The first police in the United States to embrace the kind of community-focused policing that "modern" law enforcement embraces, and which was extolled by Sir Robert Peel in 1826, were the New Haven, Connecticut police officers hired by Yale University in 1894 to patrol and keep order on campus. Why did Yale not simply rely on the New Haven Police? They understood that a community of learners needs a police service that resonates with the educational mission of the institution. They embraced community policing principles, which wouldn't be adopted by mainstream, modern policing in this country for another 75 years. The community policing philosophy is a natural fit for an educational environment given the very nature of the communities and the developmental, preventative focus of the student affairs colleagues. Universities and colleges promote a culture of involvement and responsibility through active dialogue, engaging discourse and community development. Community policing works for these very same reasons. This article examines a few of the reasons why community oriented policing (COP) is working as a model of success at institutions that employ the principles and implement them effectively. (Contains 3 notes.)