NCJ Number
61718
Journal
Police Studies Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (SUMMER 1979) Pages: 50-60
Date Published
1979
Length
11 pages
Annotation
THE METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS OF 13 STUDIES OF THE NATURE OF THE POLICE PATROL WORK LOAD ARE ASSESSED.
Abstract
THE MOST SERIOUS WEAKNESS OF THE PATROL WORKLOAD STUDIES CONDUCTED TO DATE IS THE FAILURE TO ACQUIRE INDEPENDENT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACTUAL WORK OF PATROL OFFICERS. ELEVEN OF THE THIRTEEN STUDIES REVIEWED RELIED COMPLETELY ON DISPATCH RECORDS OR DATA REPORTED BY PATROL OFFICERS IN THE QUANTITATIVE ANALYSES. WHILE THESE KINDS OF DATA ARE USEFUL FOR INVESTIGATING THE TYPES OF SERVICES REQUESTED BY THE PUBLIC, THE TYPES OF CALLS DISPATCHED TO PATROL, AND THE TYPES OF ACTIVITIES PATROL OFFICERS SAY THEY UNDERTAKE, THEY CANNOT BE THE SOLE BASIS FOR SUMMARY STATEMENTS ABOUT ALL OF PATROL WORK. VALID RESULTS OF THE WORKLOAD STUDIES SHOW THAT POLICE PATROL CAN BEST BE DESCRIBED AS THE HANDLING OF SITUATIONS AND THE SELF-DIRECTED USE OF UNCOMMITTED TIME UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES OF AMBIGUITY. ALTHOUGH THE BULK OF THESE SITUATIONS CANNOT BE DEFINED AS NARROWLY CRIME-OR LAW-ENFORCEMENT RELATED (PATROL INCIDENTS RARELY RESULT IN ARRESTS), THE ROLE OF THE PATROL OFFICER IN HANDLING THIS AMBIGUITY IS CENTRALLY DEFINED BY THE CAPABILITY AND AUTHORITY OF THE PATROL OFFICER TO ENFORCE THE LAW, USING PHYSICAL FORCE IF NECESSARY. FUTURE WORKLOAD STUDIES SHOULD PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE SUBJECTIVE EXPECTATIONS ATTACHED TO PATROL ACTIVITIES BY OFFICERS, SUSPECTS, AND COMPLAINANTS, AND SUCH STUDIES SHOULD BE MORE COGNIZANT OF THE MANNER IN WHICH ACTIVITIES COME TO BE DEFINED THROUGH THE INTERACTION OF THE PARTICIPANTS. TABULAR DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)