Copyright 2005-2009:Hi Tech Criminal Justice, Raymond E. Foster Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Uniformed Patrol Concepts and Tactics

Copyright 2005-2009:Hi Tech Criminal Justice, Raymond E. Foster

Law EnforcementLaw Enforcement

Uniformed Patrol Concepts Uniformed Patrol Concepts and Tacticsand Tactics


Traditional MethodsTraditional Methods

There are three traditional methods of There are three traditional methods of uniformed patrol:uniformed patrol: Random Routine PatrolRandom Routine Patrol Rapid Response to Citizens’ 911 CallsRapid Response to Citizens’ 911 Calls

Retroactive Investigation of Past Crimes Retroactive Investigation of Past Crimes by Detectivesby Detectives


Random Patrol

The police officer drives around a designated geographic area.


Rapid Response to Citizens’ 911 calls

The police officer receives a call from the police dispatcher, then responds to the call.

Photograph provided by Gary Allen, 9-1-1 Dispatch Monthly


Retroactive Investigation of Past Crimes by Detectives

If the call involves a crime, the police officer conducts a preliminary investigation and often refers the case to a detective who then conducts a follow up investigation of the crime


Kansas City Study Kansas City Study

First attempt toFirst attempt to

actually test theactually test the

effectivenesseffectiveness of of

random routinerandom routine

patrol.patrol.Photograph provided by Woodcrest Vehicles, Riverside, CA


Random Routine PatrolRandom Routine Patrol

Assumptions:Assumptions: Creates an Creates an omnipresenceomnipresence

Deters CrimeDeters Crime Enables Enables

police officerspolice officers to catch to catch criminals in the criminals in the actact

also known as preventive also known as preventive patrol, involves a police patrol, involves a police officer driving within a officer driving within a community when they are community when they are not on an assignment from not on an assignment from the radio dispatcher or the radio dispatcher or supervisorsupervisor


Kansas City StudyKansas City Study

During 1972-73, Kansas City DepartmentDuring 1972-73, Kansas City Department

conducted an experiment to test the conducted an experiment to test the effects of effects of

routine preventive control. This year long routine preventive control. This year long

experiment has been both influential and experiment has been both influential and

controversial.controversial.



Fifteen patrol beats in Kansas City’s Fifteen patrol beats in Kansas City’s South Patrol were used.South Patrol were used.

Five of those beats were assigned to a Five of those beats were assigned to a control groupcontrol group with no changes in with no changes in normal patrol staffing or tactics.normal patrol staffing or tactics.

Five other beats were chose as Five other beats were chose as reactive beats, and all preventive reactive beats, and all preventive patrolling was eliminated.patrolling was eliminated.

The The reactive beatsreactive beats and the and the proactive proactive beatsbeats were all experimental groups. were all experimental groups.



Outside patrol units handled calls in the Outside patrol units handled calls in the reactive beats, and units left the beats once reactive beats, and units left the beats once they had handled the calls.they had handled the calls.

During the experiment all activities during the During the experiment all activities during the 15 beats was monitored.15 beats was monitored.

Prior to the outset of the experiments Prior to the outset of the experiments researchers collected data on reported crime, researchers collected data on reported crime, arrests, traffic accidents, response times arrests, traffic accidents, response times citizen. Attitudes, citizen and business citizen. Attitudes, citizen and business victimization for each of the 15 beats.victimization for each of the 15 beats.

No one in the community was advised during No one in the community was advised during the entire year of the experimentthe entire year of the experiment



Conclusions:Conclusions: adding or subtracting police patrols from adding or subtracting police patrols from

an area made an area made NONO difference in the difference in the community.community.

No change in crime.No change in crime. No change in citizen fear of crime.No change in citizen fear of crime. No change in community attitude toward No change in community attitude toward

police.police. No change in police response time.No change in police response time. No change in traffic accidents.No change in traffic accidents.



It had been commonly believed that It had been commonly believed that putting more officers on patrol would putting more officers on patrol would cause a decrease in crime, and taking cause a decrease in crime, and taking away police would cause an increase in away police would cause an increase in crime. The Kansas City Study crime. The Kansas City Study demonstrated this was wrong.demonstrated this was wrong.


Kansas City StudyKansas City Study James Q. Wilson: “…All it shows is that James Q. Wilson: “…All it shows is that

changes in the amount of random changes in the amount of random preventive patrol in marked cars does preventive patrol in marked cars does not, by itself, seem to affect…how not, by itself, seem to affect…how much crime occurs or how safe people much crime occurs or how safe people feel.”feel.”

Joseph D. McNamara: “…the Joseph D. McNamara: “…the experiment seemed to show that police experiment seemed to show that police officers uncommitted time-(responding officers uncommitted time-(responding to calls or self-initiated police time) to calls or self-initiated police time) which is approximately 50%, could be which is approximately 50%, could be used more effectively.”used more effectively.”


O.W. Wilson, “…Despite the O.W. Wilson, “…Despite the conclusions of researchers, the conclusions of researchers, the valuable police patrol cannot be valuable police patrol cannot be measured by a statistical study like measured by a statistical study like the Kansas City one and must be the Kansas City one and must be based on historical experience.”based on historical experience.”

To date, only one other attempt has To date, only one other attempt has be made to replicate the Kansas be made to replicate the Kansas City Study, in Albuquerque, New City Study, in Albuquerque, New Mexico- which yielded similar Mexico- which yielded similar results.results.


Alternative Patrol Alternative Patrol StrategiesStrategies

Directed PatrolDirected Patrol Split ForceSplit Force High intensity patrolHigh intensity patrol Differential Response to Calls for Differential Response to Calls for

ServiceService Uniformed tactical operations Uniformed tactical operations Decoy operations Decoy operations Stake out and sting operationsStake out and sting operations Code enforcement teamsCode enforcement teams


Directed PatrolDirected Patrol involves officers involves officers

receiving specific receiving specific instructions on instructions on what duties to what duties to perform while not perform while not responding to calls.responding to calls.

Based on:Based on: crime analysiscrime analysis specific problemsspecific problems complaints received complaints received

from the communityfrom the community


Split ForceSplit Force

One portion of the One portion of the patrol force handling patrol force handling all calls dispatched all calls dispatched to patrol units, while to patrol units, while the other only the other only performs directed performs directed patrol assignments. patrol assignments.


High intensity patrolHigh intensity patrol

A form of split force used by the A form of split force used by the Houston Houston

Police DepartmentPolice Department, placed more , placed more officers officers

in different parts of the city during peak in different parts of the city during peak

crime hours. crime hours. Problems HIP- directed not to answer 911 calls and stay in Problems HIP- directed not to answer 911 calls and stay in designated areas, not enough regular patrol officers, therefore designated areas, not enough regular patrol officers, therefore 911 calls would pile up.911 calls would pile up.


Differential Response to Calls for Differential Response to Calls for ServiceService

An alternative to An alternative to rapid response to rapid response to calls for service calls for service which matches the which matches the response to calls to response to calls to 911 to the severity 911 to the severity of the request.of the request.


Uniformed tactical Uniformed tactical operations operations

Aggressive Patrol Tactics Involves Aggressive Patrol Tactics Involves stoppingstopping

numerous people and vehicles in annumerous people and vehicles in anattempt to find evidence that they mayattempt to find evidence that they mayhave committed a crime or may behave committed a crime or may becommitting a crime.committing a crime.

Studies have indicated that Studies have indicated that aggressive patrol tactics such as in aggressive patrol tactics such as in the field of interrogations couldthe field of interrogations could

Reduce the crime ratesReduce the crime rates Increase arrests ratesIncrease arrests rates Create problems with the Create problems with the

communitycommunity


Decoy operations Decoy operations

An officer byAn officer by

dressing and playingdressing and playing

The role of a The role of a

potential crime potential crime victim victim

goes unnoticed by goes unnoticed by

criminals.criminals.


Sting operationsSting operations

Involve using various undercover Involve using various undercover methods to apprehend thieves methods to apprehend thieves and recover stolen property.and recover stolen property. Sting operations can account for a Sting operations can account for a

large number or arrests and the large number or arrests and the recovery of a significant amount of recovery of a significant amount of stolen property.stolen property.


Stake Outs Stake Outs

A stakeout A stakeout consists of a group consists of a group of heavily armed of heavily armed officers who officers who conceal conceal themselves in a or themselves in a or about a location about a location waiting for a crime waiting for a crime to occur or a to occur or a suspect to arrivesuspect to arrive


Code enforcement teamsCode enforcement teams

Many cities use civil, as well as Many cities use civil, as well as criminal, laws to force landlords criminal, laws to force landlords and others in control of premises and others in control of premises to correct illegal conditions.to correct illegal conditions.


Uniformed Patrol Concepts Uniformed Patrol Concepts and Tacticsand Tactics

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Copyright 2005-2009:Hi Tech Criminal Justice, Raymond E. Foster Law Enforcement Law Enforcement Uniformed Patrol Concepts and Tactics