NCJ Number
69453
Date Published
1979
Length
0 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY EXAMINES COOPERATION AMONG LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN THE ST. LOUIS-ST. LOUIS COUNTY AREA AND THE EFFECT OF THAT COOPERATION ON POLICE PERFORMANCE.
Abstract
IN ORDER TO ASCERTAIN THE NUMBER AND VARIETY OF INTERJURISDICTIONAL COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS EXISTING IN THE ST. LOUIS AREA, INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH MORE THAN 50 OFFICERS (INCLUDING CHIEFS) WITHIN 28 POLICE DEPARTMENTS. A STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE WAS ADMINISTERED IN EACH CASE, BUT RESPONDENTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO ELABORATE ON THEIR ANSWERS SO THAT AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE COULD BE OBTAINED ABOUT PATTERNS OF COOPERATION. ADDITITONAL INFORMATION WAS GATHERED BY TELEPHONE, BY MAIL, AND FROM 1970 CENSUS SUMMARIES AND OTHER REPORTS PREPARED BY STATE AND PRIVATE AGENCIES. THE STUDY FOUND THAT INFORMATION EXCHANGE AGREEMENTS AND MUTUAL AID AGREEMENTS ACCOUNT FOR 82 PERCENT OF THE AGREEMENTS. OTHER TYPES OF COOPERATION INCLUDE ROAD BLOCK AGREEMENTS, POLICE RADIO TIE-INS, AND LABORATORY SHARING. TWENTY-THREE CONTIGUOUS DEPARTMENTS COOPERATED FREQUENTLY WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS AND A MAJORITY HAD UNWRITTEN (INFORMAL) AGREEMENTS (23 OUT OF 28). FOR ALL AGREEMENTS WITH ALL DEPARTMENTS (CONTIGUOUS AND OTHERWISE), 26 OF THE 28 DEPARTMENTS HAD UNWRITTEN AGREEMENTS. MUTUAL AID ACCOUNTS FOR ONLY 18 PERCENT OF THE UNWRITTEN COOPERATION, WHEREAS INFORMATION EXCHANGES ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN TWICE THAT AMOUNT. POLICE PERFORMANCE WAS SHOWN TO BE ENHANCED UNDER INFORMAL COOPERATIVE ARRANGEMENTS. THE MAJOR CASE SQUAD OF GREATER ST. LOUIS, A COOPERATIVE EFFORT OF 48 POLICE AGENCIES REPRESENTING 5 MISSOURI AND 3 ILLINOIS COUNTIES AND THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS OF GREATER ST. LOUIS, ARE DESCRIBED. THE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS, THE TEXT OF THE CURRENT MANDATORY TRAINING REVISION TO STATE LAW, CHAPTER NOTES, AND OVER 100 REFERENCES ARE APPENDED.