NCJ Number
58319
Date Published
1976
Length
60 pages
Annotation
THIS FINAL REPORT ON THE DENVER POLICE DEPARTMENT SPECIAL CRIME ATTACK TEAM (SCAT) PROJECT CONCLUDES THAT SCAT MET ITS OBJECTIVES OF REDUCING CRIME, INCREASING CLEARANCE BY ARREST RATE, AND USING CRIME ANALYSIS.
Abstract
DENVER'S SCAT PROJECT REDUCED THE RATE OF AGGRAVATED ROBBERY IN THE TARGET AREAS BY ONLY 2.5 PERCENT FROM THE 1972 BASELINE YEAR, BUT DURING THE SAME 13 MONTH PERIOD OF OPERATION IT REDUCED BURGLARY BY 14.4 PERCENT, WITH THE OBJECTIVES SET AT 10 PERCENT IN THE LEAA GRANT APPLICATION. SCAT WAS ESTABLISHED TO REVERSE A RISE IN ROBBERIES AND BURGLARIES IN DENVER OVER A 6 YEAR PERIOD. SCAT IS A RELATIVELY SMALL POLICE UNIT, CONSISTING OF A COMMANDER WHO IS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE TO THE DIVISION CHIEF OF PATROL AND 42 OTHER SWORN PERSONNEL. THESE PERSONNEL ARE PATROLMEN, DETECTIVES, AND EVIDENCE TECHNICIANS. THE CIVILIAN STAFF COMPLEMENT INCLUDES A CRIME ANALYST WHO ROUTINELY SELECTS TARGET AREAS ON A DAILY BASIS TO PROVIDE 'DIRECTED PATROL PROCEDURES.' THE UNIT GENERALLY EMPLOYS THREE MAJOR STRATEGIES, PREVENTION, INTERCEPTION, AND INVESTIGATION. THE HIGHEST PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO RESOLVE SPECIFIC AREA CRIME PROBLEMS. SCAT MEMBERS ARE HIGHLY TRAINED AND MOTIVATED, AND THEY HAVE HAD 33 DEPARTMENTAL PROMOTIONS AMONG THE 79 OFFICERS AFFILIATED WITH THE UNIT, AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER. LESSONS PASSED ON FROM SCAT TO NON-SCAT OFFICERS HAVE AN IMMEDIATE VALUE MUCH GREATER THAN SEMINAR TRAINING. DISCUSSIONS COVER SCAT ACTIVITIES IN SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS, PROCEDURES, AND EQUIPMENT. TABLES OF CRIME STATISTICS RELEVANT TO THE EXPERIMENT AND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR FROM DENVER CAB DRIVERS ARE INCLUDED, BUT THERE IS NO INDEX OR TABLE OF CONTENTS. (TAB)