C3 policing ("C3" for "Counter Criminal Continuum"), also known as the Avghani model, is a crime prevention strategy for civilian law enforcement, loosely developed from military counterinsurgency strategies and currently used in the cities of Springfield and Chicopee in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States.
The C3 policing model was created by Michael M. Cutone, a former United States Army Special Forces non-commissioned officer and Massachusetts State Police (MSP) trooper, around 2009. It is centered around community policing, mutual cooperation, and quality of life concerns, to address root issues that cause crime in communities. C3 policing was first used by the MSP, Springfield Police Department (SPD), and Hampden County Sheriff's Department (HCSD) to counter gang and narcotic activities in Springfield's North End section and later other sections of the city. The Chicopee Police Department (CPD) established their own C3 policing units in Chicopee in 2019 and 2023.[1]
Public reaction to C3 policing has generally been positive, and it has been cited as an example for potential police reform initiatives. Crime rate statistics for Springfield since the adoption of C3 policing show general declines in crime since roughly 2010.[2] However, some criticism arose in 2021 surrounding a university course about C3 policing at Harvard University.
- ^ "Counter Criminal Continuum (C3) Policing". Springfield Police Department. 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
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