NCJ Number
210621
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 53 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2005 Pages: 88-92,94-95,97,98
Date Published
June 2005
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article reports on the findings of a nationwide survey of law enforcement agencies (LEAs) that queried the departments on the administrative model of policing that they are using and why.
Abstract
Out of 100 questionnaires, 68 LEAs responded. The survey focused on three basic models of policing: Professional (paramilitary); Community (COP or problem-oriented); and CompStat, also known as SARA (Scan, Analyze, Respond, Assess). A fourth model was also evident from survey responses, i.e., a hybrid model fashioned by LEAs to meet their local needs as identified and analyzed by the agency. The survey revealed that LEA administrators are continually monitoring the administrative models in place in their jurisdictions; 51 percent of the agencies reported that they have switched from one model to another recently, primarily to community policing. Overall, respondents expressed ambivalence about whether any model of policing clearly ranks above others as the most effective. Still, 56 percent of the departments reported using the COP model. The next most popular model was the hybrid model (26 percent), and the least popular models were the Professional model (12 percent) and the CompStat model (6 percent). Only 3 percent of the respondents indicated they would prefer a model other than the one they were following. Significantly, 97 percent of the respondents indicated that administrators should thoroughly study the advantages and disadvantages of each model in order to determine which one might work most effectively in their jurisdictions. Ninety-four percent of the respondents stated that the efficient delivery of customer service is critical to the success of any model.