Closer to Mayberry than to Ferguson

Under that bullet-proof vest, Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Lee White is a fierce law enforcer.

And within that chest beats the heart of an Andy Taylor.

What, you thought it was coincidence when you slowed down at a fender bender on Northwest Boulevard and the first thing you noticed was a Cd'A cop talking to a driver, smiling and chatting amiably? If that was just a coincidence, then there have been a lot of coincidences being noticed around town since Sheriff Taylor - er, Chief White - rode into town from Arizona last September. One of the most evident is his insistence upon the kind of interaction he wants his patrol officers to have with the public.

A key tenet of Chief White's philosophy is this: A police force is more effective when it has a good relationship with the citizens it serves. We predict you'll see more examples of his philosophy in action as the glorious days of summer arrive.

Bolstering patrols with school resource officers, who are among the best-trained cops around, members of the police force will be stopping for a moment to chat with a business owner and a customer; checking in on someone who's planting flowers in her yard; sharing a friendly nod and a warm smile with a passerby in the park. These are better bridge builders than blank stares or snarls. Like Andy Taylor of Mayberry fame, Lee White knows it's all about relationships. At least, if you're one of the good guys it is.

If you're one of the bad guys? Well, Chief White has a philosophy for you, too. And a cell. He and his department are analyzing trends and charting high-crime areas. Not only does a stronger police presence in these areas deter crime, but it leads to more arrests of serious criminals. Nailing one bad guy, it turns out, sometimes pays huge dividends. More often than you might think, one person was responsible for a crime spree. Catch him or her early in a trend and the spree never happens.

This refreshing approach does not mean Officer Fife will let you go with a mere admonishment if you drive 48 mph in a school zone. But it does suggest that Coeur d'Alene police will be writing fewer tickets for the most minor infractions while their focus is on building stronger relationships within the community while getting bad guys off the streets.

Idyllic Mayberry might live only on late-night television and in our memories, but the principles upon which it was built are timeless. If Chief White's mission is to remind us that we're better partners than adversaries, he's already proved a success.