Community Policing as a Tool to Counter Extremism

Violent extremism is becoming more prevalent. Currently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has approximately 850 active investigations involving extremist behavior (Tucker, 2019). In 2018 more than fifty people were murdered in the United States by violent extremists (Anti-Defamation League, 2019). Local agencies need to form partnerships with their communities in order to combat this growing threat. Law enforcement agencies know they do not have the man power to be on every corner, but by working with the community they will have those extra eyes and ears to help counter violent extremism. By working with schools and churches to identify those youths that are at risk for joining a violent extremist group, law enforcement has the opportunity to prevent those groups from growing and spreading their hate. In order to better stop the growing threat of violent extremism, local, state, and federal agencies need to share intelligence and form partnerships with each other and the communities they serve. It is recommended that local law enforcement agencies use community policing as a method for countering violent extremism.