NCJ Number
81606
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 48 Issue: 12 Dated: (December 1981) Pages: 34-43
Date Published
1981
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article describes the implementation and results of a Managing Patrol Operations (MPO) project in the Charlotte Police Department (North Carolina). The project was in operation from September 13, 1978, through July 31, 1980.
Abstract
MPO was an experiment to determine the extent to which the police patrol function can be effectively managed. In Charlotte, the project consisted of two highly interactive processes: resource allocation and formal directed activity. In all, six major components of MPO were to be implemented during the life of the project: computer-developed work schedules, computer-assisted resource allocation, call prioritization, expeditor unit, crime analysis, and directed patrol. Using the microcomputer to design work schedules was the first and easiest of the MPO components to implement. The most complex, controversial, expensive, and time-consuming aspect of the project was the use of the two computer models, the Patrol Car Allocation Model (PCAM) and Hypercube. PCAM was used to calculate manning levels for three basic shifts plus a fourth (overlay) shift for each day of the week, and the Hypercube model was used to design 10 response areas (beats) within the police teams. Calls were prioritized, and an expeditor unit was established to provide an alternative to dispatching patrol units in those cases where police presence was not required. Directed patrol was instituted to formalize the process of assigning officers to high crime areas when not assigned to a call for service, and a crime analysis section was developed to serve as a central source of information. The MPO resulted in overall improvement in police operations and productivity and a better understanding of both the police department and the community. Room for improvement remains in both the crime analysis and directed patrol components of MPO. A flow chart is included.