NCJ Number
199757
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 70 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2003 Pages: 64-65
Date Published
March 2003
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article emphasizes the importance of building police planning around the primary police responsibility of reducing crime rates.
Abstract
The author notes that at a recent conference for law enforcement executives and supervisors, a speaker asked whether the participants knew the opening Dow Jones and Nasdaq averages for the day. Many replied immediately with the correct responses; however, when asked about the current crime rates in their jurisdictions, the room was silent. When experienced practitioners are not familiar with crime trends in their jurisdictions, they must not believe they are important. Many police leaders have been in executive-level staff meetings where the only topics discussed pertain to lack of financial support, inadequate equipment, insufficient training, employee grievances, and poor media relations; however, the crime rate and crime-control strategies are never mentioned. It is the responsibility of the chief executive officer to establish systems and controls to maintain public trust and accountability concerning crime control and crime in general. This is done by developing a plan that is consistent with the mission of the organization; and its fundamental components must help the executive and all members of the agency stay focused on the relationship of crime and crime control to the quality of life, the protection of constitutional rights, and the general maintenance of public order. Any good executive plan should also contain operational elements. These are usually the goals, objectives, and strategies for making the plan a reality.