The transition team should engage members of the law enforcement community, who may have knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the community to which an individual will return after release, in the formulation of the supervision strategy. In recent years, with the development of the Community Oriented Policing Services (C.O.P.S.) model, police and sheriff's departments have been assuming an increasing role in broader quality of life and community issues - issues highly relevant to re-entry. Core components of community policing are partnerships, problem-solving, and organizational transformation, which should also characterize effective re-entry initiatives.

Corrections administrators and policymakers generally should encourage communication between police, parole officials, and community service providers about how their agencies can collaborate to support the objectives of the overall release plan. The regular beat patrols of law enforcement officers offer an excellent resource for monitoring individuals under supervision and assisting in the enforcement of supervision conditions. In addition, local law enforcement may be able to work with community partners to prepare for the integration of the individual back into his or her neighborhood.

Example: Knoxville Public Safety Collaborative, Knoxville Police Department, and the Tennessee Board of Probation and Parolees (TN)

Community corrections officers, social service providers, and police (representatives of over 26 Knoxville agencies) work together to formulate case management plans for individuals who are at risk of re-offending. A comprehensive case plan is developed for an individual before the individual is released to make sure that he or she receives the necessary services. Information is shared between agencies to observe the progress of these individuals, and joint site visits are also conducted.

The structure of a partnership between those in community supervision and law enforcement will depend upon the needs of both the police and the probation or parole agency. Formalizing such a relationship (with, for example, a Memorandum of Understanding) can ensure the commitment at all levels of each organization and help to clearly define roles and responsibilities in pursuing the joint objective of providing enhanced supervision and services to promote public safety. While demand for police services (such as calls for emergency assistance) and the size of the areas law enforcement officers must patrol place constraints on the time that they can spend on re-entry planning, an up-front investment in the supervision strategy development and implementation process may avert later conflicts and crime, creating efficiencies for both corrections and law enforcement.

In jurisdictions in which the sheriff's department has both law enforcement and jailing responsibilities, department staff should be able to offer helpful resources and knowledge about community assets and risks to guide strategies for individuals re-entering those communities from jail. Geographic proximity and local expertise may permit deputies to spend more time on these issues than they would be able to spend on issues of re-entry from prison.

Example: Day Reporting and Re-Entry Division, Broward Sheriff's Department (FL)

The Day Reporting and Re-Entry Division provides case management and transitional services to individuals who are serving time in the Broward County jail. While individuals are serving their sentence, a case manager oversees the design of a supervision and re-entry plan, which includes the level of supervision, community service hours, programming, daily schedules, and any court-ordered conditions. Supervision specialists monitor each person's activity in the community once he or she is released from jail through random checks at his or her residence or place of employment and electronic monitoring. The Re-Entry Division also offers on-site counseling, treatment programs and educational and employment services.

Community corrections should also partner with other enforcement agencies beyond police and sheriff's departments. Certainly, local and federal prosecutors' offices could be involved in planning for the return of individuals to a community. In Boston, for example, local district attorneys and US attorneys work with corrections representatives, faith-based mentors, and police to coordinate services and supervision for the individuals they have determined will have the greatest risk of re-offending. When a violation occurs, the partners share information to determine how it will be addressed and whether it rises to the level where further prosecution is merited. Public defenders could also be included in a local planning effort. In addition, particularly in large jurisdictions and rural areas, officers from agencies such as the Bureau of Fish and Wildlife or transit authorities may provide useful resources and assistance, depending on their patrol areas.