1. How might Lt. Johnson address the burglary problem more effectively?
2. If Lt. Johnson decides on a problem solving approach, who should he include in his group of problem solvers? Be creative.
3. Can you suggest how inviting the high school principal, the owner of the local arcade and residents from the neighborhood where the burglaries are occurring might be helpful?
4. Suggest a single problem that may be causing other problems in the community.
5. How could this problem-solving group be used in the future?

Lt. Johnson is in charge of the patrol division of the Greenfield Police Department. While reviewing activity logs and police reports, he detects an increase in residential burglaries during the previous month. The burglaries are being reported on the afternoon shift when residents return home from work. Most of burglaries are occurring in one neighborhood. Lt. Johnson calls the afternoon patrol supervisor to inquire about the burglaries. The supervisor tells him he is aware of the problem and has been assigning officers to patrol the neighborhood. The supervisor notes that the burglaries are all on Thursdays and Fridays, but adds, “It’s like trying to find a needle in a hay stack.”