NCJ Number
106747
Date Published
1985
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This report reviews findings from two police response time studies, by the Kansas City Police Department (1977) and the Police Executive Research Forum (1981), and because of those findings, makes recommendations for reducing citizen response time (CRT) in the Dallas Police Department (Texas).
Abstract
The studies found that CRT was longer than police dispatch or travel time and that CRT was the strongest determinant of arrest and witness availability. CRT was 5 minutes or more in half of involvement crimes (crimes in which the victim-witness was involved during commission), allowing suspects to flee the scene and negating the possibility of one-scene arrests. Voluntary citizen actions such as calling another person for advice instead of police first caused most CRT delays. Recommendations for improving CRT include encouraging citizens to call police first and reducing citizen inconvenience. Reducing citizen inconvenience through referrals to victim compensation programs and instituting victim-witness protection programs, security surveys, and crime prevention tips are recommended. Emergency relocation and phone taps are advocated if necessary. Other suggestions include initiating a public education program through neighborhood block watch groups and a news media campaign, and distributing an emergency number in monthly phone bills and affixing it to pay phones, with a similar distribution of the 911 number when that system is operational. 2 graphs and 5 attachments.