Proactive Intervention

Proactive Intervention is the process of neutralizing the influence of established criminal elements on the resident population. It involves use of tactics that identify the sources of deterioration in communities and pinpoint those elements that prohibit development of relationships and weaken the fiber of the community. Ultimately, these carefully orchestrated tactics pressure targeted negative influences into abandoning their activities or leaving the environment.

One example of the tactics used in STOP operations is interdiction. People entering the community are stopped and interviewed to determine their legitimacy. Anyone who does not belong on the property is issued a trespass warning. If the individual later returns to the property, he or she is prosecuted for trespass after warning. In addition to interdiction, STOP team officers use a variety of tactics to interfere with criminal enterprise. For example, individuals suspected of drug dealing may be kept under continuous overt surveillance. The conspicuous presence of STOP officers in this situation prevents the dealers from conducting business and frightens away potential buyers. “Conspicuous presence” tactics are an example of the many types of methods that STOP officers use to intimidate, confuse, and promote insecurity in criminals.

STOP teams also work closely with law enforcement agencies to remove criminals from the community. Officers frequently exchange information and intelligence with police regarding criminal activities and aid in identifying perpetrators and gathering evidence to support prosecution. In this capacity, the efforts of CIS STOP teams has lead to hundreds of arrests.

Preventative Interaction

While criminal elements are being rooted out, STOP officers lay the foundation for future community growth through preventative interaction. This initial process involves implementing techniques and strategies that engender social capital—the personal investment by community members in the betterment of their own community. Through establishing and enhancing relationships, preventative interaction tactics expand the community fiber that make up community networks, and ultimately, enhance social capital.

The communicative efforts of STOP officers work to gain the trust of community members. Moreover, in addition to generating social capital, the objectives of preventative interaction are to improve the community’s perspective of public safety, re-establish a sense of personal security, and raise the community’s level of self-esteem. The community takes a positive interest in its own well-being, reclaims ownership of the community and continues to cultivate its social capital.

In many communities, STOP officers are initially viewed by residents with curiosity and, in some cases, suspicion. After years of negative contact with police, many people in dysfunctional communities are apprehensive about interacting with “authority figures.” To break the ice, STOP officers focus their attention on the best communication opportunity in the community–the children. STOP officers talk with the children, play basketball, give out coloring books, and take every opportunity to establish rapport. Once parents begin to see the positive relationship between STOP officers and the children, trust is established and communication expands into the adult community.

After the officers have gained the confidence of residents, the next step is establishing a mutual sense of trust between community members. To accomplish this, STOP officers use a variety of methods. Officers organize social and civic events, introduce new residents to the neighborhood, and spend time just simply “shooting-the-breeze” with people. During this time, officers also work with property managers and community leaders to identify and correct environmental conditions that contribute to a state of disorder. The result of these efforts is a renewed sense of unity in the community and reinforced trust and communication between residents and the “authorities.”