NCJ Number
53591
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 45 Issue: 3 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 66-69
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
CRIME CONTROL STRATEGIES EMPLOYED IN AN EXPERIMENT CONDUCTED BY THE SAGINAW, MICH., POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE EXPLORED.
Abstract
EVALUATION OF CRIME CONTROL OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT AS OF 1977 AND EXTENSIVE CRIME ANALYSIS OF THE INCIDENCE OF SUPPRESSIBLE BURGLARIES AND ROBBERIES REVEALED SEVERAL AREAS FOR SUBSTANTIAL MODIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENT: PREVENTIVE PATROL AS EXERCISED BY THE UNIFORMED PATROL DIVISION WAS RANDOM AND HAD LITTLE, IF ANY, IMPACT ON THE DETERRENCE AND SUPPRESSION OF STREET CRIME; THE PLAIN CLOTHES ACTIVE CRIME PREVENTION UNIT WAS NOT OPERATING IN A CRIME-SPECIFIC MANNER; COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGIES CONDUCTED BY THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION AND THE PASSIVE CRIME PREVENTION UNIT WERE LIMITED AND GENERALIZED RATHER THAN BEING FOCUSED ON HIGH-CRIME AREAS OR LINKED TO ACTIVE TACTICAL CRIME CONTROL PROGRAMS; AND THERE APPEARED TO BE AN OVERT LACK OF COOPERATION, COMMUNICATION, AND COORDINATION ON THE PART OF ALL UNITS, SECTIONS, AND DIVISIONS INVOLVED IN THE DETERRENCE AND SUPPRESSION OF STREET CRIME. A TARGET AREA BURGLARY REDUCTION PROJECT WAS IMPLEMENTED. IN ORDER TO DEVELOP A COORDINATED APPROACH TO RESOLVING THE BURGLARY PROBLEM, A MODEL WAS PREPARED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN INTERDIVISIONAL PLANNING TEAM. BEGINNING IN AUGUST 1977, A DIFFERENT SPECIALIZED POLICE PATROL TACTIC WAS INSTITUTED IN THREE DESIGNATED TARGET AREAS: (1) HIGH VISIBILITY UNIFORMED TACTICAL PATROL, (2) LOW VISIBILITY PLAIN CLOTHES PATROL STRATEGY, AND (3) COMBINATION OF BOTH HIGH AND LOW VISIBILITY PATROL. REPORTED INCIDENCES OF BURGLARIES IN THE TARGET AREAS WERE DOWN BY 34 PERCENT AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT. THE PROJECT ALSO PRODUCED A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON STREET ROBBERIES IN THE TARGET AREAS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TACTICAL OPERATIONS TEAM TO DIRECT CRIME CONTROL STRATEGIES IN THE CITY IS DISCUSSED. (DEP)