Community-Oriented Policing
Community outreach and engagement is at the core of what each Brooklyn Park police officer does.
We’re committed to building and improving community relationships and being transparent with our operations. Here are a few ways in which we strive to be a community-oriented police department.
Community engagement officer
Since 2017, the community engagement officer works with community groups and department members to identify and solve public safety problems and organize programs and activities to help build positive relationships between the police and the community.
National Night Out
For more than 25 years, Brooklyn Park has been nationally recognized for our National Night Out activities. Below are the rankings for the past few years. Since 2010, we’ve ranked in the top four cities in our population category, and each year our community has hosted over 175 parties!
Learn more about National Night Out
Community Police Academy
Want a behind-the-scenes look at how your police department works? Enroll in Community Police Academy!
Learn more about Community Police Academy
Commendations and complaints
Your feedback is essential to keeping us accountable and helping us provide the best service possible. In order to be responsive of your needs, we encourage your input!
Learn more about submitting a commendation or complaint
Joint Community Police Partnership (JCPP)
What is the JCPP?
The Joint Community Police Partnership (JCPP) is a Hennepin County program that works collaboratively to enhance relationships between police and specifically with immigrants, people of color, indigenous people, and faith communities.
Each city tailors their programs to meet specific community needs. For information about city specific programs, contact the Community Liaison.
The JCPP is a collaborative effort is a collaborative effort between Hennepin County and the cities of:
- Bloomington
- Brooklyn Center
- Brooklyn Park
- Crystal
- Hopkins
- Richfield
Mission
Our mission is to enhance communication and understanding between law enforcement and multicultural residents of these cities. By building trust and communication between the police and community members, we will ultimately improve the safety and livability of our communities.
We are working together to build safer communities.
Connect us with neighbors, friends, family and other people who want to get involved or share their concerns, as we continuously work to connect with our local community.
Contact
Nicole Wicklund
763-493-8125
nicole.wicklund@brooklynpark.org
What do we do?
- Meet regularly with police personnel to address community concerns.
- Organize community forums and workshops.
- Develop and organize community engagement initiatives.
- Organize and facilitate training for police and community.
- Partner with various community organizations.
How to get involved
- Apply to serve as a member on the Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC).
- Coordinate or volunteer for community programs.
- Build community/police relationships and work with the community liaison to host a community meeting and/or Q&A session with police officers.
- Share your experiences and ideas. Meet with the community liaison or a MAC member.
Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC)
The MAC is a key component of the JCPP. MAC members meet monthly with police to learn about current police activities and to discuss topics of importance in their communities.
The meetings are an opportunity for two-way communication and are designed to enhance mutual understanding between the police and community.
Apply to be a MAC member (PDF) >
Questions?
Nicole Wicklund
763-493-8125
nicole.wicklund@brooklynpark.org
BLUE Blocks
BLUE (Blocks Learning to Unite and Engage) Blocks is a rebranding and continuation of a grant-funded research project we have worked on since 2013. The program works to empower neighbors to get to know each other and proactively address issues as well as to improve police legitimacy in the community. Ten neighborhoods have been selected based on their higher concentrations of crime. Teams are assigned to each neighborhood – including two patrol officers, a Neighborhood Response Unit officer, a crime prevention specialist and a patrol sergeant. Patrol officers work in these areas developing relationships during their discretionary time.
Play Safe Stay Safe
Through support from area businesses, the program was developed to provide our patrol division with fun tools to engage our youth and interact in a positive way with members of the community. Officers may keep a supply of footballs, basketballs, hula hoops and sidewalk chalk in their squad cars to hand out to people in the community during their discretionary time. The equipment is printed with the saying “Play Safe Stay Safe – Brooklyn Park Police Dept.”
Ride on Target
Officers who use this program have the opportunity to provide youth in our city with a bicycle, helmet and bike lock. The grant-funded program focuses primarily on those youth who have been the victim of a robbery where their bicycle was stolen or those youth who officers identify as in need and deserving.
Other Programs
Brooklyn Park Police connect with the community through dozens of events and programs designed to support and educate residents based on their needs. Here is a list of additional outreach programs to look out for in the community!
If you have any questions or want to learn more, please call 763-493-8222
or send an email to bppolice@brooklynpark.org.