PHILADELPHIA - POLICE DEPARTMENT - NORTHWESTERN PHILADELPHIA STRIKE FORCE - ACT (ANTI-CRIME TEAM) 3 FINAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 30677
• Author(s): D COOPER; J COOPER; M MCCARTHY; D PICKARD; J QUINN
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 65 pages
• Grant Number(s): 73-DF-03-0010
• Contract Number(s): PSM-74C-2-S-101
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; Pennsylvania Governor's Justice Cmssn; Philadelphia Mayor's Criminal Justice Improvement Team
• Corporate Author: Police and Security Management Consultants
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

EVALUATION OF THE TACTICAL SUCCESS, ORGANIZATION, TRAINING AND OPERATION OF THREE HIGHLY MOBILE AND FLEXIBLE STRIKE FORCE TEAMS WHOSE MAIN MISSION IT IS TO REDUCE ROBBERY AND BURGLARY IN HARDENED TARGET AREAS.

Abstract

THE MAIN THRUST OF THE REPORT IS TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF QUESTIONNAIRES FILLED OUT BY THE ANTI-CRIME TEAM (ACT) PERSONNEL REGARDING THE ORGANIZATION, OPERATION, TRAINING AND COMPLIANCE WITH STATED GRANT OBJECTIVES BY THE ACTS. THE SURVEY RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE ACT PERSONNEL BELIEVED THEY WERE REDUCING TARGET CRIMES EVEN THOUGH PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT STATISTICS DO NOT SUPPORT THIS. THE MOTIVATION AND ENTHUSIASM OF ACT PERSONNEL IS HIGH; PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT ARE WELL FOLLOWED AND OPERATIONALLY THE UNITS FUNCTION SMOOTHLY. THE UNITS DO NOT COMPLY CLOSELY WITH GRANT OBJECTIVES IN THE AREAS OF TARGET HARDENING AND CRIME PREVENTION TECHNIQUES AND TACTICS. THE RESEARCHERS RECOMMEND CONTINUANCE OF THE THREE ACT UNITS, BUT STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REDEFINE THE PROJECT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, AMEND THE CUMBERSOME VEHICLE AND UNIFORM RESTRICTIONS NOW ON ONE OF THE TEAMS. PROVIDE THE UNITS WITH MORE AND BETTER CRIMINAL INFORMATION, AND ESTABLISH MORE MEANINGFUL MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS TO TEST AND MONITOR THE PROJECTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)