Case Studies with Questions and Answers
Chapter 06: Community Policing and Crime
The City of El Paso, Texas sits on the United States Mexico Border. The City of El Paso is currently transforming its police department from a traditional policing effort to a more community policing effort. The City of El Paso is considered one of the safest cities in the United States according to the Uniform Crime Report that is compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is ironic that the City of El Paso is one of the safest cities in the United States while at the same time the city of Juarez, Mexico is one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Most recently it has been labeled the murder capital of the world. The city of El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico are separated only by a river.
The City of El Paso would like to evaluate how data on crime is gathered and if it is accurate given the crime problem across the border. The City of El Paso and its leaders are concerned that the crime problem in Juarez, Mexico has crossed the border yet the data has not accurately reflected this reality.
Another issue that is of concern to the City of El Paso is the rise in domestic violence calls to the police department. Calls pertaining to domestic violence currently make up the largest category of calls received by the police department. The City and its leaders would like to develop a new strategy to effectively address domestic violence so that it does not escalate into a more serious type of crime.