The Bedford Police Department’s Community Policing Program is an integral and critical function of the Department’s overall strategic mission to deliver the highest quality public safety services in partnership with our residents and community stakeholders.

In Bedford, community policing recognizes the shared responsibility and connection between the police and the community in making Bedford one of the safest Towns in New Hampshire.

Community policing in Bedford encourages problem solving and preventative strategies in a partnership between citizens and the Police Department; working together, in a shared dialog, designed to reduce crime, reduce the fear of crime, improve the quality of life in Bedford and to pro-actively solve community problems together.

The Bedford Police Department is committed to the community and shares this commitment through its relationship with our residents through our Community Policing Programs, designed to reach all segments of Bedford.

This partnership jointly identifies community safety issues; determines resources; and applies innovative strategies designed to create and sustain a healthy, safe and vibrant Town.

In Bedford, the Community Policing Division, part of the Department’s Operations Support Division, consists of four segments; Senior Citizens, Youth and Young Adults; Business/Retail and Neighborhoods. Each of these four segments, working together, will reach everyone in the Town of Bedford, including those who reside elsewhere but own a business or work in Bedford.

On an annual basis, the Department develops a Community Policing Program that governs and guides the Department’s resources as well as sets goals and objectives. Each and every community policing based program must have a crime prevention element, safety and awareness theme or address a specific quality of life problem within the targeted segment. In this fashion, the community becomes engaged in preventing crime and addressing public safety or quality of life issues in a transparent dialog with the Department.

The following summarizes our Community Policing Program:

What is Community Policing?
 • Collaboration between the police and the community that identifies and solves community problems in an organizational method to provide more effective police services to the community.
The Police Department’s Role:
• Preserving public safety and a healthy quality of life in the community.
• Building, strengthening, and maintaining long-term relationships with the community we serve.

The Community’s Role:
• Participate in programs and work with Police Department staff and other to identify problems, prioritize concerns, and develop solutions.
 • Actively partner with the police to keep the community a safe place to live.


Community Policing Segments:
• Senior Citizen
• Youth
• Neighborhood Watch
• Business and Retail

Here are some examples of what our Community Policing Program delivers:

Senior Citizen
• Identify all senior based communities and those living in residential neighborhoods for outreach and dialog.
• Education: Focus on crimes that target the older population (i.e. Identity theft, fraud and phone scams)
• Inform about support groups services available to the community.
• Act by implementing the “Are You Ok” Program:
-Free telephone reassurance program
-For senior citizens who are permanently, temporarily disabled, medically infirm or homebound
-Does not replace or supplant other medical alert system such as Life Alert or Life Line
-Peace of mind for family and friends
-Application packets and more information available at the Bedford Police Department



Youth
• Identify with young adults by building relationships with the youth of our community
 • Educate Story time at the daycares and schools
• Inform youth about risk and safety through our annual bicycle rodeo to include demonstrations by the Bedford Police mountain bike officers, riding course, bike inspections, helmet safety.
• ACT by participating in after school sports programs with police officers and young adults.


Neighborhood Watch
• Identify the crime prevention program that enlists the active participation of residents in operation with law enforcement to reduce crime, solve problems and improve the quality of life in the community.
• Educate by helping the residents to recognize and report crimes and suspicious activity.
• Inform Tips on protecting your neighbors family and property
• Act Establish watch groups
• Keep community informed through social media (i.e. BCTV, Nixle, Twitter and the Bedford Police website)

Business and Retail
• Identify and meet with new businesses, obtain contact information and address any safety concerns they may have
• Educate business and retail staff about different crimes that occur within retail and other types of businesses.
• Inform and share information and intelligence through quarterly meetings with Loss Prevention specialists.
• Act by conducting training on response procedures; investigative procedures and workplace violence.

Community Policing Coordinator: mailto: Sergeant Jessica Humphrey
Senior Citizens: Officer Rob Lavoie , and Communication Specialist Nina Malley
Neighborhood Watch: Detective Amy Champagne, Officer Stefan Swiadas
Business and Retail: School Resource Officer Danielle Nightingale