Front line police officers and community corrections officers should coordinate their regular activities when possible to most effectively achieve mutual objectives and operationalize supervision strategies developed prior to release. (See Policy Statement 25, Development of Supervision Strategy, for more on engaging law enforcement in the supervision planning process.)

Example: Operation Night Light, Boston Police Department and the Office of the Commissioner of Probation for Massachusetts

This probation-police partnership is set to enforce conditions of probation imposed on chronic youthful offenders. Probation officers ride along with police officers on regular police beat patrol and conduct evening visits to the homes of those on probation. More than a dozen other probation jurisdictions in Massachusetts have implemented similar programs.

So that the full benefits of joint coverage can be captured, local law enforcement should document interactions with individuals on supervision and share this information with supervision officers according to established standards. When possible, law enforcement and community corrections officers should have access to interoperable information systems to allow for an easy and timely flow of information between agencies. Any such information sharing protocols must be structured to conform to legally protected privacy rights. (See Policy Statement 5, Promoting Systems Integration and Coordination, for more on establishing appropriate interagency linkages.)

Example: Public Safety Collaborative, Knoxville Police Department and Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole

The Tennessee Board of Probation and Parole ("the Board") issues people under supervision color-coded cards (coded by type of crime) with special instructions on the back. Individuals must present the card to officers when they are stopped or questioned, and officers download all such contacts at the end of their shifts. The supervising corrections officer is notified when someone on the caseload has been in contact with the police. All offenders under supervision are also mapped by the Police Department and the information is shared with the Board. By 2003, a 44 percent recidivism rate reduction was obtained from the targeted group. This partnership also led to a more expansive formal collaborative locally and statewide.

Example: Supervision, Management, and Recidivist Tracking (SMART) Partnership, Redmond Police Department and Washington Department of Corrections

Redmond police officers use Field Interview Report (FIR) cards to document any contact they have with supervised individuals. (When officers perform electronic name searches to verify individuals' identities and to check for warrants, the system also informs the officer whether the subject is under community supervision.) These FIRs are then forwarded to the Department of Corrections and the SMART Partnership liaison, who forwards copies to the appropriate community corrections officers.