NCJ Number
87466
Date Published
1975
Length
23 pages
Annotation
The adoption of the suggested administrative and program strategies for revising police training will increase patrol officers' investigative skills, enhance the role and responsibility of the patrol officer, reduce the need for specialized investigative personnel, and increase clearance rates.
Abstract
The proposed project is designed to help police officers increase their investigative skills in evidence gathering (preservation), crime scene interviews (interrogation), and crime scene procedures (security). As a result, preliminary investigations will be more thorough without undue delay. Further, more facts will be reported, more evidence preserved and processed, and more cases cleared. There will also be increased information exchange and coordination between patrol and investigative services. To support the demonstration program, 2 or 3 local police departments, totaling about 100 patrol officers, will be selected for participation. Commitment will be obtained from police chiefs to permit the expansion of patrol investigative responsibilities. Professional consultants will be used to conduct the program. After the selection of training sites, training subjects will be selected, and curricula and scheduling requirements will be designed. Program implementation will involve 100 training hours. Through the analysis of percent of patrol officers' time spent on investigation, departmental clearance rates, and the reduction of detective caseloads, the project will be continuously evaluated.