NCJ Number
119872
Date Published
Unknown
Length
22 pages
Annotation
Organizational options for suburban police departments are examined in terms of the economic criteria of productive efficiency, allocative efficiency, and externalities, with emphasis on ways of fully or partially consolidating police departments to improve the provision of police services.
Abstract
Consolidation into large departments means that departments can afford outside counsel, fulltime persons to seek grants, and other professionals, although some communities and local politicians might oppose large departments. In contrast, partial coordination of functions would permit combining services that produce economies of scale and do not face objections from particular communities. In addition, joint purchasing of uniforms and equipment or establishment of a regional records and identification system could provide savings. Another approach is to have a central agency control some of the allocation of anti-crime resources in accordance with local needs. A final approach is to have an interjurisdictional tax-subsidy scheme. Such a scheme could successfully combat the rising problem of criminals from the city operating in the suburbs but would not change the organizational structure of police departments. A State or metropolitan government could apply such a scheme in several ways. Figures and 31 references.