What Will Be the Police Response to Non-Emergency Calls for Service by the Year 2000?

• NCJ Number: 118740
• Author(s): T L Ommen
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 82 pages
• Corporate Author: California Cmssn on Peace Officer Standards and Training
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services; POST Media Distribution Ctr
• Publication Type: Best Practice/State-of-the-Art Review
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This research project explored whether law enforcement agencies should respond differently to service calls by the year 2000.

Abstract

Information was obtained from six city police departments in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Delaware, and Maryland. This information was used in the analysis of trends selected as being the most important in evaluating law enforcement agency response to service calls. Eight trends were identified: increased State-mandated service requirements for police; reduced government resources and funding; increased population; more demand for police services; law enforcement technological innovation; increased elderly population; service privatization; and reduction in standard of living. Events noted as potentially significant in law enforcement agency response were a world war, major health epidemic, financial collapse of city government, energy crisis, and major earthquake. A strategic plan was devised to represent a proactive approach to providing nonemergency services to the public by the year 2000. The plan includes a number of police responses to citizen requests other than a sworn police officer response, such as delayed response, computer contact and referral to other organizations together with an extensive citizen re-education effort to prepare them for changes in police service delivery. 46 references, 17 figures.