COORDINATED TEAM PATROL IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK - AN INNOVATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

• NCJ Number: 46254
• Author(s): P J FLYNN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 50 pages
• Contract Number(s): RDA-75-19704
• Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation
• Corporate Author: Syracuse University
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COORDINATED POLICE PATROL IN ROCHESTER IS PRESENTED; PROBLEMS OF IMPLEMENTATION AND FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE EVENTUAL SUCCESS OF THE OPERATION ARE INCLUDED.

Abstract

IN EARLY 1971, PLANS FOR THE TEAM POLICING EXPERIMENT WERE FORMULATED, BASED ON THE FOLLOWING GENERAL CONCEPTS: THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR CRIMINAL CLEARANCE SHOULD REST WITH A DECENTRALIZED POLICE SERVICE UNIT COMMANDER WHO WOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO TRY INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE BOTH PATROL AND INVESTIGATIVE FUNCTIONS; DETECTIVES AND PATROL OFFICERS ALIKE SHOULD BE PLACED UNDER THE SAME UNIT COMMANDER, WORK OUT OF THE SAME QUARTERS, AND SERVE THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD, THUS ENCOURAGING PATROL OFFICERS TO TAKE MORE INTEREST IN CRIMESOLVING AND FAMILIARIZING DETECTIVES WITH NEIGHBORHOOD PATTERNS OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. THE PROGRAM WAS TO BE EXPANDED IF REPRESENTATIVE SECTIONS SHOWED IMPROVEMENT WITH TEAMS. TWO AREAS OF THE CITY WERE SELECTED FOR THE EXPERIMENT, EACH HAVING APPROXIMATELY ONE-NINTH OF THE CITY'S AREA AND THE SAME PROPORTION OF REPORTED CRIME AND CALLS FOR SERVICE. THE SELECTED AREAS PRESENTED A BROAD SPECTRUM OF PEOPLE, GEOGRAPHY, TYPES OF HOMES, AND RANGES OF INCOMES. LEADERS OF THE TEAMS WERE SELECTED FOR THEIR INVESTIGATIVE AND LEADERSHIP ABILITIES. EARLY PHASES OF THE PROGRAM MET WITH OPPOSITION, PARTICULARY AMONG PERSONNEL IN THE DETECTIVE BUREAU; THE BUREAU WAS BEING ASKED TO GIVE UP SOME OF ITS MANPOWER TO DECENTRALIZED OPERATIONS, AND DETECTIVES ON THE NEW TEAMS WERE EXPECTED TO REPORT TO UNIFORMED SUPERVISORS. THESE APPARENT LOSSES IN STATUS MET WITH EFFORTS TO SABOTAGE THE OPERATION. DUE TO STRONG LEADERSHIP WITHIN ONE OF THE TEAMS, THESE EFFORTS DID NOT SUCCEED, AND CRIME IN THE AREA SERVED HAD A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE. THE OTHER TEAM FAILED TO SHOW ANY SIGNIFICANT SUCCESSES BECAUSE OF ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS. CONTINUED SUCCESS AND NATIONAL ATTENTION IN LAW ENFORCEMENT CIRCLES ASSURED THE ENTRENCHMENT AND EXPANSION OF THE COORDINATED TEAM PATROL IN ROCHESTER. FULL IMPLEMENTATION WAS AIDED WHEN THE MAJOR ADVOCATE AND ARCHITECT OF TEAM POLICING IN ROCHESTER BECAME POLICE CHIEF.