Law Enforcement: Uniformed Patrol Concepts and Tactics

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

Traditional MethodsTraditional Methods
There are three traditional methods ofThere 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 byRetroactive Investigation of Past Crimes by
DetectivesDetectives

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 StudyKansas City Study
First attempt toFirst attempt to
actually test theactually test the
effectivenesseffectiveness ofof
random routinerandom routine
patrol.patrol. Photograph provided by Woodcrest Vehicles, Riverside, CA

Random Routine PatrolRandom Routine Patrol
 Assumptions:Assumptions:
 Creates anCreates an
omnipresenceomnipresence
 Deters CrimeDeters Crime
 Enables policeEnables police
officers to catchofficers to catch
criminals in thecriminals in the
actact
also known as preventivealso known as preventive
patrol, involves a policepatrol, involves a police
officer driving within aofficer driving within a
community when they arecommunity when they are
not on an assignment fromnot on an assignment from
the radio dispatcher orthe radio dispatcher or
supervisorsupervisor

During 1972-73, Kansas City DepartmentDuring 1972-73, Kansas City Department
conducted an experiment to test the effects ofconducted an experiment to test the effects of
routine preventive control. This year longroutine preventive control. This year long
experiment has been both influential andexperiment has been both influential and
controversial.controversial.

 Fifteen patrol beats in Kansas City’s SouthFifteen patrol beats in Kansas City’s South
Patrol were used.Patrol were used.
 Five of those beats were assigned to aFive of those beats were assigned to a controlcontrol
groupgroup with no changes in normal patrol staffingwith no changes in normal patrol staffing
or tactics.or tactics.
 Five other beats were chose as reactive beats,Five other beats were chose as reactive beats,
and all preventive patrolling was eliminated.and all preventive patrolling was eliminated.
 TheThe reactive beatsreactive beats and theand the proactive beatsproactive beats were allwere all
experimental groups.experimental groups.

 Outside patrol units handled calls in the reactive beats,Outside patrol units handled calls in the reactive beats,
and units left the beats once they had handled the calls.and units left the beats once they had handled the calls.
 During the experiment all activities during the 15 beatsDuring the experiment all activities during the 15 beats
was monitored.was monitored.
 Prior to the outset of the experiments researchersPrior to the outset of the experiments researchers
collected data on reported crime, arrests, trafficcollected data on reported crime, arrests, traffic
accidents, response times citizen. Attitudes, citizen andaccidents, response times citizen. Attitudes, citizen and
business victimization for each of the 15 beats.business victimization for each of the 15 beats.
 No one in the community was advised during the entireNo one in the community was advised during the entire
year of the experimentyear of the experiment

 Conclusions:Conclusions:
 adding or subtracting police patrols from an areaadding or subtracting police patrols from an area
mademade NONO difference in the community.difference in the 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 police.No change in community attitude toward 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 puttingIt had been commonly believed that putting
more officers on patrol would cause a decreasemore officers on patrol would cause a decrease
in crime, and taking away police would cause anin crime, and taking away police would cause an
increase in crime. The Kansas City Studyincrease in crime. The Kansas City Study
demonstrated this was wrong.demonstrated this was wrong.

 James Q. Wilson: “…All it shows is that changesJames Q. Wilson: “…All it shows is that changes
in the amount of random preventive patrol inin the amount of random preventive patrol in
marked cars does not, by itself, seem to affect…marked cars does not, by itself, seem to affect…
how much crime occurs or how safe peoplehow much crime occurs or how safe people
feel.”feel.”
 Joseph D. McNamara: “…the experimentJoseph D. McNamara: “…the experiment
seemed to show that police officersseemed to show that police officers
uncommitted time-(responding to calls or self-uncommitted time-(responding to calls or self-
initiated police time) which is approximatelyinitiated police time) which is approximately
50%, could be used more effectively.”50%, could be used more effectively.”

 O.W. Wilson, “…Despite the conclusionsO.W. Wilson, “…Despite the conclusions
of researchers, the valuable police patrolof researchers, the valuable police patrol
cannot be measured by a statistical studycannot be measured by a statistical study
like the Kansas City one and must be basedlike the Kansas City one and must be based
on historical experience.”on historical experience.”
 To date, only one other attempt has beTo date, only one other attempt has be
made to replicate the Kansas City Study, inmade to replicate the Kansas City Study, in
Albuquerque, New Mexico- which yieldedAlbuquerque, New Mexico- which yielded
similar results.similar results.

Alternative Patrol StrategiesAlternative Patrol Strategies
 Directed PatrolDirected Patrol
 Split ForceSplit Force
 High intensity patrolHigh intensity patrol
 Differential Response to Calls for ServiceDifferential Response to Calls for Service
 Uniformed tactical operationsUniformed tactical operations
 Decoy operationsDecoy operations
 Stake out and sting operationsStake out and sting operations
 Code enforcement teamsCode enforcement teams

Directed PatrolDirected Patrol
 involves officersinvolves officers
receiving specificreceiving specific
instructions on whatinstructions on what
duties to performduties to perform
while not respondingwhile not responding
to calls.to calls.
 Based on:Based on:
 crime analysiscrime analysis
 specific problemsspecific problems
 complaints receivedcomplaints received
from the communityfrom the community

Split ForceSplit Force
 One portion of theOne portion of the
patrol force handling allpatrol force handling all
calls dispatched tocalls dispatched to
patrol units, while thepatrol units, while the
other only performsother only performs
directed patroldirected patrol
assignments.assignments.

High intensity patrolHigh intensity patrol
A form of split force used by the HoustonA form of split force used by the Houston
Police Department, placed more officersPolice Department, placed more officers
in different parts of the city during peakin different parts of the city during peak
crime hours.crime hours.
Problems HIP- directed not to answer 911 calls and stay inProblems HIP- directed not to answer 911 calls and stay in
designated areas, not enough regular patrol officers, therefore 911designated areas, not enough regular patrol officers, therefore 911
calls would pile up.calls would pile up.

Differential Response to Calls forDifferential Response to Calls for
ServiceService
 An alternative to rapidAn alternative to rapid
response to calls forresponse to calls for
service whichservice which
matches the responsematches the response
to calls to 911 to theto calls to 911 to the
severity of theseverity of the
request.request.

Uniformed tactical operationsUniformed tactical operations
Aggressive Patrol Tactics InvolvesAggressive Patrol Tactics Involves
stoppingstopping
numerous people and vehicles in annumerous people and vehicles in an
attempt to find evidence that they mayattempt to find evidence that they may
have committed a crime or may behave committed a crime or may be
committing a crime.committing a crime.
Studies have indicated thatStudies have indicated that
aggressive patrol tactics such as inaggressive 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 communityCreate problems with the community

Decoy operationsDecoy operations
An officer byAn officer by
dressing and playingdressing and playing
The role of aThe role of a
potential crime victimpotential crime victim
goes unnoticed bygoes unnoticed by
criminals.criminals.

Sting operationsSting operations
 Involve using various undercoverInvolve using various undercover
methods to apprehend thieves andmethods to apprehend thieves and
recover stolen property.recover stolen property.
 Sting operations can account for a largeSting operations can account for a large
number or arrests and the recovery of anumber or arrests and the recovery of a
significant amount of stolen property.significant amount of stolen property.

Stake OutsStake Outs
 A stakeout consistsA stakeout consists
of a group of heavilyof a group of heavily
armed officers whoarmed officers who
conceal themselvesconceal themselves
in a or about ain a or about a
location waiting for alocation waiting for a
crime to occur or acrime to occur or a
suspect to arrivesuspect to arrive

Code enforcement teamsCode enforcement teams
 Many cities use civil, as well asMany cities use civil, as well as
criminal, laws to force landlords andcriminal, laws to force landlords and
others in control of premises to correctothers in control of premises to correct
illegal conditions.illegal conditions.

Uniformed Patrol ConceptsUniformed Patrol Concepts
and Tacticsand Tactics
Find more about police tacticsFind more about police tactics
atat
www.police-writers.comwww.police-writers.com

Law Enforcement: Uniformed Patrol Concepts and Tactics

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