NCJ Number
94922
Date Published
1984
Length
72 pages
Annotation
Intended as a practical guide for persons interested in establishing a foot patrol program, this manual addresses the nature of foot patrol; its benefits; and its financing, planning, and implementation.
Abstract
Most of the recommendations are derived from an effective experimental foot patrol program conducted in Flint, Mich., between 1978 and 1981. Because the establishment of such a program requires community support, the initial step before developing a formal proposal is information gathering (analyzing the community, identifying relevant systems, identifying leaders, and bringing leaders together). After a foot patrol proposal is developed from the information obtained, this proposal should be presented at a citywide meeting for citizen input, followed by neighborhood meetings that further provide 'grassroots' input on the proposal. A second citywide meeting is held to make the proposal final. The manual explains procedures for obtaining foot patrol funding from both public and private sources and discusses the selection and training of officers. The final section considers the management and supervison of foot patrol, including the command structure, departmental relations, communications, matching the officer to the beat, and special supervisory problems associated with foot patrol. The appendixes contain a list of projects undertaken by officers in the Flint foot patrol program, a community analysis worksheet, foot officer information sheets, supervisory forms, and a waiver-of-liability form. A five-item bibliography is included.