Rolling Meadows Police Win International Award
By Erin Holmes Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted on September 12, 2002 Rolling Meadows police had something to show off, and now they have something to show for it. The department has earned international recognition for its community policing efforts - an honor Chief Steven Williams said the department applied for as a way to share, with police forces worldwide, ideas that have proven effective in Rolling Meadows. He called winning "huge." The city was one of five in the world to snag the honor, awarded annually by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and ITT Industries Night Vision, an advanced-technology supplier, to recognize outstanding community policing initiatives worldwide. "What we did was apply to share what we think has been successful, to give it to everybody else if they so choose to use it," Williams said. "As far as I'm concerned, it's a huge recognition to be selected among your peers, and have those peers number in the thousands, and have them say, 'This is a department that has achieved success. Look at their model. It's yours, free for the taking.' " The International Association of Chiefs of Police comprises more than 19,000 members from more than 100 different countries. Community policing is a change in philosophy that calls on police forces to be more directly involved with the community, going beyond the typical calls to be more proactive in fighting crime. Rolling Meadows began initiating community policing efforts in 1990, Williams said, and since then has created two police neighborhood resource centers; established partnerships with Northwest Community Hospital, local school systems and other city entities; and, recently, formed the Chief's Advisory Council, a group of residents that provides the department with helpful information and can help in policy making. The department also uses a system that assigns its patrol officers to beats that encompass sections of the city, relying on them to become familiar with that beat and work to solve problems there. The programs stood out. About 85 departments from around the world submitted applications - among them, one in India that cited its efforts to improve relationships with people who are sympathetic to al-Qaida. The applications required a description of each department's efforts to internalize the community policing philosophy and asked for a specific initiative, along with an evaluation of results thus far. "It's a tremendous honor," said Gary Kempker, chair of the International Association of Chiefs of Police community policing committee. "Most agencies that really don't believe they're the cream of the crop don't even bother to apply. The award is that significant - that you know you have to be doing something special to even apply." Honors also went to police departments in Silverthorne, Colo., New Rochelle, N.Y., and Richmond, Va., and the Halton Regional Police Service in Canada. Rolling Meadows' force will be honored Oct. 9 at the association's annual conference in Minneapolis.  Community Policing Award: 5 Winners, 8 Finalists
by Marcy Walsh Five Agencies Receive Top Honors for Community Policing
From the IACP and ITT Industries Night Vision · Selected from more than 84 nominations worldwide.
· Six countries represented in nominations.
· To be recognized at the IACP Annual Banquet and in conference workshop. Roanoke, Va. (August 28, 2002)—The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) and ITT Industries Night Vision today named five departments from the more than 84 departments nominated worldwide to receive the 2002 Community Policing Award. The five winners are: Silverthorne, Colo., Police Department – United States (category: population of fewer than 20,000 residents); Rolling Meadows, Ill., Police Department – United States (category: population of 20,001 to 50,000 residents); New Rochelle, N.Y., Police Department – United States (category: population of 50,001 to 100,000 residents); Richmond, Va., Police Department – United States (category: population of 100,001 to 250,000 residents); and Halton Regional Police Service – Canada (category: population of 250,001+ residents). The eight finalists are: The University of Vermont Department of Police Services – United States (category: population of fewer than 20,000 residents); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Public Safety – United States, and Keller, Texas, Police Department – United States (category: population of 20,001 to 50,000 residents); Marietta, Ga., Police Department – United States, and Gastonia, N.C. Police Department – United States (category: population of 50,001 to 100,000 residents); Irvine, Calif., Police Department – United States (category: population of 100,001 to 250,000 residents); Coimbatore, India City Police – India, and Louisville, Ky., Division of Police – United States (category: population of 250,001+ residents). Award winners will be honored on October 6, 2002, at a private reception and on October 9, 2002, at the IACP’s annual conference banquet in Minneapolis, Minn. Additionally, the IACP’s Community Policing Workshop will feature the five winning departments as part of a panel discussing community policing’s role in Homeland Defense on October 8, 2002. "Each year, the number of international nominations increases," said Gary Kempker, chairman of the IACP’s Community Policing committee and Missouri director of public safety. "We are pleased to see that community policing is being adopted worldwide as a way to address the root causes of crime." ITT Industries Night Vision and the IACP’s Community Policing committee developed the Community Policing Award in 1998 to recognize outstanding community policing initiatives by law enforcement agencies worldwide. "Five years after the first award ceremony, we continue to see communities worldwide succeeding at crime prevention through community policing," Larry Curfiss, ITT vice president and director, Business Development. "We are impressed at the level of commitment these agencies have to their communities." A preliminary judging panel of 14 and a final panel of five chiefs of police and law enforcement officials reviewed more than 84 nominations from the United States and five other countries (Canada, India, Australia, Singapore and Belgium). The first panel selected the top 17 nominations. The final panel reviewed the 17 nominations to select five winners and eight finalists. Law enforcement agencies were eligible to nominate in five categories. The categories included agencies serving a population of: fewer than 20,000 residents; 20,001 to 50,000 residents; 50,001 to 100,000 residents; 100,001 to 250,000 residents; and more than 250,000 residents. About The IACP
The International Association of Chiefs of Police is the world's oldest and largest nonprofit membership organization of police executives, with more than 19,000 members in more than 100 different countries. IACP's leadership consists of the operating chief executives of international, federal, state and local agencies of all sizes. About ITT Industries Night Vision
For more information on ITT Industries Night Vision’s complete line of night vision equipment and training for law enforcement, security and government use, call 800/448-8678 or visit www.nightvision.com. ITT Industries Night Vision is based in Roanoke, Va., and is a division of ITT Industries, Inc. ITT Industries, Inc. (www.itt.com) supplies advanced technology products and services in key markets including: electronic interconnects and switches; defense communication, opto-electronics, information technology and services; fluid and water management and other specialty products. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, the company generated $4.7 billion in 2001 sales. In addition to the New York Stock Exchange, ITT Industries stock is traded on the Midwest, Pacific, London, Paris and Frankfurt exchanges. For copies of winning submissions, please visit www.nightvision.com or contact Marcy Walsh at (310) 659-5380. For more information, please contact:
Marcy Walsh
(310)659-5380 Related URLs: Community Policing Award page | 
