In this Policing TV interview, Jim Bueermann, former Chief of the Redlands Police Department in California, former President of the National Police Foundation and current President of the Future Policing Institute, reflects on the experiences that first drew him into policing. Jim shares the story of being stopped by a police officer as a young teenager and how that encounter ultimately shaped his decision to become a police officer himself.
The conversation then moves into Jim’s 33-year career with Redlands Police Department, including 13 years as chief. He explains how growing up in the community gave him the confidence to experiment with new approaches to policing, particularly around youth violence prevention. Jim describes how Redlands moved beyond simply reacting to crime and instead focused on the underlying risk factors affecting young people — an approach that helped reshape the department and, in his account, contributed to a significant reduction in serious crime.
Key takeaways
- Jim Bueermann’s first memorable encounter with police happened when he was stopped riding a motorcycle as a young teenager.
- The way the officer treated him helped inspire Jim’s decision to become a police officer.
- Jim spent his entire 33-year policing career with the Redlands Police Department in California.
- He served as Redlands Police Chief for the final 13 years of his career.
- Jim believes taxpayer-funded police organisations have a responsibility to keep innovating and improving.
- Redlands experimented with a broader prevention-focused model rather than relying only on traditional enforcement.
- The department focused on underlying risk factors linked to youth violence, substance abuse, delinquency and school dropout.
- Jim says the approach helped Redlands reduce serious crime in the community by around 50%.
Chapters
00:27 – Meet Jim Bueermann
03:20 – The officer who inspired a policing career
04:24 – Why Redlands became his only choice
05:15 – From local officer to police chief
05:50 – Why police departments must innovate
07:18 – Prevention instead of waiting for crisis
08:10 – Building a different kind of police department
08:30 – Cutting serious crime by 50%
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