NCJ Number
45992
Date Published
1977
Length
83 pages
Annotation
IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF AN EXPERIMENTAL TEAM POLICING EXPERIMENT IN A DISTRICT OF CINCINNATI (OHIO) ARE DESCRIBED, AND REASONS FOR THE EVENTUAL ABANDONMENT OF THE PROGRAM ARE CONSIDERED.
Abstract
TEAM POLICING DECENTRALIZES THE DELIVERY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES. A TEAM POLICE GROUP IS PERMANENTLY ASSIGNED TO A NEIGHBORHOOD AND IS GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONTROLLING AND DELIVERING POLICE SERVICES TO THAT AREA. THE PORTION OF CINCINNATI CHOSEN FOR THE EXPERIMENT WAS CHARACTERIZED BY A MIXTURE OF RESIDENTIAL AND BUSINESS AREAS, LOW AND MIDDLE INCOME, HIGH AND LOW CRIME RATES, AND RACIALLY MIXED AND RACIALLY SEPARATE NEIGHBORHOODS. TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF TEAM POLICING ON THE TARGET DISTRICT, A VARIETY OF SURVEYS OF CITIZENS AND POLICE OFFICERS WERE USED, AS WELL AS EXAMINING POLICE RECORDS. THE PURPOSE OF IMPACT MEASUREMENT WAS TO DETERMINE WHETHER CONDITIONS RELATED TO CRIME, POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND OFFICER JOB SATISFACTION CHANGED DURING THE COURSE OF THE 30-MONTH EXPERIMENT. SURVEYS WERE TAKEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD, AND AFTER 6, 12, 18, AND 30 MONTHS. TO MEASURE THE PROGRAM'S EFFECT ON CRIME, DEPARTMENT CRIME RECORDS AND COMMERCIAL AND HOUSEHOLD VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS WERE ALSO USED. TO MEASURE THE EFFECT ON POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS, ATTITUDE AND EXPERIENCE SURVEYS WERE ADMINISTERED TO POLICE OFFICERS AND TO THREE GROUPS OF CITIZENS: PEOPLE WHO HAD RECEIVED SERVICE FROM THE POLICE RECENTLY; PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN ARRESTED FOR RELATIVELY MINOR OFFENSES; AND OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF SMALL BUSINESSES. IT WAS FOUND THAT IN THE CASE OF BURGLARY AND COMMERCIAL VICTIMIZATION TEAM POLICING WAS MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN TRADITIONAL POLICE METHODS IN REDUCING THESE TYPES OF CRIME. ADDITIONALLY, INVESTIGATIONS HANDLED AT THE TEAM LEVEL PRODUCED A HIGHER CLEARANCE BY ARREST RATE THAN EITHER A FULLY OR PARTLY CENTRALIZED APPROACH. THESE SURVEYS ALSO PRODUCED EVIDENCE THAT TEAM POLICING EFFECTED SOME DESIRED CHANGES IN CITIZEN FEAR OF CRIME, ATTITUDES TOWARD POLICE, AND CITIZEN SATISFACTION WITH POLICE SERVICE. HOWEVER, THE ONLY ASPECT OF CITIZEN COOPERATION IN CRIME PREVENTION WHICH IMPROVED DURING THE EXPERIMENT WAS THAT MORE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS PEOPLE CHOSE TO REPORT BURGLARIES AND ROBBERIES TO THE POLICE. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE FEW SIGNS THAT OFFICERS WERE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP A PROPRIETARY INTEREST IN THE CITIZENS OF THE TARGET DISTRICT, AND NO EVIDENCE AT ALL THAT OFFICERS HAD MOVED CLOSER TO THE VIEWS OF CITIZENS ON SELECTED ISSUES OF COMMUNITY CONCERN, POSITIVE CHANGES WERE REPORTED BY OFFICERS IN TERMS OF JOB BREADTH, INDEPENDENCE, AND INFLUENCE OVER DECISIONS. THE DECENTRALIZED STRUCTURE PROVED DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN AND AFTER 18 MONTHS MANAGEMENT DECISIONS BEGAN TO UNDERMINE THE PROGRAM AND BLURRED THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE TARGET AREA AND THE REST OF THE CITY. MOST OF THE GAIN IN JOB BREADTH REPORTEDLY WAS LOST BY 18 TO 30 MONTHS, AND SOME ASPECTS OF JOB SATISFACTION ROSE INITIALLY BUT FELL BY 18 MONTHS. THE EFFECTS OF THE RECENTRALIZATION OF OPERATIONAL DECISIONMAKING AND THE RESULTING REDUCTION IN THE LEVELS OF BENEFITS RECEIVED FROM A REDUCED VERSION OF TEAM POLICING ARE DOCUMENTED. ALSO PRESENTED ARE A DETAILED INTRODUCTION TO THE TEAM POLICE CONCEPT, AND IMPLEMENTATION AND EXPANSION GUIDELINES. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE ALSO PROVIDED.