Chesterfield County Police Department

Community Policing

The Chesterfield County Police Department began its Community Policing program in 1989 and since then the program has expanded into a number of formal Community Policing projects. The scope of these projects are focused on areas of social and economic decline as well as those areas that have seen an increase in crime. The Chesterfield County Police Department currently employs 439 police officers and serves a county that comprises of 446.5 square miles and has a population of more that 299,000 citizens.

All of the Community Policing efforts are committed to the projects they are assigned to. They participate in most neighborhood and business-related events to build trust in the communities. Through continuous involvement, the Community Policing officers become more than just police officers, they are seen as real people. Strong bonds and long-term partnerships are forged with a diverse group of citizens and local businesses.

Each officer receives extensive training in crime prevention and problem solving. The Chesterfield County police officers continue to be updated on new training throughout the year. Some of the tools used by the police officers to assist them in their duties include police bikes, cellular phones, and pagers. Recently, one of the seven projects opened a storefront location inside the largest shopping mall in the county. Current information and crime prevention programs will be offered during mall operation hours.

The success of the Community Policing program can be measured in several ways: there has been a 20% reduction in serious crimes in some of the projects, property values have increased in the millions, citizens have communicated a renewed feeling of security, and finally, the entire Chesterfield County Police Department has embraced the Community Policing philosophy.