Urban Police

Urban policing represents a challenge to police departments. For the most part, the majority of crimes are located in a few concentrated areas within inner cities. This entry has presented a number of different types of citizens and situations that urban police encounter on a routine basis. For each of these groups of citizens or situations, the historical and current role of police has been described, along with the tactics and strategies guiding police discretion. Over time, policies have been enacted to meet the challenges of urban policing. Some have been more effective than others, however few have been clear successes. Perhaps as additional research is focused on these areas, police organizations will develop policies to more effectively meet the challenges of policing urban areas.