NCJ Number
31894
Date Published
1975
Length
23 pages
Annotation
BASED ON EXAMPLES DRAWN FROM TEAM POLICING EXPERIMENTS IN SEVERAL UNITED STATES CITIES, THIS ARTICLE REVIEWS THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF TEAM POLICING AND ILLUSTRATES METHODS OF SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTING AND OPERATING SUCH PROGRAMS.
Abstract
IN THE EARLY 1970'S TEAM POLICING HAD BECOME A POPULAR IDEA AMONG MANY POLICE ADMINISTRATORS. THIS STUDY DRAWS ON THE EXPERIENCES OF SUCH CITIES AS HOLYOKE, NEW YORK CITY, DAYTON, DETROIT, LOS ANGELES, AND SYRACUSE. IT WAS FOUND THAT ALMOST ALL OF THE TEAM POLICING PROGRAMS STUDIED ATTEMPTED TO IMPLEMENT THREE BASIC OPERATIONAL ELEMENTS: GEOGRAPHIC STABILITY OF PATROL, MAXIMUM INTERACTION AMONG TEAM MEMBERS, AND MAXIMUM COMMUNICATION AMONG TEAM MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY. THE DEPARTMENTS WHICH WERE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN IMPLEMENTING THESE ELEMENTS ALSO HAD IN COMMON CERTAIN ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORTS: UNITY OF SUPERVISION, LOWER-LEVEL FLEXIBILITY IN POLICY-MAKING, UNIFIED DELIVERY OF SERVICES, AND COMBINED INVESTIGATIVE AND PATROL FUNCTIONS. EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL APPROACHES IN PREPARING FOR TEAM POLICING ARE PROVIDED. IN GENERAL, THOSE CITIES WHICH INVOLVED PATROL OFFICERS AND LOWER LEVEL SUPERVISORS DIRECTLY IN THE PLANNING PROCESS WERE MORE SUCCESSFUL. APPROACHES TAKEN WITH REGARD TO RECRUITMENT OF TEAM MEMBERS, PATROL STYLE, SELECTION OF THE EXPERIMENTAL AREA, AND TRAINING ARE EXAMINED. FINALLY, THE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN ACTUALLY OPERATING THE TEAM POLICING PROGRAM ARE DISCUSSED. THESE INCLUDE PROBLEMS IN ADMINISTRATION, JURISDICTIONAL PROBLEMS, PUBLIC SUPPORT, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, AND PROBLEMS OF COORDINATION BETWEEN DIFFERENT SHIFTS.