NCJ Number
45248
Journal
Police Magazine Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 20-23,26-30
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE RELATIVE SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY OF ONE-MAN VERSUS TWO-MAN PATROLS ARE DISCUSSED, WITH REFERENCE TO EVIDENCE SUPPORTING EACH SIDE OF THE DEBATE.
Abstract
IN CITIES WHERE ONE-MAN PATROL PREDOMINATES, THERE IS PERSISTENT PRESSURE FROM POLICE UNIONS AND FROM THE RANK AND FILE TO MOVE TOWARD TWO-MAN CARS. IN MANY CITIES WHERE TWO-MAN CARS PREDOMINATE, THERE IS PRESSURE FROM POLICE ADMINISTRATORS CONCERNED ABOUT PATROL COVERAGE AND FROM CITY OFFICIALS CONCERNED ABOUT TAX RATES TO USE ONE-MAN CARS WHEREVER POSSIBLE. EACH SIDE OF THE DEBATE CLAIMS THAT ITS SYSTEM IS SAFER AND MORE EFFICIENT. A YEAR-LONG STUDY OF THE SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT CONCLUDED THAT ONE-MAN CARS WERE SAFER AND MORE COST-EFFECTIVE THAN TWO-MAN UNITS. DESPITE THE SAN DIEGO FINDINGS, JUDGMENTS AS TO HOW MANY OFFICERS TO ASSIGN TO A PATROL CAR CONTINUE TO BE SUBJECTIVE. THE EXPERIENCE OF OLDER EASTERN AND MIDWESTERN CITIES INDICATES A GENERAL PREFERENCE FOR THE TWO-OFFICER PATROL. THE PATTERN IN MOST CITIES WITH HIGH CRIME RATES IS TO USE A MIXTURE OF ONE- AND TWO-OFFICER UNITS ON THE DAY SHIFT AND ALL TWO-OFFICER UNITS ON EVENING AND LATE-NIGHT SHIFTS. NEW YORK CITY HAD USED ALL TWO-MAN UNITS DAY AND NIGHT IN ALL NEIGHBORHOODS FOR 15 YEARS, BUT WAS FORCED BY FINANCIAL LIMITATIONS TO CONVERT PARTIALLY TO A ONE-OFFICER SYSTEM IN 1977. DETAILS OF THE SAN DIEGO STUDY ARE REVIEWED. LEADING PROPONENTS OF BOTH SIDES OF THE DEBATE ARE QUOTED.