NCJ Number
61951
Date Published
1978
Length
54 pages
Annotation
A REPORT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE BERKELEY POLICE DEPARTMENT CALIFORNIA FOR 1978 EMPHASIZES CRIME STATISTICS, PERSONNEL CHANGES, AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH THE OVERALL INCIDENCE OF MAJOR CRIME REMAINED APPROXIMATELY THE SAME IN 1978 AS COMPARED TO 1977, THE CRIMES OF BURGLARY AND RAPE WERE DOWN 14.5 PERCENT AND 20 PERCENT, RESPECTIVELY. THE FACT THAT LARCENIES INCREASED BY OVER 500 CASES COUNTERACTED AN OTHERWISE DECREASED TOTAL IN MAJOR CRIME. DEPARTMENTAL PERSONNEL RESPONDED TO 76,950 CALLS FOR SERVICE DURING 1978, AN INCREASE OF OVER 2,500 FROM 1977. OFFICERS, POLICE RESERVES, AND PARAPROFESSIONALS ISSUED 15,820 HAZARDOUS AND 39,269 NONHAZARDOUS CITATIONS WHICH RESULTED IN A RETURN OF OVER $250,000 TO THE CITY IN FINES AND FORFEITURES. PERSONNEL COMPLAINTS FOR THE YEAR NUMBERED ONLY 133, WITH MOST OF THE ALLEGATIONS DETERMINED TO BE WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION. IN JULY THE '911' EMERGENCY CALLING SYSTEM WAS INSTITUTED BY THE DEPARTMENT'S REORGANIZED COMMUNICATIONS BUREAU; APPROXIMATELY 30 PERCENT OF POLICE EMERGENCY CALLS WERE RECEIVED THROUGH THE SYSTEM. THE DEPARTMENT'S ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR VIRTUALLY ALL FUNCTIONS THAT WERE NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OR ASSOCIATED WITH RECORDKEEPING. OTHER DIVISIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT INCLUDED PATROL, SERVICE, AND THE DETECTIVE DIVISION. IT WAS ANTICIPATED THAT PROPOSITION 13 CUTS TO THE DEPARTMENT WOULD POSE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PROBLEMS IN THE COMING YEAR. MAINTENANCE OF THE LEVEL OF SERVICE WOULD DEPEND ON CONTINUED COOPERATION FROM CITY OFFICIALS. TABULAR DATA AND PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM)