NCJ Number
63956
Editor(s)
G HOWARD
Date Published
1979
Length
0 pages
Annotation
THESE TYPES COMPRISE A TWO-PART DEBATE ON LAW ENFORCEMENT PHILOSOPHIES BETWEEN EDWARD DAVIS, FORMER CHIEF OF POLICE, LOS ANGELES, AND PATRICK MURPHY, PRESIDENT OF THE POLICE FOUNDATION.
Abstract
THE DEBATE IS MODERATED BY CLARENCE KELLEY, FORMER FBI DIRECTOR, AND THE AUDIENCE CONSISTS OF 80 INFLUENTIAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATORS. TOPICS, INCLUDING THOSE RAISED BY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE, ARE THE EFFECT OF INFLATION AND TAX-REDUCTION MEASURES SUCH AS 'PROPOSITION 13' ON LAW ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION; CRIME RATE STATISTICS; POLICE AGENCY PROFESSIONALISM; POLICE SUPPORT FOR HANDGUN CONTROL; EFFECTS OF MINIMUM SENTENCING; POLICE USE OF DEADLY FORCE; POLITICAL INFLUENCES ON POLICE CHIEFS; POLICE BUDGETS; AFFIRMATIVE ACTION; HOMOSEXUALITY AND VICTIMLESS CRIMES; AND THE EFFECTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE AND THE POLICE FOUNDATION. AREAS OF DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE THE POSSIBILITY OF PROFESSIONALIZED 10 TO 20-MAN DEPARTMENTS, ABOLITION OF HANDGUNS, HIRING OF HOMOSEXUALS AS POLICE OFFICERS, AND ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS INVOLVING VICTIMLESS CRIMES. BOTH PARTICIPANTS STRONGLY RECOMMEND IMPROVEMENTS IN POLICE MANAGEMENT INCLUDING ESTABLISHMENT OF A POLICE NETWORK, IMPROVED DATA GATHERING AS IN THE STUDY OF THE CAREER CRIMINAL, IMPROVED DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION, A PUBLIC BELIEF THAT CRIME CAN BE CONTROLLED, REMOVAL OF POLICE CHIEFS FROM EXCESSIVE POLITICAL INFLUENCE BUT NOT FROM ACCOUNTABILITY, A MORE REPRESENTATIVE POLICE FORCE, AND IMPROVED INTELLIGENCE--GATHERING UNITS. IMPROVED POLICE MANGEMENT AND STATE AND FEDERAL ASSISTANCE ALSO WERE ADVOCATED. (AOP)