NCJ Number
42500
Date Published
1977
Length
204 pages
Annotation
PATROL OPERATIONS ARE THE SINGLE MOST COSTLY ASPECT OF POLICING. IMPROVEMENTS IN PATROL PRODUCTIVITY DEPEND UPON THE EFFICIENT UTILIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PATROL OFFICERS' TIME.
Abstract
FOCUSING ON THE GENERAL PATROL DIVISION, THE FIRST VOLUME OF THIS REPORT RECOMMENDS SPECIFIC STEPS THAT DEPARTMENTS OF ALL SIZES CAN TAKE TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR OPERATIONS. THE IDEAS AND INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PRESCRIPTIVE PACKAGE WERE DRAWN FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES. A REVIEW WAS MADE OF LITERATURE RELATING TO PATROL OPERATIONS, AND SITE VISITS WERE MADE TO 26 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO REVIEW INNOVATIVE PATROL PROGRAMS AND TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE DEPARTMENTAL CONTEXT IN WHICH THEY WERE IMPLEMENTED. INCLUDED IN THE VOLUME ARE DETAILED DISCUSSIONS OF PATROL WORKLOAD ANALYSIS AS THE BASIS FOR DEVELOPING EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE DEPLOYMENT SCHEMES AND MANAGEMENT OF CALL FOR SERVICE WORKLOADS AND THE PRIORITIZATION OF CALLS FOR SERVICE. ALSO COVERED ARE THE FOLLOWING: THE USE OF CRIME ANALYSIS IN SUPPORT OF ROUTINE PATROL OPERATIONS AND THE CONDUCTING OF PREPLANNED AND DIRECTED PREVENTION, DETERRENCE, AND APPREHENSION ACTIVITIES. THE VOLUME CONCLUDES WITH THE PRESENTATION OF SELECTED CASE STUDIES OF DEPARTMENTS WHICH HAVE IMPLEMENTED MANY OF THE APPROACHES OUTLINED, AND WITH A DISCUSSION OF THE MAJOR ISSUES FACED IN PLANNING, IMPLEMENTING, AND EVALUATING CHANGES IN THE PATROL FUNCTION. FOR VOLUME TWO RELATING TO THE SAME SUBJECT, SEE NCJ 42501. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)