Patrol Workload Measurement Manual

Download or read book Patrol Workload Measurement Manual written by and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 54 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This manual presents updated processes for solving patrol deployment problems which have been successfully tested in California law enforcement agencies, and suggestions are included for measuring response capability and evaluating the numerical adequacy of a patrol force. The manual is based on the premise that a patrol force should be deployed according to the time and area distribution of service demand and that deployment efficiency is best judged by response capability (promptness in providing service). In a workload study, the periods of time expended in various patrol activities and the delays which occur when officers are unavailable for assignment are measured and averaged by time of day, day of week, and area. The data collection products include a series of bar charts (histograms), which are used to develop and judge the merits of alternative chronological deployment plans. There will be a minimum of eight 24-hour charts. The data display formats used in studying area deployment vary in complexity according to the size and number of beats and reporting districts. Ordinarily, there should be beat maps or tables which reflect, in percentages, the area distribution of workload for each shift during the week and a composite of the totals. If the beat load is seriously unbalanced, it may be necessary to prepare more detailed tallies of workload by reporting area so as to redesign the beat boundaries. When the aforementioned products are properly used, the patrol force will be deployed so that a uniform level of service is provided around the clock to all neighborhoods, and each officer's workload is equalized. Determining the numerical adequacy of a patrol force should be considered in the context of the community's police service expectations and its ability or willingness to meet policing costs. Detailed descriptions of the methods discussed are appended.