Chapter 3 | Police Systems & Practices

Sworn Officers

those who have taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States, their state, and the laws of their agency’s jurisdiction

• ex: police officers, sheriffs, state police officers, detectives, probation/parole officer

Non-sworn members

assigned to non-enforcement duties, civilians, limited arrest power

• ex: civilian investigators, crime analysts, dispatchers, equipment managers, record management, etc

highly organized rank structure

1. chief of police/police commissioner (head of agency)

2. captain

3. lieutenant

4. sergeant

5. corporal or master patrol officer

6. police officer

7. detective/investigator (to investigate past crime, have no supervisory role over patrol officers

patrol officers

perform the basic duties of the police departments

• 5 years then you can apply to other areas (k9)

sergeant

the first supervisor in the police chain of command

• duties:

  • supervise a number of officers of the same squad

  • to make decisions at the scene of a police action

    • a group of people of 6 to 10 officers

lieutenant

in charge of an entire platoon

• of all the people on a particular tour/shift

captain

operational or administrative area of a police department

chief of police/police commissioner

appointed by hiring authorities of the city

• internal involuntary (50%)

• appointed by council involuntary (57%)

what are the types of “other personnel”

• civilianization

• community service officers (CSOs)

• reserve officer (T.A.C.O)

• auxiliaries

  1. other volunteer officer in law enforcement agencies who have no full police powers

Reserve officer

• volunteers & non-regular

• sworn members of a law enforcement agency

• serve with or without compensation

• has regular police powers

Beats

the smallest geographic area that a single patrol unit can patrol effectively (ideally, an officer will know everyone)

• the beats should not be too big

• it can be patrolled by many methods

  • foot, bike patrol, car, horse patrol

Precincts/districts/stations

• the entire collection of beats

• precinct house or station house: administrative headquarters of a precinct

• desk officer: a sergeant or lieutenant supervising all activities in the station better

• police blotter: the written record of all activity

Tour length

• an 8-hour tour is most commonly used

• 10-hour tour

• 12-hour tour

  • increase in officer fatigue

  • has a trend of increase

• overtime issues

  • the call must be completed

tour conditions

• day tour

  • schools, construction traffic control

• evening tour

  • the busiest tour for police

  • traffic, bar fights

• midnight/overnight tour

  • drunk, disorderly behaviors, drug sales

Line function

directly connecting with the organizational goals

• order maintenance, crime fighting, providing service

staff/support function

supplement line units in their task performance

• investigating candidates, clerical functions

• public contract, record keeping, document processing, etc.

operational units | police department units

• policing activities

• directly related to the agency’s goal

administrative units | police department units

• not directly related to the public

• facilitating the smooth running of agencies

  • personal unit, planning and analysis, budget and clerical work

• auxiliary service unit

  • units that assist operation units

  • property, laboratory, detention, alcohol testing center

Division of labor

personnel, area, time, and function or purpose

Managerial def | 3 components of an oragnization

1. people-officials

2. activities-patrol

3. specific goals-fighting crime

Hierarchy of authority

A managerial concept describes the relationship between superior and subordinate./worker→working effectively/ to make sure

• every individual is supervised by one immediate supervisor

span of control

• the number of officers a superior can supervise effectively

• Management research outcomes indicate the best number is 6 to 10 officers

• the number is affected by many factors like the size of the population

unity of command

each individual is directly accountable to only one supervisor

1. there must be only one superior to a subordinate

2. to reduce confusing situations, dilemmas, and disorder

shared leadership

• incorporate subordinates into the process of decision-making

• NYPD ComStat (shared responsibility) program (decentralization management structure)

broken arrow, Oklahoma police department

• the evaluation indicated significant improvements

• What kind of factors contribute to the success of share leadership? trust, communication

sworn memebers

• have traditional police power

• federal, state, and local criminal laws

• police officers, troopers, deputy sheriffs

• oath