The primary purpose of the Beat Management Team is to assist the Springfield Police Department in working with residents, independent community groups and associations on a variety of police problems.  These police community team efforts are encouraged to produce innovative responses and solutions for neighborhood and other local concerns. The Teams will provide a mechanism by which residents, community and business associations can play a more active and coordinated part in enhancing both the quality of life and public safety, as well as advising the Sector Deputies of their concerns regarding quality of life and public safety issues. They will also have the opportunity to express their views and offer suggestions as to how the sector and the community together can improve the delivery of police services to the community.

The Teams will be kept informed on a wide range of police activities within the sectors. Crime patterns, particular crime areas, tactical police responses to those patterns/problems, crime prevention programs, would all be discussed on a regular basis. Feedback from the Teams would be sought not only to establish initial support, but also to determine the long-term effectiveness of the police response to identified public safety concerns. Any recommendations or proposals advanced by the Teams will be given serious consideration by the Division/Sector Deputy, and/or sent to appropriate Department staff.

The Beat Management Teams are not designed to replace other neighborhood crime prevention programs or organizations. Those programs are vital to maintaining the involvement of large numbers of concerned community residents with crime prevention activities, target selections, and frequent contact with officers/supervisors assigned to specific neighborhoods.  Because of their numbers, however, these organizations are difficult for the Sector Officers to interact with on a regular basis. By selecting leaders of these groups as representatives on the Beat Management Teams, the sector Officers can develop and maintain an effective working relationship with a single group that will be representative of the entire sector. Beat Management Teams usually meet monthly.

Each sector has a wide variety of neighborhoods, business, school groups or others who are established and have demonstrated their independence and commitment to advancing citizen/community concerns, as well as their commitment to working to solve problems or promote safety. Each Sector will canvass for membership organizations that are representative of the diverse populations that exist with their respective sectors. Individuals selected to represent the organization should possess the interest, experience and commitment in the area of public safety to make the Team an effective bridge between the police and various community organizations and business associations. Input from those groups will be an integral part of the selection process.  Efforts will be made to establish groups, which are kept to representatives that enhance an effective interchange of ideas and working together.