NCJ Number
67901
Journal
Police Product News Volume: 3 Issue: 11 Dated: (NOVEMBER 1979) Pages: 16,17,52,56-58,80
Date Published
1979
Length
7 pages
Annotation
TACTICS AND ADVENTURES OF THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT (NYPD) STREET CRIME UNIT ARE RELATED.
Abstract
SINCE 1971 THE NYPD STREET CRIME UNIT HAS GROWN TO 340 OFFICERS AND SUPERVISORS APPORTIONED AMONG 8 SQUADS THAT ARE FURTHER SUBDIVIDED INTO TEAMS OF 2, 3, AND 4. EACH SQUAD IS COMMANDED BY A LIEUTENANT WHO IS ASSISTED BY SERGEANTS IN PROVIDING FIELD SUPERVISION AND COORDINATION TO THE TEAMS DEPLOYED EACH EVENING IN THE HIGH CRIME PRECINCTS OF THE CITY. THE UNIT'S SUCCESS IS DEMONSTRATED BY ITS 29,000 ARRESTS WITH MORE THAN 25,000 IN THE FELONY GRADE. THE OVERALL CONVICTION RATE IS 85 PERCENT. MOREOVER, THE DECOYS HAVE EFFECTIVELY PLACED MUGGERS AND PURSE SNATCHERS ON THE DEFENSIVE BY FORCING THEM TO CONSIDER THAT ANY POTENTIAL VICTIM MAY BE, IN REALITY, AN ARMED OFFICER. MEMBERS OF THE STREET CRIME UNIT DRESS IN CIVILIAN CLOTHES AND, AFTER TRAINING IN DRAMATIC TECHNIQUES AND MAKEUP APPLICATION, CAN PERFORM A WIDE VARIETY OF ROLES. THE DISGUISED OFFICERS THEN PATROL A PREDETERMINED AREA AS NORMAL CITIZENS. SUCCESS DEPENDS ON ANONYMITY. IN ADDITION, BOTH THE DECOY AND THE EVERPRESENT BACKUP TEAM (ALSO DISGUISED) MUST BE SKILLED IN ACTING AND HAVE AN EXCELLENT SENSE OF TIMING. THE OFFICERS MUST ALSO BE PREPARED TO INSTANTLY IDENTIFY THEMSELVES DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, ESPECIALLY IN RESPONDING TO PRECINCT OFFICERS WHO MAY NOT KNOW THEM. ELASTIC HEADBANDS ARE ISSUED TO EACH STREET CRIME UNIT MEMBER, WITH A COLOR OF THE DAY BEING DETERMINED AND RELAYED OVER THE DEPARTMENT TELETYPE NETWORK TO ALL COMMANDS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. VEHICLES USED BY THE UNITS ARE CAREFULLY CAMOUFLAGED TO LOOK LIKE NORMAL CARS ON THE STREET WITH RADIOS BROADCASTING BASEBALL GAMES. NOT ONLY HAVE THESE TACTICS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN CAPTURING CRIMINALS, BUT THE WORK HAS ALSO BEEN HIGHLY POPULAR AMONG OFFICERS WHO ENJOY THE ADVENTURE, THE INGENUITY, AND THE CHALLENGE. SEVERAL ADVENTURES ARE RELATED IN THE TEXT.