As we start to fall back into our autumn routines, one topic we have been discussing with members of our police department is community policy, just one component of the San Francisco Police Department's strategic plan. Members of the community have been sharing their ideas about what community policing is, examining best practices and discussing why community policing is more important now than ever before.

Community policing is a philosophy that starts with trust and mutual respect between the police and community. This sets the foundation for both sides to develop partnerships that focus on better problem solving and crime prevention. It empowers beat officers to familiarize themselves with the communities they serve and to be creative about solving issues as they arise. In our experience, both sides need to see a mutual benefit from working together - i.e. crime rates go down and the perception of safety in our communities improves.

We are still gathering best practices, but there are certainly many opportunities to engage with your local police department, including events such as National Night Out, BBQs, youth programs, police advisory committees and certainly meetings - focused not on complaining about the issues, but on problem solving and sharing data.

One program that we have launched in Union Square, that has added value and strengthened our partnership with the police, is our security camera program. By installing a network of 350+ cameras in our district, we can provide video footage of crimes directly to the police and other law enforcement officials. This has led to more arrests and the ability to build stronger cases against chronic offenders. Our Ambassadors still serve as the "eyes and ears" for the police, but now we have a better sense of what is happening 24/7 in our district and can use this information to help solve crimes.

As police departments are under scrutiny nationwide for some high-profile incidents and their own resources for staffing are down, it is important to work in partnership to make our communities safer. This is especially true with many of the quality of life incidents we all experience where there is not a simple law enforcement solution, but a need to involve public health officials and other resources.

As always, I welcome your thoughts on community policing, what has worked in your individual districts and what success stories you have to share.