Norman voters have generally supported public safety initiatives. Few could argue against a safe community with solid fire and police protection.
Voters approved a sales tax a year and a half ago that put more police and firefighters on the payroll and will build new fire stations on the east and west sides of the city.
Now, police want the citizens' help again in defining its future mission in the age of Community Oriented Policing. A forum on the topic will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Sarkeys Foundation, 530 E. Main St.
Community Oriented Policing joins officers and the citizens in creative ways to combat crime, preserve neighborhoods and solve problems.
More officers on the streets allows them to become integral parts of neighborhoods they patrol. They get to know the residents, the businesses, schools and other entities that make up their beats.
It can't happen without citizens getting involved. A citizens public safety oversight committee has been working to form the vision. Police also have been surveying themselves and community members about the department's performance and its own understanding of community oriented policing.
Monday's forum is a great opportunity for citizens to get involved in forming the vision of community policing. The rewards are many: Safer neighborhoods with less crime and fewer drugs, solid business communities and a can-do attitude aimed at working together.
