I picked police patrolling for the simple fact they are as important as any other cop in the field. Patrol remains the backbone of police operations. It consumes most of the resources of police agencies. On patrol, a police officer makes regular circuits or passes through a specific area called a beat. Officers sometimes patrol on foot but usually ride in cars. The main advantage of car patrol over foot patrol is increased efficiency of coverage. A disadvantage of car patrol is that it reduces police contacts with citizens.
Studies of foot patrol indicate that these patrols are costly and do not reduce crime. They do, however, make citizens less fearful of crime and improve citizen attitudes toward the police. Patrol has three parts: answering calls, maintaining a police presence to deter crime, and probing suspicious circumstances. Of these, the second, preventive patrol is the most controversial. A presumed advantage of patrol is that police cars cruising randomly through city streets supposedly create the feeling that the police are everywhere.
They face some as the same challenges that any other cop does they get injured they consistently put there life’s in danger also. I find it interesting all the things they do even though I know that there are some requirements in order to be a police officer and be assigned as an police patrolling. There are some tasks they have to take. Also some abilities I know many people think that there only job is to stop and give tickets which is WRONG they have more responsibilities than that to accomplish. While the mere presence of police in an area may not deter crime, aggressive patrol may make a difference.
Proactive police operations focus on the concentration of crime in certain offenders, places, and victims. Proactive operations include using decoys, going undercover, raiding, relying on informants, stopping and frisking suspects, shadowing repeat offenders, policing repeat-complaint locations, and saturating an area with police to maintain order. Because crime is not evenly distributed throughout a community, it stands to reason that some places need more patrol than others. The tradition of giving each neighborhood an equal amount of patrol wastes police resources.
A smarter use of resources would concentrate patrol on high-crime times and places. The Minneapolis 911 study, for example, centered around hot spots. This study discovered that a small number of locations in Minneapolis accounted for a disproportionate number of the calls for police service. Brief periods of intensive patrolling reduced or displaced robberies and other offenses in high-crime areas. In another proactive strategy, aggressive field interrogation, the police check out suspicious persons and places. In the San Diego Field Interrogation Study, officers frequently stopped and asked people what they were doing.
This strategy led to large drops in robbery, burglary, theft, auto theft, assault, sex crimes, malicious mischief, and disturbances. Some of the tasks they have to accomplish are to provide public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies, protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good community relations. Record facts to prepare reports that document incidents and activities. Also monitor, note, report, and investigate suspicious persons and situations, safety hazards, and unusual or illegal activity in patrol area.
Identify, pursue, and arrest suspects and perpetrators of criminal acts. They also patrol specific area on foot, horseback, or motorized conveyance, responding promptly to calls for assistance. If that wasn’t enough they have to review facts of incidents to determine if criminal act or statute violations were involved. But that still isn’t all they also render aid to accident victims and other persons requiring first aid for physical injuries. Besides that they have to investigate traffic accidents and other accidents to determine causes and to determine if a crime has been committed.
Some even testify in court to present evidence or act as witness in traffic and criminal cases. Another task is photograph or draw diagrams of crime or accident scenes and interview principals and eyewitnesses. These are just some of the task they have to follow. Besides the tasks there are also some abilities they have to do. Some of the abilities include the problem sensitivity which means the ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. There is also the oral expression meaning the ability to communicate information and ideas in peaking so others will understand. Also included is the deductive reasoning meaning the ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. Inductive Reasoning is the ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). Oral Comprehension is the ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Selective Attention is the ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Far Vision is the ability to see details at a distance. Flexibility of Closure is the ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material. Near Vision is the ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). Reaction Time is the ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears. All these are some of the abilities the cop has to know when faced with any one of them. They are required to identify them in case of an emergency.
Police patrolling also includes work activities. Which include getting Information Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources? Operating vehicles, mechanized devices, or equipment, running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft. Identifying objects, actions, and events. Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. Making Decisions and Solving Problems.
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. Performing for or Working Directly with the Public Performing for people or dealing directly with the public this includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. Communicating with Persons outside Organization Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources this information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Documenting/Recording Information entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. Resolve conflicts and negotiating with others handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. Communicating with supervisors, peers, or subordinates by providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Evaluate information to determine compliance with standards by using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. There is more than just cops riding around in there cars stopping people giving tickets out as you can tell. While I was doing my resource I learned some of the things I had no idea they had to do. My view of them completely changed for the best. After all I am now more then certain that I picked the right decision I have ever made in my life by picking this field as my career.
