NCJ Number
43174
Date Published
1977
Length
58 pages
Annotation
METHODS USED TO STUDY PATROL WORKLOAD BY TIME OF DAY AND BEAT TO ALLOCATE LIMITED POLICE RESOURCES IN A GROWING COMMUNITY ARE DESCRIBED; DATA OBTAINED ENABLED MORE MANHOURS TO BE SCHEDULED FOR THE 1500-2259 HOURS SHIFT.
Abstract
SIMI VALLEY, CALIF., IS AN AREA OF LIMITED RESOURCES BUT GROWING POPULATION AND INCREASING CRIME, OPERATING WITH 54 SWORN PERSONNEL. BECAUSE RESOURCES TO INCREASE THE POLICE FORCE ARE NOT LIKELY TO OCCUR WITHIN THE NEAR FUTURE, A LEAA GRANT WAS OBTAINED TO BUY A HEWLETT PACKARD 9830A MINICOMPUTER, TRAIN PERSONNEL, AND DEVELOP FORMS FOR A CONTINUING PEACE OFFICERS STANDARDS AND TRAINING (POST) WORKLOAD STUDY. METHODS USED TO IMPLEMENT A POST STUDY IN A SMALL DEPARTMENT ARE GIVEN, INCLUDING LETTER OF INTRODUCTION GIVEN TO ALL PATROL OFFICERS, REDESIGNED WORKLOAD CARDS, AND WORKLOAD SUMMARY SHEETS. THE SURVEY FOUND THAT DURING THE STUDY PERIOD, OCTOBER 5, 1976 TO JANUARY 3, 1977, THE FIVE HOURS PRIOR TO 0200 HOURS ACCOUNTED FOR 31 PERCENT OF ALL OFFICER- INITIATED ACTIVITY AND 21 PERCENT OF ALL CALLS FOR SERVICE; HOURS 0200 THROUGH 0659 ACCOUNTED FOR 18 PERCENT OF OFFICER-INITIATED ACTIVITY AND 6 PERCENT OF CALLS FOR SERVICE; AND 0700 TO 1159 ACCOUNTED FOR 29 PERCENT OF OFFICER-INITIATED ACTIVITY AND 17 PERCENT OF CALLS FOR SERVICE. MONDAY AND TUESDAY WERE THE LEAST BUSY DAYS. DETAILED ANALYSIS OF CALLS FOR SERVICE SHOWED THAT THESE PEAKED FROM 1400 HOURS THROUGH 2159 HOURS. PEAK FOR BOTH OFFICER-INITIATED ACTIVITY AND SERVICE CALLS WAS 1500 THROUGH 1850 HOURS. ANALYSIS BY BEAT SHOWED SIMILAR PATTERNS WITH SOME AREA-SPECIFIC VARIATIONS. METHODS USED TO CLASSIFY CALLS AND THE RESULTS OF THE ANALYSIS ARE PRESENTED. APPENDIXES GIVE COPIES OF REPORTING FORMS USED TO GATHER DATA, A COPY OF THE LETTER WRITTEN REQUESTING POST TRAINING, DISPATCH TRAINING FOR THE POST STUDY, AND COMPUTER INPUT STEP PROCESS FOR THE STUDY.