The Northeastern Police Department (NUPD) is beginning to familiarize itself with more than just campus criminals.

In the fall semester, the NUPD implemented a new plan meant to forge a stronger partnership between the police and the community they patrol. Under the community policing plan, officers are becoming more personal with students and staff on campus, said Joe Griffin, director of public safety.

The plan, now active in all areas of the department, encourages a greater level of communication between the police and the public to improve the safety of those on campus.

“We want public assistance in relating and solving problems,” Griffin said.

The current plan began as a pilot program three years ago, when certain evening shifts were given consistent teams of the same officers. The initial goals were to allow both officers and the public to become more familiar with one another. Keeping assignments and teams constant was meant to allow the officers to be more effective in doing their job, Griffin said.

They expanded the plan to the entire campus patrol beginning this fall.

“We felt we wanted to take it to the next level and focus on all shifts, not just in the evening. Crime doesn’t operate just based on the clock,” Griffin said.

The new plan “took some lessons from the pilot program to enhance the program and expand it to the entire force and the greater part of the community,” Griffin said.

By placing officers in teams and keeping their patrol areas consistent, the department said they can more effectively police the area. They also have officers patrolling on foot or by bike, in hopes of making them more accessible. If students and staff can familiarize themselves with certain officers, the department said the public is much more comfortable coming forward with problems.

“We would like organizations and individuals on campus to act as additional eyes and ears [for the NUPD],” Griffin said.

Partnerships with the Student Government Association (SGA) and other on-campus groups have been formed to allow the police to maintain a better sense of happenings on campus.

SGA Vice President for Student Services Nicole Martino has worked with the department to formulate and implement the new plan.

“Police in general have a much more friendly tone and are really reaching out and making themselves available,” Martino said.

She said she has seen a great deal of police come into the SGA office and said they are making their presence better felt on campus.

Erik Maleck, a sophomore communications major, said he has seen effects of the plan. Living on St. Stephen Street, he said the police seem friendlier and easier to approach.

“I know people who have developed relationships with officers,” Maleck said. He also said “the police don’t jump to accuse you [when they are suspicious].”

Shayna Miller, a freshman business major in Smith Hall, said she hasn’t noticed many police around campus.

“I saw them mainly during the Red Sox games when riot cops were outside my dorm,” she said.

Miller said she has never used the escort service provided by Public Safety and has only seen police when they are driving up and down the street late at night.

“I notice cops mainly next to the Marino Center,” said Ryan O’Hara, a freshman in the school of general studies. He said the police should be putting more focus on violent crimes.

NUPD Captain Albert Sweeney said police effectiveness is based on not only visibility, but personal contact.

Sweeney said the officers volunteer for beats, giving them a chance to choose the area they patrol.

“[The plan] holds officers accountable and responsible for personal beats,” Sweeney said.

Griffin said it is too early to gauge the effectiveness of the program, but he rates it as the strongest they have ever had.

“The primary goal is to ensure our community is a safe place to live, work and study,” he said.