DETROIT (MI) - PROJECT DECENTRALIZATION - FINAL REPORT, 1978

• NCJ Number: 56283
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 18 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-DF-05-0006
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Detroit Police Dept
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A FINAL REPORT IS PROVIDED OF A DETROIT, MICH., PROJECT AIMED AT REDUCING CRIME, INCREASING POLICE DEPARTMENT EFFICIENCY, IMPROVING POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND REDUCING CITIZEN FEAR OF CRIME.

Abstract

A NUMBER OF STRATEGIES WERE IMPLEMENTED TO ACCOMPLISH PROJECT DECENTRALIZATION'S GOALS BEFORE FIRST PHASE FUNDING OF THE 3-YEAR INITIATIVE WAS TERMINATED IN SEPTEMBER 1978. THE CRIME REDUCTION GOAL REQUIRED REASSIGNMENT OF PERSONNEL, EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER RESOURCES TO NEIGHBORHOOD PRECINCTS AND THE CREATION OF INVESTIGATIVE RESPONSE UNITS (IRU'S), PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR RESPONDING TO RADIO CALLS LIKELY TO REQUIRE IMMEDIATE-CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION. TO INCREASE VISIBILITY AND PUBLIC AWARENESS, IRU VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH DECALS AND SPECIAL LIGHTS, WHILE IRU OFFICERS DONNED BLAZER UNIFORMS AND CARRIED SPECIAL IDENTIFICATION AND EVEN PERSONALIZED BUSINESS CARDS. A CENTRALIZED CRIME ANALYSIS UNIT WAS ALSO ESTABLISHED TO FURTHER THE CRIME REDUCTION EFFORT, ALTHOUGH PROGRAM ACTIVITY WAS LIMITED TO DEVELOPING A GENERAL DESIGN FOR COMPUTERIZED CRIME ANALYSIS. SEVERAL PROGRAMS WERE INSTITUTED IN PURSUIT OF INCREASED DEPARTMENTAL EFFICIENCY. ONE INVOLVED THE INSTALLATION OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (LEIS), A COMPUTER SYSTEM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE TIMELY INCIDENT AND CASE CONTROL DATA FOR LINE, STAFF, AND MANAGERIAL PERSONNEL WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. ANOTHER CENTERED ON IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPUTERIZED FINANCIAL INFORMATION CONTROL SYSTEM (FICS), DESIGNED TO SATISFY THE NEED FOR COLLECTING, PROCESSING, AND REPORTING DATA RELATED TO DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS, ESPECIALLY THAT RELEVANT TO PRECINCT-LEVEL BUDGETS. VIEWED COLLECTIVELY, THE PROJECT GOALS HAVE BEEN REALIZED. BOTH PART I AND PART II UNIFORM CRIME INDEX OFFENSES DECLINED IN THE MONTHS FOLLOWING PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION. THE VARIOUS UNIQUE ELEMENTS OF THE IRU'S PROMOTED PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN AND COOPERATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT, AND ALTHOUGH IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS REQUIRED A SCALE-DOWN OF THE SELECTED COMPUTER STRATEGIES, ONCE IN OPERATION, THE SYSTEMS FURTHERED THE PROJECT'S EFFICIENCY OBJECTIVES.