PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAMS - CONSOLIDATING POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES

• NCJ Number: 66250
• Journal: Popular Government Volume: 45 Issue: 1 Dated: (SUMMER 1979) Pages: 1-8,33
• Author(s): R G LYNCH; V LORD
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Government
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PROS AND CONS OF CONSOLIDATING POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES ARE EXAMINED BY DESCRIBING THE IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAMS IN THREE NORTH CAROLINA CITIES.

Abstract

THE NUMEROUS WAYS IN WHICH PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS (PSOS) FUNCTION IN COMMUNITIES WITH CONSOLIDATED FIRE AND POLICE SERVICES ARE DESCRIBED. SOME PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAMS EMPHASIZE THE POLICE FUNCTION. FOR EXAMPLE, FIRE PERSONNEL ARE ASSIGNED TO SERVE AS BACK-UP FOR POLICE, TO HELP THEM AT THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT OR TO CONTROL CROWDS AT THE SCENE OF A MAJOR CRIME. OTHER PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAMS GIVE PRIMARY EMPHASIS TO FIRE PROTECTION--POLICE OFFICERS ASSIST FIREFIGHTERS DURING A FIRE BY PERFORMING SUPPORT TASKS THAT ARE ASSIGNED BY THE FIREFIGHTERS. FIVE TYPES OF CONSOLIDATION ARE BRIEFLY DESCRIBED: FULL CONSOLIDATION, PARTIAL CONSOLIDATION, SELECTED-AREA CONSOLIDATION, FUNCTIONAL CONSOLIDATION, AND NOMINAL CONSOLIDATION. THE ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAMS IN THE NORTH CAROLINA CITIES OF WINSTON-SALEM, DURHAM, AND CHAPEL HILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING DISDAVANTAGES: OPERATION UNDER DUAL SUPERVISION, LACK OF FLEXIBILITY IN UTILIZATION OF PSOS, HIGHER COSTS THAN IN OPERATING SEPARATE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS, THE STRONG PREFERENCE OF PSOS FOR POLICE DUTY, AND DIMINISHMENT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR SECONDARY EMPLOYMENT BY FIREFIGHTERS WHOSE WORKWEEK GROWS LONGER. ADVANTAGES INCLUDE IMPROVEMENT IN BOTH POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES, BETTER PUBLIC RELATIONS STEMMING FROM INCREASED CONTACT OF PSOS WITH THE PUBLIC, GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER ENRICHMENT AND FOR PROMOTION, AND GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND COST EFFECTIVENESS. THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION TO A PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM REQUIRES THE SATISFACTION OF PUBLIC CONCERN OVER MAINTENANCE OF QUALITY SERVICES, THE GATHERING OF DATA ON EXISTING FIRE AND POLICE SERVICES, CAREFUL PLANNING, AND NEW MANAGERIAL APPROACHES INVOLVING THE DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY. FOOTNOTES AND A TABLE ARE PROVIDED. (DEG)