Police Operations Flashcards
How is police efficiency measured?
By response times and arrest rates. Response times ar adversely affected by the time it takes citizens to call them.
Are arrest rates an ideal way to measure efficiency and deter crime?
No, because much crime is simply not reported to the police, and many people are arrested but not prosecuted. Clearance rates often seen as an alternative
What are some other alternative ways to measure efficiency?
Identify number of arrests that lead to prosecutions, and fear reduction.
What are the four styles of policing that Muir noted?
Professionals, enforcers, reciprocators and avoiders
What are the four styles of policing that Wilson noticed?
Social agent, watchman, law enforcer, and crimefighte.
What is the purpose of patrol?
Deter crime, maintain public order and sense of security, provide 24 hour services.
How much of police work involves activities unrelated to crime?
80%. Includes calls such as neighbourhood disputes, animal control, noise complaints and locating lost children.
What is incident driven policing (reactive), and proactive policing?
Incident driven-Occurs when police respond to citizens calls for help
Proactive-When police crack down on the street drug trade, prostitution, or set up fencing stings. It involves acting, interacting, with criminals before the crimes occur.
What are directed patrols and are they successful?
When a police officers time is spent in certain locations. Effective at reducing autombile thefts and robberies, although unclear if they merely displace criminal activity. “hot spots” and slight decreases in crime.
Are foot patrols successful?
The Flint Neighbourhood Foot Patrol program showed a slight decrease in crime, but generated greater confidence in police and reduced the fear of crime.
What were the results of the 1972-73 Kansas City Preventative Patrol Experiment?
Used three types of patrol: reactive, proactive, and control. Different types of patrol did not affect crime rates, citizens attitudes towards officers, citizens fear of crimes, or rates of reported crimes.
What are the 3 explanations as to why police patrols were ineffective?
Patrols are spread out, many crimes cannot be prevented by police, some criminals are simply not affected by patrols (displacement).
How many arrests are made by patrol officers and how many by criminal investigators?
Patrol: 8/10
Detectives: 2/10
What are some concerns expressed by Canadian’s about policing?
Police patrols do not seriously reduce crime, detectives do not reduce much crime, arrests don’t appear to significantly deter crime, reactive policing does not seem to reduce crime, use of private security forces.
What is the Broken Windows Model? (Kelling and Wilson)
Police need the community to fight crime-Neighbourhood disorder creates fear, disorder sends out crime promoting signals, police should get involved at the first signs of deterioration.
