NCJ Number
44832
Date Published
1977
Length
87 pages
Annotation
THE PATROL EMPHASIS PROGRAM (PEP), ADDRESSING THE ISSUES OF RISING CRIME AND POLICE EFFECTIVENESS, IS DESCRIBED AND EVALUATED.
Abstract
THE PROGRAM IS STILL OPERATING AS OF 1977 AND IS BASED UPON THE RECOMMENDATIONS TO UPGRADE THE PATROL FUNCTION CONTAINED IN THE 1973 NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION REPORT ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE STANDARDS AND GOALS. THE POLICE REPORT RECOMMENDED IN GOAL 8 THAT DEPARTMENTS: (1) RECOGNIZE PATROL AS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN POLICE WORK; (2) ADOPT POLICIES TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN HIGHLY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL TO UNIFORMED PATROL; AND (3) DEVELOP A DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM BASED UPON SERVICE DEMANDS. THE DEPARTMENT THEREFORE DID A DETAILED WORKLOAD STUDY AND DEVELOPED THE 168-HOUR GRAPH THAT LED TO THE DYNAMIC DEPLOYMENT OF ALL DEPARTMENTAL PERSONNEL BASED ON HOURLY CHANGES IN PATROL AND INVESTIGATIVE SERVICE DEMANDS. THE WORKLOAD ANALYSIS LED TO THE ABANDONMENT OF AN EXTREMELY INEFFICIENT EQUAL SHIFT STAFFING PLAN WHICH USED TWO-OFFICER UNITS ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY IN FAVOR OF A DEPLOYMENT OF ONE-OFFICER UNITS MATCHED TO GEOGRAPHIC AND TEMPORAL FLUCTUATIONS IN THE PATROL WORKLOAD. TO UPGRADE THE PATROL FUNCTION, MOST INVESTIGATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES WERE TRANSFERRED FROM THE DETECTIVE TO THE PATROL DIVISION, AND A SERIES OF APPOINTIVE POSITIONS WITHIN THE UNIFORMED DIVISION THAT CARRY PAY, FRINGE, AND RESPONSIBILITY INCENTIVES WAS CREATED. BECAUSE OF THE MULTIGRADED JOB CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR EXPERIENCED OFFICERS TO REMAIN IN PATROL AND RECEIVE THE PAY AND STATUS THAT USUALLY GO ONLY TO DETECTIVES. THE FINAL STEP IN PEP WAS THE ADOPTION OF A DIRECTED PATROL PROGRAM THAT REPLACED RANDOM PATROL WITH CRIME PREVENTION, DETERRENCE, AND APPREHENSION TACTICS BASED ON CRIME ANALYSIS. THE EVALUATION FOUND THAT THE PROGRAM NOT ONLY LED TO IMPROVED CRIME CONTROL AND PATROL EFFECTIVENESS, BUT ALSO A HIGH LEVEL OF OFFICER JOB SATISFACTION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).