NCJ Number
11516
Journal
POLICE LAW QUARTERLY Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (OCTOBER 1973) Pages: 13-27
Date Published
1973
Length
15 pages
Annotation
RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF 122 DEPARTMENTS SHOWING THE EXTENT OF POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS SERVICES AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE WORK UNITS PROVIDING THEM.
Abstract
QUESTIONNAIRES REGARDING POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS (PC-R) SERVICES WERE SENT TO 122 MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS WITH 300 OR MORE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES. THE RESULTS OF DATA COLLECTION SHOW THAT THE TYPICAL PC-R UNIT IS LESS THAN FIVE YEARS OLD. MOST UNITS OPERATE WITHIN A DEPARTMENT THAT REQUIRED ALMOST 13 HOURS OF PC-R IN-SERVICE TRAINING FOR ALL OR MOST OF ITS COMMISSIONED PERSONNEL DURING 1972 AND 15.5 HOURS OF TRAINING DURING 1973. THE MINIMUM LEVEL OF EDUCATION REQUIRED BY MOST DEPARTMENTS FOR ASSIGNMENT OF COMMISSIONED OFFICERS TO FULL TIME DUTY IN THE UNIT IS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION OR ITS GENERAL EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT EQUIVALENT. THE TYPICAL UNIT DOES NOT HAVE A COMMUNITY RELATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPOSED OF CITIZENS FROM THE COMMUNITY. MOST OF THE SERVICES OFFERED BY PC-R UNITS ARE OF A HELPING NATURE AND INCLUDE ACTIVITIES COORDINATED WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE AGENCIES, SCHOOL LIAISON WORK, YOUTH SERVICES, AND COUNSELING SERVICES TO CITIZENS. OTHER TIME IS LARGELY DEVOTED TO ADMINISTRATION OF THE WORK UNIT. A SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE US INCLUDED.