NCJ Number
69218
Date Published
1980
Length
26 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT EVALUATES VIRGINIA BEACH INTEGRATED CRIMINAL APPREHENSION PROGRAM (ICAP) WHICH USES A STRUCTURAL APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT AND THE INTEGRATION OF POLICE SERVICES.
Abstract
FUNDED BY A LEAA GRANT, THE ICAP IS BASED ON A DECISIONMAKING MODEL WHICH LINKS THE FUNCTIONS OF DATA COLLECTION, ANALYSIS, PLANNING, AND SERVICE DELIVERY. IT ALSO REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT TO ENGAGE IN FORMAL PLANNING TO MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON EMPIRICAL INFORMATION. THE EVALUATION OF PHASE 1, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED BY THE CENTER FOR URBAN RESEARCH AND SERVICE, OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY, COLLECTED DATA THROUGH (1) ANALYSIS OF POLICE DEPARTMENT RECORDS, (2) SURVEYS OF VIRGINIA BEACH RESIDENTS, CITIZENS WHO NEEDED POLICE SERVICE, AND POLICE PERSONNEL, (3) ONSITE OBSERVATIONS OF THE CRIME ANALYSIS UNITS, AND (4) REVIEW OF STEERING COMMITTEE MINUTES AND RECOMMENDATIONS. THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES OF THE EVALUATING ACTIVITIES WERE ON THE WHOLE, POSITIVE. POLICE JOB SATISFACTION WAS HIGH; CITIZEN USERS OF THE NEW TELEPHONE REPORTING UNIT WERE VERY PLEASED WITH THE SERVICE; CITIZENS REPORTING OFFENSES IN PERSON WERE HIGHLY SATISFIED WITH POLICE RESPONSE TIME AND OFFICER ACTION; AND A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 331 VIRGINIA BEACH RESIDENTS REPORTED VERY POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE POLICE IN A RANDOM TELEPHONE SURVEY. HOWEVER, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE QUALITY OF OFFENSE REPORTS NEEDED IMPROVEMENT, THAT THE CRIME ANALYSIS UNIT AND INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION WAS NOT USED TO FULL CAPACITY, AND THAT THE MAJOR OFFENDER UNIT NEEDED ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL, FEEDBACK, AND TECHNIQUES TO MEET ITS OBJECTIVES. A SECOND POLICE OFFICER SATISFACTION SURVEY CONDUCTED IN FEBRUARY 1980 SHOWED AN OVERALL INCREASE OF SATISFACTION FROM 1979 TO 1980.