NCJ Number
68829
Journal
POLICE COLLEGE MAGAZINE Volume: 15 Issue: 2 Dated: (SPRING 1979) Pages: 33-38
Date Published
1979
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THIS BRITISH ARTICLE DISCUSSES POLICE ESTABLISHMENTS (THE MAXIMUM MANPOWER STRENGTH ALLOWED A POLICE AGENCY), DIFFICULTIES IN CALCULATING BOTH NATIONAL AND LOCAL ESTABLISHMENTS, AND WAYS TO INCREASE POLICE EFFICIENCY.
Abstract
AT THE PRESENT TIME, CHIEF CONSTABLES OF POLICE ESTABLISHMENTS ARE NECESSARY FOR THEIR AREAS. THE BRITISH NATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT AVERAGE IS CURRENTLY 1 OFFICER PER 471 CITIZENS, ALTHOUGH NO UNIFORM NATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT FIGURE EXISTS. VARIOUS FORMULAS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED IN THE PAST IN ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE A NATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT FIGURE. IN 1946, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT LISTED THE SIZE, POPULATION, STREET MILEAGE, AND CRIME RATE OF A JURISDICTION BEING PROTECTED AS FACTORS IN DETERMINING ITS POLICE ESTABLISHMENT, AND A FORMULA WAS SUBSEQUENTLY WORKED OUT FOR METROPOLITAN BUT NOT RURAL POLICE FORCES. FINALLY, AN EXTENSIVE GOVERNMENT SURVEY IN 1960 OF 30 CITY AND 16 RURAL POLICE FORCES CONCLUDED THAT ARRIVING AT A NATIONAL ESTABLISHEMT OR EVEN LOCAL ESTABLISHMENT FIGURES WAS IMPRACTICAL. INSTEAD, IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT ESTABLISHMENTS BE DETERMINED FOR EACH ELEMENT OF A POLICE FORCE: PATROL, TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, AND MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES. A FORMULA CONSIDERING POPULATION SIZE AND OTHER POLICE DISTRICT FACTORS MIGHT THEN BE APPLIED TO EACH POLICE FORCE ELEMENT, TO ARRIVE AT A NATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT FIGURE. HOWEVER, SINCE CHARACTERISTICS OF DISTRICTS VARY SO WIDELY, THIS IDEA WAS ABANDONED, AFTER WHICH INTEREST SWITCHED FROM DETERMINING A NATIONAL FORMULA TO MORE EFFICIENT USE OF EXISTING POLICE FORCES. IN RECENT YEARS, POLICE DUTIES HAVE MARKEDLY INCREASED, INCREASING THEREBY THE POSSIBILITIES FOR INEFFICIENCY. ALTHOUGH CITIZENS WILL NOT TOLERATE LOWER LEVELS OF PATROLLING (EVEN IF LOWER LEVELS ARE SUFFICIENT), CUTTING DOWN POLICE PAPER WORK AND OTHER NONENFORCEMENT DUTIES MAY INCREASE DEPLOYMENT EFFICIENCY WITHOUT REDUCING PATROL STRENGTH. EFFICIENCY MAY ALSO BE INCREASED BY RETURNING TO FOOT PATROLS (THE BEST CRIME DETERRENTS), USING COMPUTERS, AND BETTER USE OF WOMEN POLICE OFFICERS. AN APPENDIX OF SUGGESTED FORMULAS AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 10 REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.