NCJ Number
52872
Date Published
1977
Length
91 pages
Annotation
A 2-YEAR PROJECT TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF THE COMMUNITY-ORIENTED POLICE STATION (COPS) PROGRAM ON CRIME AND POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS IN HIGHLAND PARK, MICH., IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
IN 1975, THE CITY OF HIGHLAND PARK DECENTRALIZED ITS POLICE STATION ON AN EXPERIMENTAL BASIS BY CREATING TWO SATELLITE STATIONS IN HIGH CRIME AREAS. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO BETTER INTEGRATE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WITH COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN THE BELIEF THAT THIS WOULD RESULT ULTIMATELY IN A REDUCTION IN CRIME. A RESEARCH TEAM, ASSEMBLED TO HELP IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE THE PROGRAM, COMPARED THE TWO COPS AREAS WITH A CONTROL AREA. FINDINGS SHOWED THAT THE TWO COPS AREAS HAD A LOWER RATE OF CRIME VICTIMIZATION (33.5 PERCENT) THAN DID THE CONTROL AREA (40 PERCENT). IN THE COPS RESIDENTIAL AREAS, 73 PERCENT OF THOSE REPORTING CRIME WERE PLEASED WITH POLICE RESPONSE TIME; THE CONTROL RESIDENTIAL AREA SHOWED A 72-PERCENT SATISFACTION RATE. BUSINESSES IN COPS BUSINESS AREAS SHOWED ONLY A 50-PERCENT SATISFACTION RATE WITH POLICE RESPONSE TIME, WHILE IN THE CONTROL AREA THE SATISFACTION RATE WAS 73 PERCENT. A SURVEY SHOWED THAT 90 PERCENT OF RESIDENTS AND 68 PERCENT OF BUSINESSES HAD NOT AVAILED THEMSELVES OF COMMUNITY SERVICES PROVIDED BY COPS PERSONNEL. ONLY 11 PERCENT OF RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES BELIEVED THAT THE COPS WOULD NOT HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE COPS PROGRAM HAS NOT FULFILLED ITS POTENTIAL ALTHOUGH THE PUBLIC HAS A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD THE PROGRAM. GREATER NEED EXISTS FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH, RECREATION PROGRAMS, OFFICER-CITIZEN INTERACTION, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION ACTIVITY, PUBLICATIONS EXPLAINING SERVICES, AND GREATER INTERACTION WITH BLOCK CLUBS, CHURCHES, AND CIVIC AND YOUTH GROUPS. AN OVERALL IMPRESSION EXISTS THAT COPS CAN HAVE A GREATER IMPACT ON CRIME. APPENDIXES CONTAIN MAPS OF COPS AND CONTROL AREAS, SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES, FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTIONS, TABLES DEPICTING BREAKDOWN BY TYPE OF CRIME BY MONTH (1975-1976), AND COMPARISON QUADRANTS OF COPS AND CONTROL AREAS (1975-1976). (KJM)