COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAM

The Community Support Program fosters communication between parties involved in disputes in an effort to reach a mutually satisfactory solution to their disagreement.  Trained personnel use mediation or other alternative dispute resolution practices to meet the particular needs of the situation.
The purpose of the Community Support Program is to foster partnerships between the Burlington Police Department and neighborhood residents in resolving community issues and to create a model for the community that encourages communication. CSP is a resource for officers to deescalate conflicts before a crime is committed. The results can be a reduction in the calls for service regarding neighborhood disturbances.

Community Support Program Services:

• Assists community members in resolving neighborhood issues.
• Act as an impartial and confidential third party to negotiations.
• Provide training and workshops on basic communication and conflict management.

How the Community Support Program works:

• We listen to all the stories in order to understand everyone’s
  perspective of the issue.
• We help clarify the issues for all the parties.
• We help to bring the parties together.
• We facilitate discussions between those involved in the conflict.

“The police as the resource; the community as the answer.”

The Community Support Program addresses:

• Neighbor to Neighbor Disputes
• Business to Business Disputes
• Noise Violations
• Parking Violations and other non-criminal matters

We do not address:

• Domestic Violence
• Divorce Mediation
• Civil and criminal Litigation
  These types of cases will be referred to the appropriate agencies.

 The success of the intervention relies on the willingness of
the people involved.

For more information on the Community Support Program, please call Ms. Brooke Hadwen at 658-2704 x338.