NCJ Number
59558
Date Published
1979
Length
119 pages
Annotation
THE PATROL EMPHASIS PROGRAM (PEP) AND INTEGRATED CRIMINAL APPREHENSION PROGRAM (ICAP) OF THE NORFOLK, VA., POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE EVALUATED IN THIS REPORT.
Abstract
THE CENTER FOR URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH OF OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY (CURR) CONDUCTED AN EVALUATION OF BOTH PROGRAMS. THE PRINCIPAL METHODS USED BY THE CURR EVALUATION TEAM IN EVALUATING PEP PHASE 1 ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THE COLLECTION OF BASELINE DATA ON POLICE ATTITUDES AND PERFORMANCE AND THE MONITORING OF TRAINING ACTIVITIES AS THEY AFFECT POLICE ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR. DURING ICAP PHASE 2, EVALUATION COVERED THE FOLLOWING AREAS: QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE SECTOR COMMAND SYSTEM FOCUSING ON PLANNING, MANAGEMENT, CRIME ANALYSIS, AND DIRECTED PATROL; CONTENT ANALYSIS OF OFFENSE REPORTS FOCUSING ON SOLVABILITY FACTORS; REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF DISTRICT PROFILES; REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT OF CRIME ANALYSIS OPERATIONS; AND ASSESSMENT OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS MANAGEMENT. ALSO EXAMINED WAS A JOB PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM, INCLUDING PERFORMANCE SCALES, RATING PROCEDURES, AND IMPLEMENTATION. FOR EACH OF THE SUBJECT AREAS MENTIONED, DATA, ANALYSIS, AND SUMMARIES OF FINDINGS ARE PRESENTED TO ASSESS PROGRESS AND TO IDENTIFY PROBLEMS OF THE ICAP PHASE. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE SECTOR COMMAND SYSTEM INCLUDE IMPLEMENTING REGULAR PLANNING PROCEDURES WHEREBY PROBLEMS ARE ADDRESSED AND IDENTIFIED PROGRAM ALTERNATIVES ARE STRENGTHENED, ENCOURAGING PATROL OFFICERS TO USE CRIME ANALYSIS INFORMATION, INSTITUTING A MORE SYSTEMIZED APPROACH TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DIRECTED PATROL, AND IDENTIFYING STRATEGIES TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH THE HIGH TURNOVER OF PATROL PERSONNEL. TO IMPROVE CRIME ANALYSIS OPERATIONS, PERMANENT, QUALIFIED PERSONNEL MUST BE HIRED TO SUPPORT AND MAINTAIN THE CRIME ANALYSIS FILES; SPECIFIC REVIEW SHOULD BE MADE OF FILES ON THOSE CRIMES WHICH ARE NOT CONSIDERED SUSCEPTIBLE TO CRIME ANALYSIS IN ORDER TO DETERMINE FILE UTILITY AND APPLICABILITY; A SEPARATE VEHICLE FILE, CROSS-REFERENCED TO FIELD OBSERVATIONS AND FIELD INTERVIEWS, SHOULD BE CONSIDERED; AND FURTHER CONSOLIDATION OF CRIME ANALYSIS AT THE HEADQUARTERS LEVEL SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. RESULTS OF THE PROSECUTOR'S SURVEY INDICATE THAT CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS SHOULD CONCENTRATE MORE HEAVILY ON VICTIM-WITNESS RELATIONSHIPS AS A WAY OF IMPROVING PERFORMANCE. TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (PRG)