Deck 9: Patrol Operations

Question 1

How effective is routine random patrol?

Answer 1

The Kansas City study on routine random patrol failed to demonstrate that adding or taking away police patrols from an area made any difference within the community. The conclusions of this study shocked many people and differed from all the assumptions we had always made regarding police patrol. The study, however, was not without criticism. Flaws were cited in the research design, and it was noted that police patrol cannot be measured by a statistical study alone but must be measured by historical experience.

Question 2

What do police actually do while on patrol?

Answer 2

Patrol is known as the foundation of the police department. Patrol is where most sworn personnel are assigned and carry out the mission of the police agency. More than 60 percent of sworn personnel in municipal law enforcement are in uniform and assigned to respond to calls for service. The patrol officer is the police department's generalist and foremost representative to the public. Approximately half of the time that officers are on patrol they are responding to calls for service and/or initiating contacts; the other half of the time is uncommitted time that is devoted to driving the patrol car in a beat. According to research, this uncommitted time is not contributing to the reduction of crime or to citizens' perception that they are safer because the police are driving around. Uncommitted time should probably be devoted to activities with more specific objectives than routine patrol.

Question 3

Police automobile pursuits have been heavily criticized. Why is this?

Answer 3

The police practice of using high-powered vehicles to chase speeding motorists has resulted in numerous accidents, injuries, and deaths of innocent civilians, police officers, and pursued drivers. With the rise of lawsuits, injuries, and deaths, many police departments are reevaluating their pursuit policies. The California Highway Patrol conducted a study and concluded that although there are risks in high-speed pursuits, the results are worth the risks; nevertheless, because this is a serious safety issue for police and citizens, and because new technology allows opportunities to apprehend offenders in safer ways, some departments have instituted more restrictive pursuit policies, such as telling their officers to discontinue a pursuit under certain conditions or that certain conditions must exist to even start a pursuit.

Question 4

Patrol officers have three main functions: deterring crime, providing a sense of public security, and maintaining 24-hour availability to the public. Reduced services for the mentally ill in the last few decades in the United States have led to increased contacts between people with mental illness and patrol officers. The Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, tries to improve safety during these encounters by arming officers with de-escalation techniques. The co-responder model partners officers with mental health professionals on calls for service to connect people with mental illness with community based treatment. The Response Planning and De-escalation and Referral, or RADAR, program identifies individuals at risk for future contacts and encourages voluntary sharing of information during a non-crisis time.
This scenario focuses on the duties of patrol officers and how alternate strategies might be employed toward reducing crime and increasing public safety.
A recent summit of all law enforcement leaders in Polk County, Florida was filled with discussion about how to address the rising numbers of inmates with mental illness passing through and residing in the county jail. As part of the summit, leaders attended several workshops on specialized policing responses to the mentally ill. These approaches stress community alternatives to incarceration and thus would help reduce jail populations. The two most promising approaches were the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and the co-responder model. The takeaway from the summit was a directive for law enforcement leaders to present these two approaches to their home departments and obtain quantitative and qualitative data on which one of the practices was most well received and which was not. Once all leaders bring their data back to the group, decisions will be made for the whole county on possibly updating the methods for patrol to handle calls dealing with people with mental illnesses.

-Which of the following types of patrol will be most affected by new approaches to dealing with people with mental illnesses?

A) random routine patrol
B) bike patrol
C) retroactive investigation
D) foot patrol

Question 5

Patrol officers have three main functions: deterring crime, providing a sense of public security, and maintaining 24-hour availability to the public. Reduced services for the mentally ill in the last few decades in the United States have led to increased contacts between people with mental illness and patrol officers. The Crisis Intervention Team, or CIT, tries to improve safety during these encounters by arming officers with de-escalation techniques. The co-responder model partners officers with mental health professionals on calls for service to connect people with mental illness with community based treatment. The Response Planning and De-escalation and Referral, or RADAR, program identifies individuals at risk for future contacts and encourages voluntary sharing of information during a non-crisis time.
This scenario focuses on the duties of patrol officers and how alternate strategies might be employed toward reducing crime and increasing public safety.
A recent summit of all law enforcement leaders in Polk County, Florida was filled with discussion about how to address the rising numbers of inmates with mental illness passing through and residing in the county jail. As part of the summit, leaders attended several workshops on specialized policing responses to the mentally ill. These approaches stress community alternatives to incarceration and thus would help reduce jail populations. The two most promising approaches were the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and the co-responder model. The takeaway from the summit was a directive for law enforcement leaders to present these two approaches to their home departments and obtain quantitative and qualitative data on which one of the practices was most well received and which was not. Once all leaders bring their data back to the group, decisions will be made for the whole county on possibly updating the methods for patrol to handle calls dealing with people with mental illnesses.

-What specialized policing response to people with mental illnesses involves partnering officers with mental health professionals on calls to a person with mental illness?

A) the co-responder model
B) the crisis intervention team model
C) the response planning and de-escalation and referral model
D) The saturation patrol model

Question 6

What Would You Do?
You are a patrol officer in Polk County. Having been with the department for three years, you are familiar with the challenges patrol officers face when dealing with people with mental illnesses. You used to work in the jail and are also aware of the difficulties of incarcerating people with mental illnesses. You are glad to hear that some new strategies for addressing these challenges are being considered. In a meeting of your entire department today, the police chief made a short presentation about the two alternatives being considered: the Crisis Intervention Team and the co-responder model. Discussions are taking place in small groups. Your group is split about 50/50. One individual notes that mental health professionals have no business being involved in policing and should not be partnered up with the police officers. He says, "We can handle them on our own and give them a referral for later." Another member of the group disagrees and says "It would be better to have the mental health people there because they can do a better job de-escalating the situation."
Another member of the group, a recent transfer from the much larger Hillsborough County, tells about how the departments in Tampa added the elements of both models about two years ago, and they've seen a noticeable reduction in their jail population with mental illness and reductions in both citizen and officer injuries from these types of calls.
-After about an hour of discussion, your police chief asks for a vote on which your department should support: the Crisis Intervention Team or the co-responder model. Which do you choose?

Question 7

The entire department casts their votes. When the results are tallied, the chief states that 52 percent of the department supports the CIT model and 48 percent supports the co-responder model.

-What police department has combined the CIT program with a co-responder model called the Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT)?

A) Houston Police Department
B) Los Angeles Police Department
C) San Diego Police Department
D) Memphis Police Department

Question 8

The entire department casts their votes. When the results are tallied, the chief states that 52 percent of the department supports the CIT model and 48 percent supports the co-responder model.

-The King County Sheriff's Office responded to the need for more information when dealing with calls for service related to people with mental illness by creating what program?

A) RADAR
B) SPR
C) CIT
D) CIRT

Question 9

What Would You Do?
The chief was dissatisfied in the results. She felt that, in order for a program to be successful, it was important that the officers required to implement the program support it. Thus, she created a special committee to research the two models thoroughly, including both success-failure statistics of each and how much time/effort each would add to her officers' workloads. You were assigned to this committee, which found that, in the departments that have implemented them, there has been a notable reduction in inmates with mental illnesses and no significant increase in the workload. Although both programs appear to work well, your committee also found information on another program that combines aspects of both the CIT and co-responder programs. Known as the Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT) it may be a good compromise for your department.
You present your findings to the chief of police and she decides to have the department vote again to decide if the CIRT program is something that they can all agree on. She also shares that, if the department votes not to implement CIRT she will have to make the decision on which program to implement.
-With this knowledge and the research found by your committee, do you vote to implement CIRT or not?

Question 10

Summary A
Increasing contacts between patrol officers and people with mental illness in crisis are resulting in a number of negative outcomes across the country. Interactions that end in tragedy and increasing populations of jail inmates with mental illnesses are just two of the problems seen as a result of these interactions. In an effort to address these problems police agencies around the country are implementing new models to provide officers with better ways of interacting with this population. All of the models that have been identified as possible options in your department showed positive results. Your vote to implement CIRT in the department indicates your desire to move forward with a program that incorporates the positive aspects of both the CIT and co-responder models. It is also likely that there will be more support for the program by patrol officers and this will increase the likelihood of success.
To learn more about the ways police agencies respond to people with mental illnesses, see "Alternative Strategies."
Summary B
Increasing contacts between patrol officers and people with mental illness in crisis are resulting in a number of negative outcomes across the country. Interactions that end in tragedy and increasing populations of jail inmates with mental illnesses are just two of the problems seen as a result of these interactions. In an effort to address these problems police agencies around the country are implementing new models to provide officers with better ways of interacting with this population. All of the models that have been identified as possible options in your department showed positive results. Your vote not to implement CIRT in the department indicates your desire to move forward with a program that does not have co-responders. Although this vote leaves the decision up to the chief, you believe she will make the right decision. It is possible that the chief will receive less support for a program if she chooses it but you will support her decision and encourage other officers to do so as well.
To learn more about the ways police agencies respond to people with mental illnesses, see "Alternative Strategies."
The entire department casts their votes. When the results are tallied, the chief states that 52 percent of the department supports the CIT model and 48 percent supports the co-responder model.

-What police department has combined the CIT program with a co-responder model called the Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT)?

A) Houston Police Department
B) Los Angeles Police Department
C) San Diego Police Department
D) Memphis Police Department

Question 11

Summary A
Increasing contacts between patrol officers and people with mental illness in crisis are resulting in a number of negative outcomes across the country. Interactions that end in tragedy and increasing populations of jail inmates with mental illnesses are just two of the problems seen as a result of these interactions. In an effort to address these problems police agencies around the country are implementing new models to provide officers with better ways of interacting with this population. All of the models that have been identified as possible options in your department showed positive results. Your vote to implement CIRT in the department indicates your desire to move forward with a program that incorporates the positive aspects of both the CIT and co-responder models. It is also likely that there will be more support for the program by patrol officers and this will increase the likelihood of success.
To learn more about the ways police agencies respond to people with mental illnesses, see "Alternative Strategies."
Summary B
Increasing contacts between patrol officers and people with mental illness in crisis are resulting in a number of negative outcomes across the country. Interactions that end in tragedy and increasing populations of jail inmates with mental illnesses are just two of the problems seen as a result of these interactions. In an effort to address these problems police agencies around the country are implementing new models to provide officers with better ways of interacting with this population. All of the models that have been identified as possible options in your department showed positive results. Your vote not to implement CIRT in the department indicates your desire to move forward with a program that does not have co-responders. Although this vote leaves the decision up to the chief, you believe she will make the right decision. It is possible that the chief will receive less support for a program if she chooses it but you will support her decision and encourage other officers to do so as well.
To learn more about the ways police agencies respond to people with mental illnesses, see "Alternative Strategies."
The entire department casts their votes. When the results are tallied, the chief states that 52 percent of the department supports the CIT model and 48 percent supports the co-responder model.

-The King County Sheriff's Office responded to the need for more information when dealing with calls for service related to people with mental illness by creating what program?

A) RADAR
B) SPR
C) CIT
D) CIRT

Question 12

What Would You Do?
A final vote is taken on another program that combines aspects of both the CIT and co-responder programs. Known as the Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT) it may be a good compromise for your department. The results of the final vote are 65 percent in favor of implementing CIRT and 35 percent against it implementation. This outcome was surprising to you. You believed that the department as a whole would recognize the positive qualities of both models and thus a stronger majority would vote in favor of the new proposal.
However, you are fairly certain that the sticking point is the presence of a mental health professional in the model. The makeup of your department includes an older population of officers, many of whom are resistant to change and some have already spoken to you privately expressing their concern about the addition of a civilian (mental health professional) on any call for service. You know that if you implement any program that includes a co-responder there will be pushback from this group of officers. However, you expect to see results fairly quickly and plan to closely monitor any new calls for service crises involving an individual with a mental illness. You expect that, as officers experience positive outcomes due to the presence of a mental health professional, word will spread rapidly and those who are resistant will change their minds. In considering what to tell your county leadership group about the vote you are concerned that sharing too much information regarding the issue will make it appear that you do not have good control over your officers. You think that it may be a good idea not to focus on the results of the vote but rather on the research and the CIRT program that you believe has solid, positive outcomes and the highest likelihood for success within the different agencies.
-As the chief of police, where is your strongest focus at the county leadership group: the vote or the research?

Question 13

What refers to an officer driving around a designated geographic area?

A) rapid response
B) retroactive investigation
C) foot patrol
D) random routine patrol

Question 14

After Officer Jackson conducts a preliminary investigation of a reported crime, she will refer the case to a detective, who will then conduct a follow-up. This follow-up is referred to as __________.

A) rapid response to a call
B) retroactive investigation
C) random routine patrol
D) proactive investigation

Question 15

Which of the following gives police officers responsibility for all policing activity by requiring them to walk around a defined geographic area?

A) smart patrol
B) tactical patrol
C) foot patrol
D) defined patrol

Question 16

Two of the main goals of patrol are maintaining a feeling of public security and 24-hour availability to the public. What is the third goal?

A) responding to neighborhood disputes
B) deterring crime
C) walking a beat in a specific area
D) providing the public with information

Question 17

Until the 1970s, most of what we knew about patrol was found in the classic book by O. W. Wilson and Roy Clinton McLaren called __________.

A) Police Administration
B) Patrolling the Neighborhood Beat
C) Local Omnipresence
D) The 24-Hour Shift

Question 18

O.W. Wilson's patrol ideas were designed to make the police appear to be as __________.

A) omnipresent as possible
B) necessary as possible
C) emphatic as possible
D) punitive as possible

Question 19

When we talk about crime, we are talking about many different and complex __________ that the police cannot control.

A) functions
B) goals
C) analyses
D) variables

Question 20

What did the Kansas City patrol study in 1972 and 1973 demonstrate?

A) Police officers on patrol do not need to be on an assignment from a radio dispatcher or a supervisor.
B) Adding police patrols to an area made a huge difference within the community.
C) The traditional three goals of policing were not the most effective way to do police work.
D) Random routine patrol enabled police officers to catch criminals in the act of committing their crimes.

Question 21

Regarding 911 calls, what is the moment of the crime to the arrival of the first police officer called?

A) full processing time
B) complete travel time
C) rapid emergency time
D) total response time

Question 22

Studies have reported that the average citizen delay in calling the police for serious crimes was between __________.

A) 15 to 20 minutes
B) 2 to 4 minutes
C) 5 to 10 minutes
D) 20 to 30 minutes

Question 23

What was a positive effect of the change from foot patrol to motor patrol in terms of policing?

A) There was greater contact between police officers and the community.
B) Police officers were less distracted and more observant.
C) Police officers could work alone instead of in pairs.
D) Police departments could respond more quickly to calls for service.

Question 24

What was the main negative effect of the change from foot patrol to motor patrol in terms of policing?

A) Some beats were unattended because there were not enough officers available for staffing.
B) Police officers became isolated from the community that they patrolled.
C) Police officers became overly interested in the lives of community residents.
D) Police officers could not respond as quickly to calls for service.

Question 25

If the Deerfield police department decides to switch from two-officer to one-officer patrol cars, what might be one reason they would give for the switch?

A) One officer working alone tends to get more easily distracted.
B) A one-officer patrol car will put officers at greater risk of injury.
C) The police department can better deploy the number of officers they have.
D) One officer working alone tends to feel more confident and takes fewer unnecessary risks.

Question 26

When foot patrol is added to neighborhoods, which of the following statements is most accurate?

A) Citizen satisfaction with the police decreases.
B) Levels of fear increase significantly.
C) The police have greater job satisfaction.
D) The police have less appreciation for the values of the citizens there.

Question 27

What is the application of analytical techniques to identify targets for police attention and interaction and to prevent crime or solve past crimes?

A) predictive policing
B) evidence-based policing
C) smart policing
D) none of these

Question 28

Police agencies themselves are in the best position to know their specific crime problems; thus, they are best equipped to work with researchers to come up with effective solutions, which is the premise of __________.

A) smart policing
B) predictive policing
C) forecasting
D) directed patrol

Question 29

In one alternative to random routine patrol, officers are given specific directions to follow when they are not responding to calls, which is called __________.

A) smart patrol
B) divided patrol
C) directed patrol
D) predictive patrol

Question 30

Why would the concept of split-force patrol be very unpopular in today's economic climate?

A) The officers on directed patrol assignments would be constantly interrupted.
B) Officers would not be able to pay attention to specific crimes when not on assignment from the dispatcher.
C) If emergencies arose, only those officers working the calls would be assigned directed patrol.
D) The officers that would handle the calls for service all the time would feel resentment.

Question 31

A larger number of uniformed officers than normal are assigned to a particular area to deal with a particular crime problem when __________.

A) a saturation patrol is used
B) a crackdown is used
C) SPR are used
D) an aggressive patrol is used

Question 32

Which of the following has been used successfully to address less serious but demanding crime problems and traffic violations in the least resource-intensive way?

A) saturation patrol
B) decoy operations
C) crackdown
D) aggressive patrol

Question 33

What is a combination of several violations, including speeding, tailgating, driving on the shoulder, and not signaling when changing lanes?

A) driving while intoxicated
B) aggressive driving
C) swarming
D) police pursuit

Question 34

Studies indicate that though texting while driving is illegal in 46 states and the District of Columbia, approximately what percentage of young people admit having sent a text while driving?

A) 85 percent
B) 70 percent
C) 50 percent
D) 90 percent

Question 35

Which of the following is true about a typical police pursuit?

A) It occurs during the day.
B) It covers 10-20 miles.
C) It involves one police car.
D) It starts as a traffic violation.

Question 36

One night, Lavonne made a hoax 911 call using technology that made it appear that the call was coming from her neighbor's house so that the police would show up there. This type of prank activity is known as __________.

A) striking
B) clearing
C) pranking
D) swatting