NCJ Number
102298
Date Published
1986
Length
158 pages
Annotation
An analysis of the costs and benefits of merging police and fire services presents a series of mathematical models that can compare services before and after a merger and applies them to data from the city of Roseville, a suburb of Detroit, Mich.
Abstract
Factors affecting the cost effectiveness of a merger are the numbers of police and fire personnel involved and the total workload and composition of fire calls and police patrol activities. Management decisions also affect costs. The models permit the quantitative analysis of the average response time of the first unit called to a fire and of the remaining personnel drawn from police patrol duty. Applying the models to data from Roseville showed that merging police and fire services would clearly improve response time to all police emergencies. During major fires, additional police personnel or aid from another jurisdiction would be needed. Merger would improve the initial response to fires, but would increase the time required for all needed personnel to arrive at the fire. Dispatch policies could significantly affect the delays, however. The change in the personnel required is not an adequate indicator of the merger costs. Management decisions on deployment and bonuses will also strongly affect savings from a merger. Figures, tables, and 32 references.