It seems to be a reality of modern urban life that, from time to time, tensions can develop between law enforcement and community members or groups. Given this reality, it is worth doing some thinking about the best ways to prevent these tensions from developing in the first place, and of resolving them when they do. We've developed a framework that offers three contrasting approaches to improving police-community relations. Which makes the most sense for this community--and why? We should work to:

• Improve police accountability
• Increase mutual understanding
• Build healthier communities