NCJ Number
16703
Date Published
Unknown
Length
47 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY ASSESSED CITY AND COUNTY OFFICIALS' ATTITUDES TOWARD CONTRACT POLICING IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING SUCH A SYSTEM IN THE STATE.
Abstract
ALL THE MAYORS, POLICE CHIEFS, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND SHERIFFS IN NORTH DAKOTA WERE SURVEYED TO DETERMINE THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEIR PRESENT LAW ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM AND THE DESIRABILITY OF ESTABLISHING A CONTRACT POLICING SYSTEM BETWEEN THE CITIES AND THE COUNTY SHERIFF. TWO DIFFERENT QUESTIONNAIRES WERE USED. ONE, WITH SIX QUESTIONS WAS SENT TO SHERIFFS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. ANOTHER, WITH 17 QUESTIONS, WAS MAILED TO MAYORS AND POLICE CHIEFS. RESULTS OF THE SURVEY ARE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL. RESPONSES TO INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS ARE PRESENTED ACCORDING TO THE SIZE OF THE TOWN. EVALUATORS SUGGESTED THAT MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS RESPONDING NEGATIVELY TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE (ESPECIALLY THE POLICE CHIEFS) FELT THAT A CONTRACT POLICING SYSTEM WOULD THREATEN THEIR PRESTIGE AND POWER. MAYORS, NOT SO DIRECTLY AFFECTED, IN GENERAL RESPONDED MORE FAVORABLY. THE MAYORS, SHERIFFS, POLICE CHIEFS, AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO HAD CONTRACT POLICING SYSTEMS WERE ALL SATISFIED WITH THEIR SYSTEM. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT POLICE CHIEFS IN TOWNS WITHOUT CONTRACT POLICING BE USED AS DEPUTY SHERIFFS IN CHARGE OF CONTRACT POLICING IN THEIR TOWN. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED A STATE-INITIATED PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE TOWNS TO PARTICIPATE IN A CONTRACT LAW ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM AND UTILIZING CONTRACT POLICING ON A TRIAL BASIS IN TOWNS WHERE OFFICIALS WERE UNFAVORABLE TOWARDS IT.