess whether community policing had a measurable effect on public safety. The dependent variables were quality of life, fear of crime, and actual crime. Various community policing strategies would be judged to have been successful if reported crime declined, the fear of crime was reduced, and the quality of life improved. The data show that the project was at least moderately successful. Reported crime declined, fear of crime was reduced, and there were indications that the quality of life was improved. The most striking finding was a 55% decrease in reported crime during the study period. This study suggests that community policing strategies of partnership, empowerment, problem solving, accountability, and service orientation can be successful.

In 1993, Charles Moose became Portland, Oregon's first black police chief. A nationally recognized student of the developing theories of community policing, Chief Moose's promotion was also hoped to help strengthen the diversity of the Portland Police Bureau. Ultimately, Portlanders were unable to look past Moose's public outbursts and demeanor and recognize his accomplishments. As a city, they missed an opportunity. This thesis uses transcripts of speeches and policy papers to present some political history to the reader, but also letters to the mayor's office, letters to the editor and the like to consider the social history of 1990's Portland. Some specific touchpoints of Moose's administration are considered, including when he and his wife Sandy moved to the King Neighborhood, the Daniel Binns birthday party and the resulting march on Moose's home, his outburst at the City Council, and other examples of his legendary anger. Moose's role in gentrification, and the policies he created for the Portland Police Bureau to lead that charge will not be ignored. All the while, the context of Oregon's racist heritage is forefront in this paper. By 1999, Charles Moose had left the bureau and accepted a job in Maryland. He was selected for many of the accomplishments that the Portland public had criticized him for. Ultimately, this study will show that Portland missed an opportunity to discuss how they wanted to be policed, and what philosophies they wanted their enforcers to personify.