NCJ Number
62678
Date Published
1977
Length
90 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE USE OF CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS AND INTENSIFIED POLICE PATROL IN REDUCING BANK ROBBERIES IN SOME MONTREAL, CANADA, POLICE PRECINCTS.
Abstract
IN RESPONSE TO AN ALARMING INCREASE IN BANK ROBBERIES IN MONTREAL, THE JOINT COMMITTEE ON BANK ROBBERIES WAS FORMED IN MARCH 1976 THROUGH THE COMBINED INITIATIVES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CANADIAN BANKERS' ASSOCIATION. THE COMMITTEE'S FIRST PROJECT WAS TESTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS IN BANK BRANCHES AND OF INTENSIFIED PREVENTIVE POLICE PATROL. TWO TEST PRECINCTS WERE DESIGNATED AND TWO OTHER PRECINCTS, LOCATED BETWEEN THE CAMERA PRECINCTS, RECEIVED SPECIAL POLICE PATROL. THE TEST PERIOD RAN FROM SEPTEMBER TO MARCH, CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST ACTIVE TIME FOR BANK ROBBERS. EACH BANK BRANCH IN THE DESIGNATED PRECINCTS WAS EQUIPPED WITH A 16 MILLIMETER CAMERA WHICH TOOK PHOTOGRAPHS AT REGULAR INTERVALS VARYING FROM 15 TO 18 SECONDS. DURING THE PERIOD EXAMINED, A CLEAR REDUCTION IN BANK ROBBERIES WAS NOTICED IN THESE PRECINCTS. THE CLEARANCE RATE FOR ROBBERIES THAT DID OCCUR WAS INCREASED, LARGELY DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL HELP OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ROBBERS. NO DIFFERENCE IN ROBBERY RATES WAS SHOWN BETWEEN THE PRECINCTS WITH SPECIAL POLICE PATROL AND OTHER PRECINCTS. WHILE THE UNIVERSAL USE OF THE CAMERAS IS NOT RECOMMENDED, CAMERAS CAN BE USED EFFECTIVELY IN AREAS WHERE BANK ROBBERIES ARE EXCESSIVE. (RCB)