NCJ Number
62514
Date Published
1979
Length
21 pages
Annotation
THE CASE HISTORIES ARE DESCRIBED WHICH ILLUSTRATE THE WORK BEING DONE WITH 27 STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES BY THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY (CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY) UNDER A GRANT FROM LEAA.
Abstract
THIS PROGRESS REPORT COVERS A PART OF THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WORK IN LEAA'S OVERALL PROGRAM OF ASSISTANCE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE JURISDICTIONS. THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF LOCAL AND STATE AGENCIES BY APPLYING MODERN TECHNIQUES TO THE ANALYSIS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS. IN ONE OF THE PROJECTS DESCRIBED, QUEUEING ANALYSIS SHOWED SEVERAL WAYS OF IMPROVING TIME OF RESPONSE TO INQUIRIES MADE TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FROM THE FIELD. INQUIRIES WERE PRINCIPALLY FOR LICENSE PLATE CHECKS AND FOR INFORMATION ON CURRENT WANTS AND WARRANTS FROM OFFICERS AND OTHER AGENCIES, THROUGH A STATE MULTIPLE-SWITCHER NETWORK. THE TASK ALSO DEVELOPED DESIGN CRITERIA FOR NEW, MORE EFFICIENT CENTRALIZED SWITCHING EQUIPMENT FOR THE DEPARTMENT. ANOTHER CASE HISTORY TRACES THE APPLICATION OF ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE TO THE MESSAGE-LOAD PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY THE NASSAU COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT (NEW YORK) IN ITS DISPATCH CENTER, SHOWING THAT ITS COMMUNICATIONS COULD BE IMPROVED BY ADDING COMMUNICATIONS CHANNELS RATHER THAN PEOPLE. FIGURES AND TABLES ARE INCLUDED AND AN APPENDIX LISTS OTHER LEAA PROJECTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MJW)