When Cops Move to Dangerous Neighborhoods

Cops in Rockford, Illinois are fighting high crime rates by living in the communities they serve. Here's how "community policing" is helping rebuild trust.
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It's a return to an old idea - the "neighborhood cop" who's part of the community. The Rockford, Illinois police department is getting back to it by providing police officers free housing in areas beset by high crime. They hope that by having police officers know their neighbors and build relationships with people in their communities, they can rebuild trust--and help identify and resolve problems without having to make arrests. While community policing was a movement in the 90s and grew as part of the 1994 crime bill, programs and budgets were slashed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Now, in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests and renewed attention to the collapse of trust between police and their communities nationwide, community policing is making a comeback. In this video, we tag along with Rockford PD resident officers Patrice Turner and Eric Thurmond and talk to chief of police Daniel G. O'Shea about how community policing is helping make a difference in Rockford.
Would you like to see it in your community? Let us know what you think in the comments.
It's Freethink's Criminal Justice Week. Subscribe for more amazing videos from the fight to fix the justice system. bit.ly/subscribe-for-criminal-... and join the conversation with #FixingJustice.
It's a return to an old idea - the "neighborhood cop" who's part of the community. The Rockford, Illinois police department is getting back to it by providing police officers free housing in areas beset by high crime. They hope that by having police officers know their neighbors and build relationships with people in their communities, they can rebuild trust--and help identify and resolve problems without having to make arrests. While community policing was a movement in the 90s and grew as part of the 1994 crime bill, programs and budgets were slashed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Now, in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests and renewed attention to the collapse of trust between police and their communities nationwide, community policing is making a comeback. In this video, we tag along with Rockford PD resident officers Patrice Turner and Eric Thurmond and talk to chief of police Daniel G. O'Shea about how community policing is helping make a difference in Rockford.
Would you like to see it in your community? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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[@freethink]

Would you like to have cops living in your neighborhood?

[@adilmohd25]

Hell Yeah!

[@MalteSittig]

Of course, they're heros.

[@Fergusand]

I have police in my neighborhood already

[@cherriemckinstry131]

Great! That they are working as a community. People in a neighborhood used to talk to each other. I used to go up the street with a fresh pie and come back with eggs. Then gram and i go check on neighbor across the street that was living alone and sometimes didnt even feel like fixing food. So gram brought over lunch and i helped her do dishes. Then she asked me to go over and check on her tomorrow. Garden of Hope project.

[@rakchityonzan2806]

so nice to see positive attitudes

[@N3wS3nce3]

Been saying this for years.

[@ItsAllLove4Real]

This is just jaw dropping...How freakin' awesome is this🥰🕊🥰🕊

[@covidchase2351]

I live here it’s crazy

[@freethink]

Thanks for watching! What do you mean by it's crazy?

[@covidchase2351]

All the crime

[@nathangebben5738]

I live in rockford. It has its problems just like any other city. There is parts of the city with multi million dollar homes and parts of the city with sub 50k homes. Ive never seen any serious violence living here. They just need to work on cleaning up some of the abandoned infrastructure so new businesses have a place to start fresh.

[@lateshia815]

Rockford born and raised.. shes very nice

[@After4th]

What Japan practice having police officers stationed in neighborhood kobans developing trust and sense.

[@iphonegaming9766]

Y'all are commenting how great this channel is good. Yes true, but try n share it with other ppl so they know how great it is.

[@freethink]

Thanks, we appreciate it :)

[@MohammedElrufaie]

nice , also add the public servant part so they know they don't own the area but they serve the area.

[@trevornever27]

Isnt this Eric Thurmond the officer charged with sexual assault a year later?

[@analyticalmindset]

This is how it's done . Fire the tough guy cops and let the food ones live in the community they police

[@RayRay-zu4uz]

Sounds good. Try to get Detroit to do that

[@LloydLynx]

5:56 This is kinda off topic, but I though all impalas were FWD.

[@bandit8436]

That's a Caprice not an Impala

[@sethbrunfiedsr5194]

This officer has passed away

[@YUNGGUMMOViews]

Why give police free housing I need housing you taking up all the cheap homes

[@sethbrunfiedsr5194]

Take this lie down

[@markscharwath8167]

Now he is wanted for sexual assault sad my kids liked eric

[@JohnSmith-dg3rd]

Link?

[@markscharwath8167]

It say like

[@JohnSmith-dg3rd]

@@markscharwath8167 ?

[@markscharwath8167]

?

[@markrigsby2425]

#1 Rule. Never talk to cops.

[@himanimbob]

Why

[@Colts-House]

I lived in rockford. These are lies. The cops dash in and dash out 😂

[@LGoMaStrMaStrLgO]

This is NOT how they act hahahahaha the comments of bootlickers is amazing.