NCJ Number
48292
Date Published
1972
Length
13 pages
Annotation
A COMPUTERIZED LONG-RANGE PLANNING TECHNIQUE IN USE BY THE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DESCRIBED, AND ITS APPLICATIONS ARE ILLUSTRATED AND EVALUATED.
Abstract
THE COMPUTER-ORIENTED POLICE PLANNING SYSTEM (COPPS) INVOLVES THE CONSTRUCTION OF COMPUTER SIMULATION MODELS WHICH DEPICT THE FUNCTIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS OF THE TYPICAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. COPPS REPRESENTS A MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IN THAT IT PROVIDES PLANNERS AND ADMINISTRATORS WITH TIMELY INFORMATION IN A VARIETY OF SUBJECT AREAS. THERE ARE COPPS MODELS WHICH FOCUS ON SUCH NEEDS AS BUDGET FORECASTING, RETIREMENT BENEFITS, BUILDING PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS, PATROL CAR ALLOCATIONS, AND WAGE AND PRICE FREEZE IMPLICATIONS. THE PLANNING PROCESS IN DEVELOPING A TYPICAL COPPS MODEL INVOLVES THE FOLLOWING PHASES: PROBLEM DEFINITION, PLANNING FACTORS AND RELATIONSHIPS IDENTIFICATION, DETERMINATION OF THE OUTPUT REPORT STRUCTURE, AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MODEL USING AN ENGLISH-LIKE COMPUTER LANGUAGE. UNLIKE CONVENTIONAL MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, COPPS IS VERY MUCH A USER-ORIENTED SYSTEM REQUIRING NO INTERFACE WITH TECHNICIANS OR COMPUTER PERSONNEL. THE OUTPUT OF THE COPPS MODEL PROVIDES LONG-RANGE IMPLICATIONS OF TRENDS, ALLOWS EXAMINATION OF MANY ALTERNATIVE FUTURES, FACILITATES IDENTIFICATION OF AREAS OF RESEARCH NEED, GIVES ANSWERS TO PLANNER QUERIES IN THE FORM OF SUMMARY REPORTS, AND INTRINSICALLY PROVIDES DOCUMENTATION OF THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF THE PLANNING FACTORS AND CALCULATIONS PERFORMED. THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS REQUIRED TO DESIGN AND MANIPULATE AN ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL USING COPPS ARE EXTREMELY SIMPLE AND EASILY ACQUIRED. DEMONSTRATION EXERCISES ARE PROVIDED. AN EXAMPLE OF A COPPS MODEL DEPICTING 10 YEAR BUDGET PROJECTIONS BASED ON PRESCRIBED VARIATIONS OF OVER 200 PLANNING ITEMS COUPLED WITH COMPLEX INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE ITEMS IS PRESENTED. THE PRINCIPAL PLANNING ITEMS INCORPORATED INTO THE MODEL INCLUDE PERSONNEL (POLICE AND CIVILIAN), EQUIPMENT, OPERATING EXPENSES, FACILITIES REQUIREMENTS, AND FINANCIAL STRUCTURE. FROM THESE INPUT DATA, THE MODEL DEVELOPS A PERSONNEL STAFFING PLAN, EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS LIST, AND A DETAILED BUDGETARY ANALYSIS. THE FEEDBACK FROM MODEL OUTPUT BACK TO INPUT PARAMETERS DEPICTS THE INTERACTION OF POLICE ADMINISTRATORS AND PLANNERS IN ANALYZING OUTPUTS AND GENERATING ALTERNATE PLANS. THE COPPS SOFTWARE PACKAGE INCLUDES TWO BASIC MODULES: A LANGUAGE TRANSLATOR WRITTEN IN COBOL F, AND A MATRIX MANIPULATOR WRITTEN IN FORTRAN IV. NO ABSOLUTE CORE REQUIREMENTS ARE SPECIFIED AND THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN INSTALLED ON A VARIETY OF MACHINES. USUAL CARD SELECTOR CHANNEL DEVICES ARE REQUIRED. A REVISED COPPS SYSTEM WITH GREATER PLANNING CAPABILITY AND COMPATIBLE WITH SMALLER COMPUTER CONFIGURATIONS WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE. GRAPHS AND TABULAR DATA RE PROVIDED. (JAP)