NCJ Number
11430
Date Published
1973
Length
125 pages
Annotation
EXAMINATION OF TEAM POLICING APPROACHES IN SEVEN CITIES, ANALYZING PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED IN PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION.
Abstract
THE CONCEPT OF TEAM POLICING IS GENERALLY INTENDED TO STRIKE A NEW BALANCE BETWEEN THE NEEDS FOR POLICE CENTRALIZATION FOR EFFICIENCY AND COMMUNITY NEEDS FOR POLICE DECENTRALIZATION IN ORDER TO INCREASE RESPONSIVENESS TO THE PROBLEMS OF CITIZENS. IN THEORY, TEAM POLICING CALLS FOR REORGANIZATION OF THE PATROL FORCE TO INCLUDE ONE OR MORE QUASI-AUTONOMOUS TEAMS, WITH A JOINT PURPOSE OF IMPROVING TOTAL POLICE SERVICES TO A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD AND INCREASING JOB SATISFACTION OF THE PATROL OFFICERS. THIS STUDY EXAMINES TEAM POLICING AS IT WAS EXPERIENCED IN SEVEN CITIES - HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA, DAYTON, SYRACUSE, DETROIT, LOS ANGELES, AND NEW YORK CITY. SOME PRELIMINARY INDICATIONS ARE GIVEN OF WHY TEAM POLICING HAS WORKED BETTER IN SOME CITIES THAN IN OTHERS. THE REPORTS, WHICH ARE SUBJECTIVE ACCOUNTS BY EYE-WITNESS RESEARCHERS, CONTAIN A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE CITY AND THE DEPARTMENT AND A DESCRIPTION OF THAT PARTICULAR TEAM PROGRAM, PINPOINTING INDIVIDUAL SUCCESSES AND SHORTCOMINGS.