A community policing strategy successfully implemented requires trust, cooperation and consultation between police and the community (Casey 2010).
Trust in police is a crucial component of a community policing strategy being successful. To instil trust in the police, according to Willis (2009) and Cherney & Chui (2009) the implementation of an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer, who is of Aboriginal decent can provide a bridge between the Indigenous community and the police. An addition of an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer could have prevented the crimes, seen in the case study, by explaining policing practices, laws and legislations to the Indigenous community and in turn explaining cultural traditions and protocols of the Indigenous community to the police (Weber 2007; Cherney & Chui 2009). The Liaison Officer could have been requested to attend the scene to assist in detaining and arresting the Indigenous suspects seen in the case study (QPS cited in Cherney & Chui 2009). Regular consultations between the police and the Indigenous community could have reduced the likelihood of this incident occurring.
In contrast, the Aboriginal Liaison Officer has minimal power assigned to them and is considered to have a subordinate role. Generally, Aboriginal Liaison Officers are not sworn police officers, however they do wear the same uniform as the police (Weber 2007; Cherney & Chui 2009). This could contribute toward the distrust toward the police by the Indigenous community resulting in a breakdown of communications between the police and the Indigenous people.
Police patrols both on foot and by car, can assist with crime prevention. According to the case study it was reported that there was an increase in police officers on duty in Kings Cross on the night of the shooting due to potential bikie-gang related violence. According to Drew & Mazerolle (2009) engaging with the community to mutually agree upon a strategy to prevent the bikie-gang violence, could have seen a significantly different outcome.