NCJ Number
65039
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Issue: 331 Dated: (OCTOBER 1979) Pages: 218-236
Date Published
1979
Length
19 pages
Annotation
SPECIALIZED PATROL TACTICS OF UNIFORMED TACTICAL PATROL, DECOY OPERATIONS, PHYSICAL AND ELECTRONIC STAKEOUTS, AND SUSPECT AND AREA SURVEILLANCE ARE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF THEIR TARGET CRIMES, REQUIREMENTS, AND EFFECTIVENESS.
Abstract
UNIFORMED TACTICAL PATROL, ONE OF THE MOST TRADITIONAL AND WIDELY USED FORMS OF SPECIALIZED PATROL, INVOLVES THE SAME PROCEDURES AND TECHNIQUES USED BY GENERAL PATROL OFFICERS WHEN THEY ARE NOT HANDLING CALLS FOR SERVICE AND CAN BE USED TO CONTROL VIRTUALLY ANY TYPE OF SUPPRESSIBLE CRIME. ITS PRIMARY PURPOSE IS DETERRENCE. TECHNIQUES INCLUDE SATURATION PATROL, USE OF UNMARKED POLICE CARS, TANDEM PATROL, AND USE OF FREQUENT VEHICLE AND PEDESTRIAN STOPS. ALTHOUGH CRIME DISPLACEMENT, RATHER THAN REDUCTIO, IS A CONCERN, EXISTING EVIDENCE INDICATES TACTICAL PATROL SHOULD NOT BE RULED OUT. DECOY OPERATIONS, USED AGAINST CRIMES FOR WHICH POLICE OFFICERS CAN CONVINCINGLY POSE AS LIKELY 'VICTIMS,' REQUIRE ATTENTION TO MAKEUP, ROLEPLAYING, LOCATION, SUFFICIENT BACKUP SUPPORT, OPERATIONAL ARREST GUIDELINES, AND APPROPRIATE IDENTIFICATION. CAREFUL CRIME ANALYSIS AND PRODUCTIVITY EVALUATION IS NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT DECOY OPERATIONS ARE USED TO BEST ADVANTAGE. PHYSICAL AND ELECTRONIC STAKEOUTS ARE MOST OFTEN USED TO COPE WITH COMMERICAL ROBBERY AND BURGLARY AND TO MAKE IMMEDIATE ARRESTS, BUT THEY CAN ALSO HAVE A DETERRENT EFFECT IF THE PUBLIC IS INFORMED THROUGH WIDESPREAD MEDIA EXPOSURE. COVERT SURVEILLANCE, WHICH CONCENTRATES ON BOTH CRIMINAL SUSPECTS AND HIGH CRIME AREAS, IS DESIGNED TO MAKE ARRESTS FOR CRIMES IN PROGRESS AND TO DEVELOP INFORMATION AS AN AID TO ARRESTS. USE OF CRIME ANLAYSIS AND COMBINATIONS OF TACTICS SHOULD HELP INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIALIZED PATROL. NOTES, A TABLE, AND PHOTOGRAPHS ARE PROVIDED. (AOP)