"We cannot expect the community to be full and active partners with the police if we do not provide our residents with training on how to do community policing," said Chief Charles H. Ramsey. "This program will offer residents very practical tips and techniques they can use to identify and solve the crime problems in their communities, be they illegal drugs, street robberies, thefts from auto, just about any type of problem. Our goal is to establish at least one active problem-solving partnership, consisting of police officers and community members, in each and every one of our 83 police service areas," the Chief said.

This training program is quite different from the traditional ‘citizens academy’ that many police departments operate," said Ann Russell, manager of the MPDC’s Community Partnership Section. "Whereas traditional citizens academies invite the community to come to the police department to learn about department operations, our program is bringing the instruction to the community -- in schools, church halls, community centers and other facilities in their own neighborhoods."

"Even more importantly," Russell added, "our training will provide residents with the hands-on skills they need to work more effectively with their PSA officers and their neighbors in reducing crime and building safer communities."

Saturday’s session is designed to introduce the training curriculum and approach to both police officers and community members, and to solicit their feedback on the project. A follow-up session will be held on April 17.

The actual training in the PSAs will begin in May. The instruction will be delivered by teams of police officers and community volunteers who will receive extensive training in the curriculum. The training will cover both an orientation to community policing, as well as a detailed problem-solving methodology that PSA officers and residents will use to jointly identify and analyze neighborhood problems, and design and implement solutions.

The MPDC’s Community Partnership Section is seeking community volunteers to serve as either trainers or community outreach workers. The outreach workers will help inform residents about the program and recruit their neighbors to attend the training on their PSA later this year.

"We intend to have the most active, most engaged, most highly trained community partners possible," said Chief Ramsey. "Their energy, commitment and creativity will go a long way toward making Washington, D.C., a safer, more livable city for everyone."

For more information about Partnerships for Problem Solving, or to volunteer as a community trainer or outreach worker, then contact: