NCJ Number
35363
Date Published
1976
Length
25 pages
Annotation
JULY 1976 REPORT ON EFFORTS TO DEVELOP GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEM WHEREBY PATROL OFFICERS COULD PERFORM FOLLOWUP CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION DUTIES.
Abstract
THIS POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A SWORN STRENGTH OF 308 TO POLICE A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 270,000 CONTAINED IN AREA OF 25.5 SQUARE MILES. AS A PART OF THIS STUDY, THE RESPONSES FROM TWO QUESTIONNAIRES (ONE FOR PATROL OFFICERS AND ONE FOR INVESTIGATIVE OFFICERS) DESIGNED TO DETERMINE OFFICER ATTITUDES CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT'S PLANS FOR THE INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTION WERE ANALYZED. COMPUTER PRINTOUTS ON RESPONSE TIME AND ACTIVITY FOR EACH OF THE TWELVE BEATS DURING A 30-DAY PERIOD IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 1976 WERE ALSO EXAMINED. DATA ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT A SYSTEM ALREADY EXISTED WHEREBY PATROL OFFICERS COULD CONDUCT FOLLOWUP INVESTIGATIONS, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE OPTED NOT TO, AND THAT PATROL PERSONNEL HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO CONDUCT FOLLOWUP INVESTIGATIONS, BUT FEEL THEY DO NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME. NUMEROUS RECOMMENDATIONS ARE MADE INCLUDING DETERMINING WHY PATROL OFFICERS HAVE NOT CHOSEN TO CONDUCT A LARGER SHARE OF FOLLOWUP INVESTIGATIONS, REMOVING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CERTAIN NONEMERGENCY TYPES OF SERVICE FROM THE PATROL DIVISION, AND INVOLVING MEMBERS OF BOTH THE PATROL AND INVESTIGATIVE DIVISIONS IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF ANY INVESTIGATORY RESPONSIBILITIES. IN ADDITION, SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE FOR ACTUALLY ALLOWING PATROL PERSONNEL TO PERFORM INVESTIGATIONS.