© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Police in AmericaPolice in America

Chapter SevenChapter Seven

Patrol: The Patrol: The Backbone of PolicingBackbone of Policing

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The Central Role of PatrolThe Central Role of Patrol

Majority of police officers assigned to patrolMajority of police officers assigned to patrol Gatekeepers of the CJ System and therefore Gatekeepers of the CJ System and therefore

most important decision makersmost important decision makers Experience on patrol formative part of police Experience on patrol formative part of police

officer’s careerofficer’s career Least desirable assignmentLeast desirable assignment

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The Functions of PatrolThe Functions of Patrol

To deter crime To deter crime To enhance feelings of public To enhance feelings of public

safetysafetyTo make officers available for To make officers available for

serviceservice

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The Organization and Delivery of The Organization and Delivery of PatrolPatrol

Factors affecting the delivery Factors affecting the delivery of patrol servicesof patrol services– Number of sworn officersNumber of sworn officers

Police-population ratioPolice-population ratio

– Assignment to PatrolAssignment to Patrol– Distribution of Patrol OfficersDistribution of Patrol Officers– One versus two officer carsOne versus two officer cars– Work styles of officersWork styles of officers

““Hot Spots”Hot Spots”– An area that receives a An area that receives a

disproportionate number of disproportionate number of calls for police service/ has a calls for police service/ has a high crime ratehigh crime rate

Types of Patrol:

- Foot patrol

Automobile patrol

- One officer versus two officer cars

Staffing Patrol Beats

- On any given night, no officer is available for many patrol beats

- Police patrol is very expensive

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Styles of PatrolStyles of Patrol

Individual StylesIndividual Styles– Officer-initiated activityOfficer-initiated activity

Includes stopping, questioning, frisking suspicious Includes stopping, questioning, frisking suspicious citizens, stopping vehicles, writing traffic tickets, citizens, stopping vehicles, writing traffic tickets, etc.etc.

Amount varies between departmentsAmount varies between departments

Supervisor StylesSupervisor Styles– Also affect an officer’s level of activityAlso affect an officer’s level of activity

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Organizational StylesOrganizational Styles

James Q. Wilson identified three distinct organizational styles. James Q. Wilson identified three distinct organizational styles.

1.1. The The watchman stylewatchman style emphasizes peace-keeping without emphasizes peace-keeping without aggressive law enforcement and few controls over rank-aggressive law enforcement and few controls over rank-and-file officers. and-file officers.

2.2. The The legalistic stylelegalistic style emphasizes aggressive crime-fighting emphasizes aggressive crime-fighting an attempts to control officer behavior through a rule-an attempts to control officer behavior through a rule-bound, “by the book” administrative approach. bound, “by the book” administrative approach.

3.3. The The service styleservice style emphasizes responsiveness to emphasizes responsiveness to community expectations and is generally found in community expectations and is generally found in suburban police departments where there is relatively little suburban police departments where there is relatively little crime.crime.

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Patrol SupervisionPatrol Supervision

The Role of Sergeant: Patrol supervision The Role of Sergeant: Patrol supervision is usually accomplished by the sergeant is usually accomplished by the sergeant on duty. on duty.

The principle of span of control holds that The principle of span of control holds that a supervisor can effectively manage only a a supervisor can effectively manage only a limited number of people. limited number of people.

The recommended span of control is one The recommended span of control is one sergeant for about every eight officers. sergeant for about every eight officers.

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The Communications CenterThe Communications Center

The Nerve Center of PolicingThe Nerve Center of Policing 911 Communications center911 Communications center

Citizen-dominatedCitizen-dominated ReactiveReactive Incident-basedIncident-based

911 Systems911 Systems

Processing Calls for ServiceProcessing Calls for Service

Operator-Citizen InteractionsOperator-Citizen Interactions

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911 Systems911 Systems

Introduced by AT&T Company in 1968Introduced by AT&T Company in 1968 911 systems contributed to increase in 911 systems contributed to increase in

calls for servicecalls for service To handle this increase, departments assign To handle this increase, departments assign

priorities to incoming calls based on priorities to incoming calls based on seriousness of problemseriousness of problem

Police able to more efficiently manage Police able to more efficiently manage delayed responses to non-emergency callsdelayed responses to non-emergency calls

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Processing Calls for ServiceProcessing Calls for Service

Communication center operatorsCommunication center operators– Obtain information from caller and makes decision Obtain information from caller and makes decision

about appropriate responseabout appropriate response– Exercise tremendous discretionExercise tremendous discretion– Only ½ of all calls to 911 result in a dispatchOnly ½ of all calls to 911 result in a dispatch– Operators ask questions of callersOperators ask questions of callers– Operators assess situationOperators assess situation– Operators decide how many and which officers to Operators decide how many and which officers to

dispatch dispatch – Patrol officers responding to calls experience great Patrol officers responding to calls experience great

uncertaintyuncertainty

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Operator-Citizen InteractionsOperator-Citizen Interactions

Need to provide officers with as much Need to provide officers with as much accurate information as possibleaccurate information as possible

Interactions lengthy, involving many Interactions lengthy, involving many questionsquestions– Some questions are a threat to caller’s Some questions are a threat to caller’s

trustworthinesstrustworthiness– Others are a threat to caller’s personal Others are a threat to caller’s personal

character/judgmentcharacter/judgment

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The Systematic Study of Police The Systematic Study of Police PatrolPatrol

Patrol is point of most police-citizen interactionsPatrol is point of most police-citizen interactions Studying patrol is difficult and expensive due to Studying patrol is difficult and expensive due to

decentralized nature of the jobdecentralized nature of the job– Studies of police patrol include:Studies of police patrol include:

American Bar Foundation Survey (1956-1957)American Bar Foundation Survey (1956-1957) President’s Crime Commission (1965-1967)President’s Crime Commission (1965-1967) Police Services Study (1977)Police Services Study (1977) Project on Policing Neighborhoods (1996-1997)Project on Policing Neighborhoods (1996-1997)

Standards for Systematic Social ObservationStandards for Systematic Social Observation– Designed to provide accurate, representative picture Designed to provide accurate, representative picture

– Trained observers follow officer everywhere the officer goesTrained observers follow officer everywhere the officer goes

– Take field notes which officer can then readTake field notes which officer can then read

1313

The Call Service WorkloadThe Call Service Workload

The Volume of CallsThe Volume of Calls– Depends on the areaDepends on the area– Minneapolis: 550 per year versus St. Paul: Minneapolis: 550 per year versus St. Paul:

221 per year221 per year Types of CallsTypes of Calls

– Order maintenance callsOrder maintenance calls– Service callsService calls– However, many situations are ambiguousHowever, many situations are ambiguous

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Aspects of Patrol WorkAspects of Patrol Work Response TimeResponse Time

– 1. Discovery Time1. Discovery Time Cannot be controlled by officersCannot be controlled by officers

– 2. Reporting Time2. Reporting Time– 3. Processing Time3. Processing Time– 4. Travel Time4. Travel Time

Reasons why citizens delay callingReasons why citizens delay calling 1. Need to verify crime occurred1. Need to verify crime occurred 2. Regain composure2. Regain composure 3. Call a friend or family member first3. Call a friend or family member first 4. Decide whether to involve police4. Decide whether to involve police 5. Telephone not immediately available5. Telephone not immediately available

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Aspects of Patrol Work ContinuedAspects of Patrol Work Continued

Officer use of patrol timeOfficer use of patrol time– Project on Policing Neighborhoods (POPN) studies Project on Policing Neighborhoods (POPN) studies

routine police workroutine police work Found that regular patrol officers spend only 20 percent of Found that regular patrol officers spend only 20 percent of

shift interacting with citizensshift interacting with citizens Rest of time spent on general patrol and travelingRest of time spent on general patrol and traveling

Evading dutyEvading duty– Delay in reporting the completion of a callDelay in reporting the completion of a call

High-speed pursuitsHigh-speed pursuits– A situation where a police officer attempts to stop a vehicle and A situation where a police officer attempts to stop a vehicle and

the suspect knowingly flees at a high rate of speedthe suspect knowingly flees at a high rate of speed– Highly dangerous situationHighly dangerous situation– Decision to engage in pursuit based on judgment of officerDecision to engage in pursuit based on judgment of officer

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The Effectiveness of PatrolThe Effectiveness of Patrol

Kansas City Kansas City Preventative Patrol Preventative Patrol ExperimentExperiment Controversial Controversial

resultsresults Challenged Challenged

traditional traditional assumptions assumptions about patrolabout patrol

Initial ExperimentsInitial Experiments Operation 25Operation 25 Methodologically Methodologically

flawedflawed

Newark Foot Patrol Newark Foot Patrol ExperimentExperiment

- Crime

- Citizen Attitudes

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Improving Traditional PatrolImproving Traditional Patrol Differential Response CallsDifferential Response Calls

– Classifying calls according to Classifying calls according to seriousnessseriousness

Telephone Reporting UnitsTelephone Reporting Units– Handle 10-20% of calls on Handle 10-20% of calls on

some shiftssome shifts 311 Nonemergency 311 Nonemergency

NumbersNumbers Non-English 911 Call Non-English 911 Call

ServicesServices Reverse 911Reverse 911

– Allows police to call citizensAllows police to call citizens Computers and Video Computers and Video

Cameras in Patrol CarsCameras in Patrol Cars– Increase accountabilityIncrease accountability

Police Aides or Cadets- Unsworn officers

Street Skills Training for Patrol Officers

- High-risk, low-frequency events

Directed Patrol and “Hot Spots”

- Look for specific crimes or people, patrol certain areas

Customer FeedbackBeyond Traditional Patrol

- Taking more proactive measures