Area is the first model that plays into the effectiveness of a police department's organization. Well-defined geographical areas are under the responsibility of the police officers within the department. The geographical areas are defined by size. The smallest geographical areas are known as beats or posts followed by sectors or zones, and finally the largest geographical areas that area known as precincts. In smaller areas, the organization of beats or post can be run effectively in various different forms on a one or two person patrol to keep production positive for the police department.
Some of the various patrols include "a foot beat, patrol car beat, mounted beat, motorcycle or scooter beat, or even bicycle beat." (Dempsey, 2005) A police officer should familiarize themselves with the community and the businesses within the area of the beat. Another must of the officer or officers assigned to the beat is becoming acquitted with the conditions and the issues of the area. The second geographical area is sectors or zones. Various individual beats that have grouped together form sectors or zones and have several patrolling police vehicles and foot patrols. The final geographical area is a precinct. Generally speaking a precinct is "the entire collection of beats and sectors in a given geographical area." (Dempsey, 2005)
[...] The organization of the police department is no different. So what really plays into the effectiveness of the organization of the police department? Area Area is the first model that plays into the effectiveness of a police department's organization. Well-defined geographical areas are under the responsibility of the police officers within the department. The geographical areas are defined by size. The smallest geographical areas are known as beats or posts followed by sectors or zones, and finally the largest geographical areas that area known as precincts. [...]
[...] Organization by time is separated into three different systems. The three-tour system is the first system. In this system the police department separates a 24 hour day into three tours commonly known as shifts, platoon, or watches; which are 8 hours in length, five days a week or in some police departments a 12 hour shift days a week. Although exact start times to the shifts are determined by the police department, the night tour normally takes place at Midnight, the day tour normally begins at 8 A.M. [...]
[...] Auxiliary services include such units as records, the lab, and property inventory. The Elements in Defining a Police Department Organization is key in having a productively run police department. Area, time, purpose help define organization for a police department. Area defines the community surrounding the police department; time defines the hours of criminal actives spikes; and purpose helps define the jobs of the police officers the directly and indirectly affect the public. Without these three key elements a police department would be over budgeted, over staffed, and unproductive. [...]
[...] “Traditionally, most police departments have assigned their officers to rotating tours of duty; one week of night tours, one week of day tours, and one week of evening tours.” (Dempsey, 2005) Rotating shifts has disrupted the lives of on and off duty officers. With the steady (fixed) tour system, police officers will work set hour shifts. Purpose Organizing is best done when similar functions are placed in similar units of the police department. The simplest way to perform this purpose is done by line and staff or support functions. Line functions are tasks that directly affect organizational goals in a positive manner. [...]
[...] Sources Costa Mesa Police Department. (2008). Police Department Deployment Model. Retrieved August from http:// /search?q=cache:EcPJaYjmF9gJ:www.ci.costa- mesa.ca.us/council/study-session/2007-12- 11/PoliceDepartmentDeploymentModel.pdf+organization+of+police+departmen ts+by+area&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us. Dempsey, John S. (2005). Introduction to Policing. Oregon: Wadsworth Publishing. [...]
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