Neighbourhood policing

Role purpose

Neighbourhood police officers strive to make life better and safer for everyone in the communities they serve. For many officers, this is what policing is all about – being a trusted presence within the community, working closely with people and using a range of problem-solving skills to address community issues.

Here’s a bit more about what neighbourhood policing involves:

• You’ll spend time getting to know local people, organisations and issues, then use that understanding to better protect the community.
• You’ll work with a range of partners to support and safeguard vulnerable individuals and groups within the community to prevent them becoming victims of crime or disorder.
• You’ll work with individuals and partner organisations to support those who are most at risk of reoffending – to reduce their impact on the community.
• You’ll encourage community participation in policing, with the aim of reducing crime, building social cohesion and building community confidence in policing.
• You’ll adopt recognised problem-solving techniques to reduce the impact of crime and disorder on the community.
• You’ll use policing powers to solve community problems in a just and fair way and be able to explain those actions to help build trust and confidence in policing.
• Neighbourhood policing is a highly people-focused role, so strong communication skills are vital. You should also enjoy team working and be able to build effective working relationships with people from all walks of life.

Neighbourhood policing is just one way your police career could take you after successfully completing your probation. Find out more about career progression.