The summer 2000 KMPI delegation will be hosted in three states: Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Participating American municipal police departments and city administrations include Middlebury, Vermont, Laconia and Plymouth, New Hampshire and South Portland, Maine.

The policing philosophy in Middlebury is community-oriented problem solving. While officers have the traditional responsibilities of responding to emergency calls, crimes in progress and calls for service, they also have community policing zones for which they are responsible. This requires each officer to demonstrate a commitment to the town in general and their zone in particular, to provide leadership in their zone, to encourage residents' involvement in safety and crime prevention and to demonstrate innovation and initiative in resolving problems that impact community order and safety. This philosophy has allowed officers to develop and implement policing strategies that have a positive impact in their zone.

The Laconia Police Department is a progressive, community-oriented agency that provides both traditional and non-traditional police services to a city of 16,000 residents located in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. The Department promotes a philosophy that encourages the citizens of Laconia to take an active role in establishing and promoting a safe community. By building police community partnerships, the police department becomes an integral part of the fabric of the City and is better equipped to recognize and respond to potential problems that would jeopardize the well being of the citizens.

The Department recognizes that Laconia and the Lakes Region of New Hampshire is a popular vacation destination during both the summer and winter months and strives to be a visible and helpful presence to visitors in the area. Bicycle and foot patrols are strategically utilized to offer the residents and tourists better access to the police. Police officers also take an active role promoting positive values with the young people of our community. The Department presents the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program (D.A.R.E.) in all of the public and private elementary schools in Laconia. The agency also provides bicycle and other safety programs to young children on a regular basis and works cooperatively with the Department of Parks and Recreation to provide a pleasant and safe environment for the children's use.

The South Portland Police Department has a long track record of community programs that have been very effective and well received by the community. The Department builds on those successful programs to indoctrinate a Community Policing Philosophy as the basis for all departmental operations. Community Policing has been integrated into the Department's work using a five-point strategy: (1) Policy, (2) Work Load Analysis, (3) Community Mapping, (4) Communications/Marketing and (5) Problem Solving Process.

The Mission of the South Portland Police Department is to work cooperatively with all the citizens to protect life and property, preserve peace, enforce laws, and maintain civil rights through proper and responsive community based service. Through these efforts, we will as an agency be better able to serve the residents and business community of this City to identify and deal with all issues that affect crime and the quality of life in a more proactive manner. We are committed to a problem solving process that identifies the issue, establishes goals, and defines responsibilities in order to achieve an effective resolve.