THE BURST OF POLICE COMPUTER APPLICATION RESULTING FROM THE 1967 CRIME COMMISSION REPORT IS EXAMINED. IMPACT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY ON THE SERVICE ASPECTS OF POLICE WORK AND ON POLICE UNIT STRUCTURE IS BRIEFLY REVIEWED.
THIS CHAPTER SUMMARIZES POINTS TO BE COVERED IN GREATER DETAIL IN OTHER PORTIONS OF THE BOOK. IT REVIEWS THE CRIME COMMISSION REPORT WHICH RECOMMENDED INCREASED USE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY BY POLICE DEPARTMENTS. THE COMMISSION FORESAW COMPUTER USE AS AN AID TO EFFICIENCY AND CRIME FIGHTING, DID NOT EXAMINE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND PERSONNEL PROBLEMS WHICH WOULD HINDER ADOPTION OR MAKE THE TECHNOLOGY LESS EFFECTIVE THAN HOPED. IT ALSO FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT CRIME OCCUPIES ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF POLICE TIME. THE VARIOUS STYLES OF POLICE OPERATION -- CHARACTERIZED AS THE LEGALISTIC, THE WATCHMAN, AND THE SERVICE STYLE FOUND IN SMALL COMMUNITIES -- ARE EXAMINED. EFFECT OF STYLE OF OPERATION ON COMPUTER ADOPTION AND USE IS BRIEFLY CONSIDERED. DISCUSSIONS IN THE REST OF THE BOOK COVER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: DOES THE APPLICATION OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY WORK? WHAT HAVE BEEN THE TECHNICAL IMPACTS FROM COMPUTER USE? WHAT HAVE BEEN THE SERVICE IMPACTS? AND HAVE THERE BEEN SHIFTS IN DEPARTMENTAL POWER STRUCTURE THROUGH COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY USE? APPENDED NOTES GIVE REFERENCES AND DEFINE TERMS. AN APPENDIX GIVES A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE EVOLUTION OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY. (GLR)