NCJ Number
62515
Date Published
1979
Length
32 pages
Annotation
THE PROCESS OF ANALYZING ONE SPECIFIC PROJECT FOR COMBINING THE COMMUNICATIONS AND RECORDS FUNCTIONS OF SEVERAL SMALL POLICE DEPARTMENTS IS DESCRIBED BY CASE HISTORY PRESENTATIONS.
Abstract
TWO CASE HISTORIES ARE OFFERED AS EXAMPLES OF THE WORK DONE WITH 31 STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES BY THE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY UNDER A GRANT FROM LEAA TO IMPROVE POLICE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS. IN ONE STUDY, THE FEASIBILITY OF CONSOLIDATING DISPATCH CENTER OPERATIONS FOR SMALL AGENCIES IS CONSIDERED. SYSTEM LOAD MEASUREMENTS WERE TAKEN AND QUEUEING ANALYSIS APPLIED TO DETERMINE NUMBERS OF PERSONNEL REQUIRED FOR EACH SEPARATE AGENCY AND FOR A CONSOLIDATED DISPATCH CENTER. FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS WERE DEVELOPED AND A COST MODEL WAS DESIGNED TO COMPARE RELATIVE COSTS OF VARIOUS ALTERNATIVES. THE ALTERNATIVES INCLUDED CONTINUATION OF THE PRESENT, CONSOLIDATION OF A MANUAL SYSTEM, AND CONSOLIDATED COMPUTER-AIDED DISPATCHING. THE SECOND CASE HISTORY DEALS WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF A MULTIREGIONAL, INTRASTATE RADIO FREQUENCY FOR IMPROVED INTERREGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS. SAMPLE STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR RADIO EQUIPMENT ARE PROVIDED. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT COMBINED COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS WILL RAISE THE QUALITY OF INFORMATION AND LOWER THE COST OF LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES IN CONTIGUOUS SMALL JURISDICTIONS. TABLES AND APPENDIXES ARE INCLUDED IN THE REPORT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM)