Appendix B: Original Article

A Radical Proposal for Police Promotions: Prioritizing Community Relationships Over Case Solving

Rather than rewarding officers based solely on the number of cases solved, why not prioritize the strength of their relationships within the communities they serve? As the studies have shown, community policing leads to measurable reductions in crime.

Promotions could be based on:

• Positive feedback from community members.
• Participation in outreach programs, such as mentoring youth or hosting workshops.
• Demonstrated empathy and fairness in interactions.

These metrics would create an environment where officers are seen as partners rather than enforcers, fostering trust and respect while reducing crime over the long term. Strong relationships would become the foundation for safer communities.

The Problem with Case-Solving Metrics

Globally, the number of unsolved crimes reveals a stark challenge:

• United States: In 2020, most homicides in 130 major cities and urban areas went unsolved, according to the Murder Accountability Project (Murder Accountability Project). This highlights the struggles many cities face in resolving violent crimes.
• United Kingdom: Reports revealed that over a three-year period, some areas in England and Wales failed to solve any thefts or robberies. For example, 167 locations reported no resolved cases of these crimes (The Sun).
• Canada: Between 2012 and 2014, approximately 25% of homicides in Canada went unsolved. In 2014 alone, of the 516 homicides reported, 131 remained unresolved (Statista). High-profile cases like the murders of Barry and Honey Sherman in Toronto illustrate the difficulties in resolving some crimes, even with extensive investigations (The Sun).

These statistics highlight the complexity of solving crimes and suggest that resolution often depends on factors beyond an officer’s control, such as the availability of evidence or the criminal’s mistakes. Reporting standards, legal definitions, and data collection practices also vary across countries, making global comparisons difficult (UNODC).

Yes, I realize this idea would require a shift in culture and new measurement tools—community surveys, feedback apps, or even honest peer reviews—but the potential benefits are worth the effort. Policing would no longer be about just catching the “bad guys.” It would become about preventing crime and creating environments where people feel secure, valued, and heard. I believe it would change the narratives around trust and transparency between police departments and the communities they serve.

Challenges and Opportunities

Implementing this idea would require overcoming several challenges:

• Developing fair and unbiased tools for Measuring Community Relationships, such as community surveys or feedback apps, would be essential.
• Shifting Police Culture. Since law enforcement agencies often prioritize results-based metrics, a cultural change would be necessary to adopt relationship-based promotion criteria.
• Accountability Concerns. Critically, we’d have to ensure this system doesn’t create loopholes or lead to superficial engagements.

However, the potential benefits outweigh the hurdles:

• As mentioned, stronger community relationships reduce crime by encouraging cooperation and trust.
• Officers would be seen as partners rather than enforcers, improving public perception.
• Focusing on empathy and fairness could address systemic issues historically undermining police legitimacy.

As a citizen and an outsider, I recognize there are things I haven’t thought of concerning implementation and the mindset changes required to make this happen but shifting the focus from case-solving to community-building, especially when police still rely on public assistance to solve cases, we can redefine what it means to be a great police officer, forge new relationships and repair fractured ones.

Image by 민정 이 from Pixabay

© 2025 Samantha Williams. All Rights Reserved.

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