The Ponchatoula Police Department operates under the community policing approach. It includes citizens taking a proactive role in working with the Police Department and other agencies to protect our community and make our neighborhoods safer and healthier. The community policing approach to law enforcement recognizes the resource limitations in the criminal justice system and addresses that issue by taking some of the following actions:

– The officers work with the community, using all available resources to address problems (public and private agencies, individuals, neighborhood watch groups, business associations, etc.).

– More emphasis is put on preventative methods to eliminate problems before they occur.

– Better communications are established between community and police by meeting more frequently, understanding each other’s concerns more clearly, trusting one another more and working together actively to solve problems by using the most appropriate resources.

– Working together as a community to find better ways to help troubled children and raising our families with values that prevent anti-social behaviors.

– Each of us accepting our part of the responsibility to make positive changes.