SURVEY AND ANALYSIS OF SPECAL POLICE SERVICES IN LARGE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF THE UNITED STATES

• NCJ Number: 53427
• Author(s): J SURRATT
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 290 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DUKE UNIVERSITY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

A NATIONWIDE SURVEY OF LARGE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND 383 CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WAS CONDUCTED TO STUDY THE USE OF SPECIAL POLICE SERVICES IN MAINTAINING SCHOOL SECURITY.

Abstract

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF STUDY WERE AS FOLLOWS: (1) TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH SPECIAL POLICE SERVICES AND SCHOOL SECURITY MEASURES WERE UTILIZED; (2) TO DETERMINE WHERE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICE SERVICES LIES; AND (3) TO EXAMINE THE DESIRABILITY OF UTILIZING SPECIAL POLICE SERVICES. THE RESPONSES OF SCHOOL AND POLICE OFFICIALS WERE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY AS THEY RELATED TO POLICE SERVCES IN SIX AREAS: AFTER-SCHOOL EVENTS, BUILDING AND GROUNDS PROTECTION AFTER SCHOOL HOURS, SCHOOL ARRIVAL-DEPARTURE SAFETY, HALL AND GROUNDS PATROLLING DURING THE DAY, INSTRUCTION OR COUNSELING, AND SECURITY MEASURES TAKEN BY LARGE SCHOOL SYSTEMS. WHEN APPLICABLE, POLICE AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS' RESPONSES WERE COMPARED TO DETERMINE THEIR INTERSUBJECTIVITY. THE MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE SURVEY INDICATED THAT MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THE LARGE SCHOOLS SYSTEMS USED THE SERVICES OF LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS FOR PROTECTION AT AFTER-SCHOOL EVENTS AND SCHOOL ARRIVAL-DEPARTURE SAFETY, AND FEWER THAN HALF USED THE OTHER SPECIAL POLICE SERVCES. MOST SPECIAL POLICE SERVICES WERE ONLY RECENTLY ESTABLISHED, AND THEIR USE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY BETWEEN 1960 AND 1973. DISAGREEMENT GENERALLY EXISTED BETWEEN SUPERINTENDENTS AND CHIEFS OF POLICE CONCERNING THE PROPER SOURCE OF FISCAL AND SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY FOR SPECIAL POLICE SERVICES, AND MOST OF THE LARGE SCHOOL SYSTEMS HAD USED SCHOOL SECURITY FORCES, INSTALLED SECURITY DEVICES, AND MANY (20 PERCENT) HAD USED UNDERCOVER AGENTS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT BETTER COMMUNICATION BE ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE POLICE AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND THAT POLICE AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS COOPERATE IN DETERMINING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR POLICE-SCHOOL SERVICES. APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE STUDY INSTRUMENTS AND MAPS IDENTIFYING THE LOCATION OF RESPONDING SCHOOLS AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS. (DAG)