NCJ Number
44100
Journal
URBAN DATA SERVICE REPORT Volume: 9 Issue: 9 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1977) Pages: COMPLETE ISSUE
Date Published
1977
Length
12 pages
Annotation
CHARACTERISTICS OF INTEGRATED POLICE-FIRE OPERATIONS IN 24 CITIES ARE SUMMARIZED, INCLUDING PLANNING BACKGROUND, USE OF PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT, TRAINING, AND REASONS FOR CONSOLIDATION.
Abstract
OF 56 CITIES RESPONDING TO A 1977 SURVEY OF ALL CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OF 10,000 AND OVER, 11 REPORT FULL CONSOLIDATION OF POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES INTO A DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY. IN ADDITION, 5 REPORT PARTIAL CONSOLIDATION, 2 REPORT CONSOLIDATION IN SELECTED GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS, 6 HAVE FUNCTIONAL CONSOLIDATION (E.G., FIREFIGHTER HELPING WITH POLICE ADMINISTRATIVE TASKS), AND 19 REPORT NOMINAL CONSOLIDATION. OF THE 24 CITIES WITH FULL, PARTIAL, SELECTED AREA, OR FUNCTIONAL CONSOLIDATION, 15 ARE IN THE 10,000-24,999 POPULATION RANGE AND 3 HAVE POPULATIONS BETWEEN 100,000 AND 249,999. ALL HAVE THE COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT. MORE CONSOLIDATIONS TOOK PLACE BETWEEN 1970 AND 1976 THAN IN ANY OTHER TIME PERIOD. AMONG PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN PLANNING FOR CONSOLIDATION ARE THOSE RELATED TO RESEARCH OF LEGAL PROVISIONS (E.G., PENSION AND CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS), THE NEED TO SECURE PROPER LEADERSHIP, THE CUSTOM OF SEPARATE POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES, RESISTANCE TO CHANGE, CROSS-TRAINING OF PERSONNEL, PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, ADAPTATION OF FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT, AND FINANCIAL ASPECTS. SOURCES OF OPPOSITION TO CONSOLIDATION AND CONVENTIONAL ARGUMENTS AGAINST INTEGRATION ARE NOTED. THE USE OF PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT IN CONSOLIDATED ORGANIZATIONS IS DISCUSSED, WITH REFERENCE TO SALARY RANGES, BUDGETS, TRAINING, AND TASK ASSIGNMENT PRACTICES UNDER THE VARIOUS FORMS OF CONSOLIDATION. TWELVE TABLES ARE INCLUDED.