NCJ Number
57044
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Volume: 32 Issue: 305 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1977) Pages: 42-48
Date Published
1977
Length
7 pages
Annotation
INCIDENTS TO WATCH FOR AT THE SCENE OF CRIME AND IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION ARE CITED IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT IT IS RARE FOR POLICE TO ARRIVE AT THE SCENE OF DAYTIME CRIME WHILE IT IS IN PROGRESS.
Abstract
HUMAN AND TECHNICAL DELAYS ARE OBVIOUS WITH REGARD TO THE INVESTIGATION OF CRIME. AN EFECTIVE ALARM MUST BE RAISED (USUALLY BY TELEPHONE), RADIO MESSAGES MUST BE SENT AND RECEIVED, AND POLICE VEHICLES MUST BE POINTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND DRIVEN AGAINST TRAFFIC FLOW. WITH THE CONTINUING RISE OF ROBBERY IN PARTICULAR, THERE IS A NEED FOR GREATER AND MORE PRECISE AWARENESS OF LIMITATIONS AND POTENTIALS OF THE CRIME SCENE. ESTABLISHED TRAFFIC PATROL, AREA CARS, AND PATROL GROUP CREWS CAN IMPROVE LATENT APTITUDES ON THE PART OF PROBATIONARY OFFICERS REGARDING THE COMPREHENSION AND RECOGNITION OF ROBBERS. THERE SEEMS TO BE A CASE FOR THE PUBLICATION OF NOTES BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF POLICE OFFICERS TO ILLUSTRATE ABERRANT BEHAVIOR FREQUENTLY EXHIBITED BY MOTOR THIEVES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THESE PERSONS ARE UNDER STRESS. CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO U-TURNS MADE BY VEHICLES, VEHICLES TURNING INTO SIDE STREETS WHICH DO NOT FORM PART OF A WELL-KNOWN SIDE THROUGH ROUTE, MANIFESTATIONS OF UNFAMILIARITY BY DRIVERS WITH THE VEHICLE THEY ARE OPERATING, CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE ONLY ONE OR TWO THIEVES MANAGE TO GET AWAY IN THE ESCAPE VEHICLE, VEHICLES CONTAINING THREE OR MORE MEN, WEARING OF BOILER SUITS BY VEHICLE OCCUPANTS, CHANGE OF CLOTHING INSIDE MOVING VEHICLES, VEHICLES THAT ARE LEAKING FROM THE RADIATOR PASSING AT NORMAL OR SLIGHTLY ADVANCED SPEED, FOUR OR MORE YOUNG MEN WHO ARE PASSENGERS OF DILAPIDATED VEHICLES, STATIONARY VEHICLES WITH WINDOWS EITHER TIGHTLY CLOSED OR FULLY OPEN, DRIVERS WHO PERCEPTABLY STIFFEN AS THEY PASS BY, AND REACTIONS OF LESS EXPERIENCED THIEVES. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)