Waltham Community Policing Collaboration

Project Outreach and the Waltham Police Department first began to collaborate in 1993.  As the Police Department began a community police approach, which emphasizes prevention, it became clear that there was significant overlap between the work of Project Outreach and the Community Policing Division.  In a matter of a few short years the collaboration grew to include sharing resources such as office space as well as programs.

This partnership was the first of its kind and became such a successful model of collaboration that on June 25, 1998 we were awarded the Robert Trojanowicz Memorial Award, by the New England Community Police Partnership.

Perhaps the greatest benefit to these collaborative efforts has been the increased contact between Police Officers and students.  This ongoing interaction helps teens come to see Police Officers as people and as resources that they can call on.  It also helps Police Officers better understand teenagers.