NCJ Number
235768
Date Published
August 2010
Length
156 pages
Annotation
This study of the staffing and deployment of the Anchorage Police Department (APD) examines whether the APD employees are currently optimally deployed, and if not, what changes are needed; how the staff should be optimally deployed if the number of personnel return to 2009 pre-reduction levels; and what is the optimal ratio of sworn to nonsworn employees under the existing workload.
Abstract
The study recommends changes in the organizational structure of the APD in order to streamline some administrative units. A reorganization of the Detective Division is proposed. The study assessed the impact of implementing a patrol staffing benchmark that would provide patrol officers with 40 percent unobligated time so they can engage in increased proactive policing. An examination of the geographic deployment of officers in patrol found that the current beat alignment system coupled with providing more officers to the busiest beats is a sound practice. Recommendations are offered regarding a decentralized community policing structure. Under the proposed changes, the number of sworn positions is to be increased by 15 and the number of nonsworn positions would increase by 11. The total sworn strength would be 389, and the nonsworn employees would total 167. Should employment levels return to the pre-reduction level of 599, this would enable the APD to provide an enhanced level of service that would include staffing for two geographically based patrol divisions that would facilitate community policing. Extensive tables