NEW BREED OF COP

• NCJ Number: 48601
• Author(s): T SHACHTMAN; M K BUCHER; J W SHORT
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 0 pages
• Corporate Author: Capital Cities Communications, Inc
• Sale Source: MTI; Not Available Through National Institute of Justice/NCJRS Document Loan Program
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. 27 MINUTES, 16MM COLOR, 1974 THE KIT CONTAINS A FILM AND A 26-PAGE INSTRUCTOR'S GUIDE

Annotation

A KANSAS CITY, MO., EXPERIMENT TESTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ROUTINE POLICE PATROL AND A CINCINNATI, OHIO, EXPERIMENT IN DECENTRALIZED POLICE DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT ARE DESCRIBED IN THIS FILM.

Abstract

THIS KANSAS CITY PATROL EXPERIMENT WHICH CHALLENGES THE ASSUMPTION OF ROUTINE POLICE PATROL WAS INTENDED TO FIND OUT IF POLICE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND IF THEIR PATROL HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE CRIME RATES. THE CITY WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE SECTIONS WITH EQUAL CRIME RATES. IN ONE SECTION, THE LEVEL OF PATROL ACTIVITY WAS THE SAME AS USUAL; IN ANOTHER, THE LEVEL OF PATROL WAS TRIPLED; AND IN THE THIRD, THERE WAS NO PATROL, EXCEPT WHEN THE POLICE WERE CALLED IN FOR AN EMERGENCY. THE LEVEL OF CRIME REMAINED THE SAME IN EACH AREA, REGARDLESS OF THE LEVEL OF PATROL. THE OFFICERS DISCOVERED THAT 60 PERCENT OF THEIR TIME WAS SPENT JUST RIDING AROUND, NOT REALLY DOING ANYTHING. THE EXPERIMENT WAS ALSO USED TO FIND A MEANS FOR A BETTER ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES AND SUGGESTIONS MADE BY OFFICERS ON THE STREET INCLUDE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PEER REVIEW BOARD TO HOLD HEARINGS ON OFFICERS WHO HAVE HAD TOO MANY CAR ACCIDENTS OR TOO MANY COMPLAINTS FILED AGAINST THEM. THE KANSAS CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS FOUND TO BE ALMOST FREE OF CORRUPTION, WITH OVER 50 PERCENT OF ITS OFFICERS EITHER ATTENDING COLLEGE OR HOLDING DEGREES. THERE WAS ALSO AN INCREASED CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAM, AND THE OFFICERS WERE ENCOURAGED TO UTILIZE COMMUNITY RESOURCES. IN CINCINNATI, THE EXPERIMENT DIVIDED THE CITY INTO SIX SECTORS WITH A POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBLE FOR EACH AREA. THE DEPARTMENTS WERE ARRANGED ACCORDING TO MANAGEMENT BY OBJECTIVES. THE OFFICERS WERE ENCOURAGED TO USE THEIR TIME EFFECTIVELY, AND TO DEVOTE MORE TIME TO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. EACH SECTOR WAS ALLOWED TO FORM ITS OWN DETECTIVE FORCE, WITH STRICT TRAINING AND PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS. SIXTY PERCENT OF THE POLICE FORCE HAS SOME KIND OF COLLEGE TRAINING. THE INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICER WAS ENCOURAGED TO DEVELOP CONTACTS WITH STOOLIES AND INFORMANTS ON THEIR OWN BEATS, WHICH WILL POSSIBLY REDUCE CRIME AND IMPROVE THE IMAGE OF THE POLICE. AN INSTRUCTOR'S GUIDE IS INCLUDED. (BAC)