POLICE OFFICER DEPLOYMENT SYSTEMS (PODS) (FROM CARNAHAN CONFERENCE ON CRIME COUNTERMEASURES - PROCEEDINGS, 1977, BY JOHN JACKSON - SEE NCJ-57737)

• NCJ Number: 57756
• Author(s): R W ELLIOTT
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Kentucky
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A DESCRIPTION IS PROVIDED OF A COMPUTER-BASED POLICE OFFICER DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM (PODS) WHICH HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED IN TWO MID-SIZE TEXAS CITIES.

Abstract

SHARP INCREASES IN THE DEMAND FOR POLICE SERVICES HAVE CREATED PRESSURE ON POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO IMPROVE POLICE EFFECTIVENESS, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF POLICE PATROLS. OBJECTIVES TO BE ACHIEVED IN ALLOCATING PATROL FORCES ARE NUMEROUS AND CONFLICTING. FOR EXAMPLE, IT IS POSSIBLE TO BALANCE PATROL DISTRICTS IN TERMS OF OFFICER WORKLOADS OR IN TERMS OF GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS. ADDITIONAL GEOGRAPHICAL AND POLITICAL FACTORS MUST ALSO BE CONSIDERED IN DRAWING UP SUCH DISTRICTS. THEREFORE, NO COMPLETELY MATHEMATICAL SCHEME IS APPROPRIATE. THE PODS IS DESIGNED TO EVALUATE ALTERNATIVE DISTRICT DESIGNS AND TO REDUCE TEDIOUS MANUAL PROCEDURES INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS. IT CONSISTS OF TWO MAJOR SUBSYSTEMS: THE LONG RANGE DEPLOYMENT SUBSYSTEM, USED FOR DESIGNING PATROL DISTRICTS (BEATS), AND THE TACTICAL DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM, WHICH GENERATES A REPORT CONTAINING WORKLOADS THAT CAN BE ANTICIPATED FOR FUTURE SHIFTS. THERE ARE THREE PROGRAMS WITHIN THE LONG-RANGE DEPLOYMENT SUBSYSTEM. FIRST, THE INITIAL PATROL DISTRICT DESIGN PROGRAM IDENTIFIES OUT-OF-BALANCE DISTRICTS AND SUGGESTS APPROPRIATE MODIFICATIONS. NEXT, THE PATROL DISTRICT ANALYSIS PROGRAM PROVIDES A MORE THOROUGH INTERPRETATION OF DISTRICT DESIGNS WHICH RESULTS IN PERFORMANCE ESTIMATES ON CITYWIDE, DISTRICT, AND UNIT LEVELS. FINALLY, MAPPING PROGRAM ALLOWS THE COMPUTER TO PRODUCE PATROL DISTRICT MAPS. THE PODS WAS USED IN THE CITY OF ARLINGTON TO REDISTRICT WHEN ADDITIONAL PATROL PERSONNEL WERE AUTHORIZED. ANOTHER TEXAS CITY, GARLAND, HAS USED THE SYSTEM TO DEVELOP DIFFERENT DISTRICT DESIGNS USED AT DIFFERENT TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ALTHOUGH IN BOTH CITIES A NUMBER OF UNRELATED CHANGES WERE MADE IN POLICE DISTRICTING AT THE TIME THE PODS WAS IMPLEMENTED, INITIAL INDICATIONS SUGGEST THAT THE SYSTEM HAS CREATED SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER-BALANCED DISTRICTS EVEN THOUGH RESPONSE APPEARS NOT TO HAVE BEEN GREATLY AFFECTED. EXAMPLES OF COMPUTER-GENERATED MATERIALS CREATED BY THE PODS AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (KCP)