Melbourne Police Community Services Division Honors Commander Mark Renkens for Dedicated Service

By  //  October 31, 2024

MPD: exemplifies true measure of a leader

Melbourne Police Department Community Services Division honored Commander Mark Renkens for outstanding service and leadership. “Commander Renkens has exemplified the true measure of a leader, going above and beyond to support the division’s mission and the people it serves,” said a Melbourne Police spokesperson. (MPD image)

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – The Melbourne Police Department Community Services Division honored Commander Mark Renkens for outstanding service and leadership.

“Commander Renkens has exemplified the true measure of a leader, going above and beyond to support the division’s mission and the people it serves,” said a Melbourne Police spokesperson.

“His commitment to community engagement, public safety, and fostering meaningful connections has left an indelible mark on our work and the lives of many. His approachable demeanor and dedication to his role have made him a respected figure within the department, someone others look up to for guidance and inspiration.”

Community policing is an organizational-wide philosophy and management approach that promotes community, government, and police partnerships, proactive problem-solving, and community engagement to address the causes of crime, fear of crime, and other community issues.

The Melbourne Police Department is committed to this philosophy and to improving the quality of life for all citizens of the City of Melbourne.

The Melbourne Police Department Community Services Division honored Commander Mark Renkens, above, for outstanding service and leadership. “Commander Renkens has exemplified the true measure of a leader, going above and beyond to support the division’s mission and the people it serves,” said a Melbourne Police spokesperson. (MPD image)

Community Policing is based on the following three components: Citizen Partnership, Problem Solving, and Quality Leadership.

The City of Melbourne is divided into ten geographical areas and two districts, north and south. This system is designed to split the workload throughout the City as equally as possible.

Citizen Partnership

Community-oriented policing emphasizes that by working together, police and citizens are co-producers of safety and order who cooperatively identify and resolve community problems.

Open citizen participation allows us to clearly understand community concerns and narrowly and specifically identify not only those factors that contribute to crime but also those elements that detract from the quality of life in the community.

Problem-Solving

Rather than solely reacting to calls for service, the Melbourne Police Department takes a proactive approach to eliminate problems that cause crime or allow it to occur.

Community-oriented policing provides a means to combat the conditions and elements that allow crime to occur. By solving these underlying problems, opportunities for crime to occur are removed.

This approach often results in nontraditional police responses such as installing lights to illuminate a dark area, seeking revocation of alcohol licenses of repeat violators, or removing abandoned vehicles to help clean up a neighborhood.

Rather than solely reacting to calls for service, the Melbourne Police Department takes a proactive approach to eliminate problems that cause crime or allow it to occur. (MPD image)

Quality Leadership

Quality leadership is essential to the success of community policing and is an integral part of our management training program. The Melbourne Police Department is committed to developing quality leaders at every level and in all areas of our organization.

Developing the most creative solutions to solve problems and reduce crime requires all officers to be encouraged and empowered to make decisions to alleviate crime problems.

Decisions are made by the officers on the street dealing with the issue at hand whenever possible. This allows officers to help shape the area they work in. Officers are continually challenged and held accountable for the results of the problem-solving efforts they initiate.

WATCH: Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey Announces Arrest of 12-Year-Old Student for School ThreatsRelated Story:
WATCH: Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey Announces Arrest of 12-Year-Old Student for School Threats

CLICK HERE FOR BREVARD COUNTY NEWS