In the summer of 1999, WIN worked with Mayor Williams and Police Chief Charles Ramsey to deploy more than 300 foot and bike patrol officers city-wide. WIN leaders had direct negotiations with Mayor Williams and Police Chief Ramsey to press for deployment of more officers from desk jobs to street patrol. WIN organized 4 teams of 15-20 leaders at Nativity RC/Emory UMC in Ward #4; Our Lady of Perpetual Help RC/Ft. Stanton Civic Association in Ward #8; Covenant Baptist Church in Ward # 8; and St. Anthony’s RC in Ward #5 to work cooperatively with foot and bike patrol officers assigned to designated beats in the communities surrounding these churches. Officers and WIN leaders met on a monthly basis to identify their top crime issues, develop strategies to address them, and to measure the officers’ performance in solving the problem. WIN teams reported increased police visibility and effectiveness from these partnerships as well as new relationships because officers and community leaders took time to get to know one another. WIN’s community policing organizing campaign contributed to changing the culture of the Metropolitan Police Department. Now, top administrators and a growing number of front line commanders and officers take time to develop relationships with citizens and work together in mutual accountability to produce joint strategies to fight crime.
