NCJ Number
70961
Date Published
1968
Length
152 pages
Annotation
Survey findings of existing police information management systems in 46 U.S. cities are presented. The survey was performed between June and November 1967.
Abstract
The report is part of the Redondo Beach Project (California), which involves the design and implemenatation of an advanced police information management system. The survey was intended to ascertain and document current practices in handling police information for potential adaptation at Redondo Beach and for possible inclusion in a model system. The selected cities had police departments of 40 to 100 personnel. A survey team interviewed personnel and evaluated data system operations at each department. The results showed that most chiefs are inadequately served by an out-moded system common to most departments. They receive little information useful for the definition of problems and the planning of preventive programs. They are rarely able to determine the time involved in the various activities pursued by their departments. Formal field reports relating to crimes or incidents take up about 20 percent of the total department effort. Thus, the chiefs and their division commanders are in no position to set complete performance standards, measure performance, or provide effective direction to field officers. They lack the data to allocate current resources in a rational manner or to prepare and justify a meaningful budget. The report includes sections which focus on the departments surveyed, organization and operational innovation, information flows, field reports, report control and review, information from other agencies, information processing and storage, information system output reports, and computer applications. Appendixes contain additional information on the participating cities and on the project team. Illustrations and data tables are included.