NCJ Number
87533
Date Published
1982
Length
580 pages
Annotation
This textbook covers aspects of police patrol ranging from ethical concerns to recordkeeping, criminal identification and interrogation, and tactics for handling various emergency calls.
Abstract
An analysis of the Law Enforcement Code of Ethics emphasizes how field officers can translate the code into practice. Following a short history of patrol work, the book identifies the types of patrol used by modern police departments (air, automobile, boat, dog, foot, horse, motorcycle, and television). The author reviews patrol preparation from the time officers leave home until they check out their vehicles. A discussion of communications explores field telephone, teletype, and computer systems. Techniques for improving an officer's observation skills include 'attention getters' to assist visual perception. The text addresses crime scene reporting, particularly notetaking techniques, scene measurement, sketching, and photography. A review of criminal identification considers historical techniques, such as the Portrait Parle or 'speaking picture' developed by Bertillon. The legal aspects of field identification, proper interrogation, vehicle pursuit and search techniques, and police weapons use are discussed. The text offers guidelines for handling all types of crime calls. The final chapter discusses the patrol officer's courtroom testimony and demeanor. Photographs, diagrams, and references accompany each chapter; an index is provided.