Police Patrol Methods, Styles, and Supervision

Core Police Functions and Patrol Principles

Robert Peel's Principles

According to Robert Peel, key police functions include:

• Deterring crime
• Enhancing the feeling of public safety
• Making officers available for service

Wilson's Patrol Theory

James Q. Wilson explains that patrol aims to create an impression of police omnipresence, thereby eliminating opportunities for misconduct.

Types of Police Patrol

Hot Spot Patrol

Officers are assigned to patrol locations receiving an above-average concentration of crime. This method has proven effective in numerous studies (20-25 cited).

Foot Patrol

Officers are assigned to patrol designated areas on foot rather than in vehicles.

Organizational Styles in Policing (James Wilson)

James Q. Wilson identified three primary organizational styles:

• Watchman Style: Emphasizes peacekeeping over aggressive law enforcement, with controls over rank-and-file officers.
• Legalistic Style: Focuses on aggressive crime fighting and attempts to control officer behavior through a rule-bound, "by the book" administrative approach.
• Service Style: Prioritizes responsiveness to community expectations, commonly found in suburban police departments with lower crime rates.

The Role of the Police Sergeant

Supervisory Responsibilities

The sergeant supervises the activities of officers. The basic unit of police patrol typically consists of a sergeant and their crew of officers. Sergeants also make certain critical decisions or "calls".

Span of Control

Span of control refers to the number of officers a single sergeant is responsible for supervising.

Styles of Police Supervision

Four common styles of supervision include:

• Traditional Supervisor: Gives more instructions, takes control, intervenes frequently, expects quantifiable results, is less likely to reward, and more likely to punish.
• Supportive Supervisor: Protects officers from punishment, attempts to motivate and inspire, serves as a buffer between officers and management, and gives officers space to perform duties without excessive worry.
• Innovative Supervisor: Encourages officers to be innovative and embrace new policing methods, generally views subordinates more positively.
• Active Supervisor: Leads by example, aims for heavy involvement in the field alongside officers, and typically views subordinates positively.

Police Communication Center Operations

Role and Technology

Patrol work is heavily influenced by modern communication technology managed by the communication center (Comm Center).

Nature of Work

The work is often citizen-dominated, reactive, and incident-based. Operators take calls (including 911) and dispatch officers to assignments.

Police Response Time Considerations

Impact on Crime

While quick response times are often thought to reduce crime, their effectiveness can be complex.

Factors Affecting Response

Various factors outside of direct patrol activities affect response times.

Differential Response

Not all calls require an immediate response. Differential response involves classifying calls based on urgency to prioritize resources effectively.