HARRISBURG - BUREAU OF POLICE - INTENSIVE PATROL UNIT FINAL EVALUATION REPORT

• NCJ Number: 30669
• Author(s): J ELDRED; F FLETCHER; A SUTOR
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 88 pages
• Grant Number(s): SC-166-73A
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; Pennsylvania Governor's Justice Cmssn
• Corporate Author: University of Pennsylvania
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PURPOSE OF HARRISBURG'S INTENSIVE PATROL UNIT WAS THE SUPPRESSION OF CRIME WITHOUT THE HINDRANCES THAT ACCOMPANY NORMAL POLICE PATOROL OPERATIONS - I.E., NONCRIME FIGHTING ACTIVITY.

Abstract

THIS EVALUATION COMPARES HARRISBURG'S CRIME RATE WITH THAT OF HER SISTER CITIES, LANCASTER AND YORK, FOR THE PERIOD DURING WHICH THE INTENSIVE PATROL UNIT (IPU) HAS BEEN IN OPERATION (1971-1974). A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS PREPARED AND ADMINISTERED TO ALL FORMER AND CURRENT IPU PATROL OFFICERS. THE CRIME RATE OFFENSES SHOW THAT THE IPU MADE A NEGLIGIBLE EFFECT ON THE CRIME RATE BECAUSE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 1972'S PART 1 OFFENSES, THE SITUATION IN HARRISBURG RELATIVE TO LANCASTER AND YORK HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE. ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS UNCOVERED BY THE SURVEY OF OFFICERS WAS THEIR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WHAT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE UNIT WERE. POOR ADMINISTRATIVE PLANNING WAS ALSO CITED. A SERIES OF PROBLEM AREAS IS DEFINED THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED IN SPECIAL TACTICAL UNITS.