by Niles Anderegg, research and content development associate, ICMA 

Police officers, along with other first responders, are an important part of any community as they are responsible for keeping residents safe and preserving law and order. For many local governments, managing a police force can pose unique challenges. ICMA has collected some of its best police resources to help better manage how your police force functions and presents itself to the public at large.  

1.  5 Myths about Police Metrics. This 2017 article looks at five common myths about measuring police performance and provides the facts needed to improve your police metrics.

2. The Changing Face of Policing: Recruitment in the 21st Century. Another 2017 article that looks at best practices for how to recruit police officers given the needs both of police departments and of the communities they serve.

3. Dallas City Manager Offers 9 Tips for Building Stronger Police/Community Relations. In 2016, in the wake of an attack on Dallas police officers, then Dallas City Manager A.C. Gonzalez shared his tips to strengthen police/community relations.

4. "Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter." Article Explores Police-Community Relations. Following high profile instances of violent police interaction with minority groups, ICMA published a report called "Black Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter." This article highlights some of the conclusions of that report.

5. The Manager-Police Chief Relationship. This PM magazine article from 2016 goes in-depth into the relationship between the manager and the police chief.

For more on what ICMA has to offer, check out the police topic page.