NCJ Number
196905
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 29 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2002 Pages: 114,116,119
Date Published
September 2002
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses ways in which to challenge motivated police officers in small police departments.
Abstract
It is the smaller police department that can actually address these issues most effectively through diversity of assignments. Units tend to be specialized when an agency is large and subject to a high call volume. Officers are limited in their freedom to perform diverse tasks and are forced to deal with one type of crime or one aspect of law enforcement. Officers in small agencies are often required to handle a variety of calls, such as DARE or traffic-related issues in addition to their patrol requirements. Smaller departments have the ability to establish part-time units to handle a variety of issues. The units would run like those of the larger agencies but on a smaller scale with officers splitting that duty with their day-to-day patrol duties. Some units are harder to establish than others, such as a narcotics unit. The formation of a narcotics task force is typically done through a county or State agency. It is possible for smaller agencies to develop small, part-time narcotics units using their own manpower. Interested and capable officers could be chosen and receive training to keep their skills fresh by attending in-service training. The newly formed narcotics team members could assume several different roles, such as a drug recognition expert or undercover buyer. Establishing crime scene units within a smaller department is another way to keep bright officers motivated and challenged. Crime scene processing is one of the most challenging areas in law enforcement. Many small police departments rely on larger county or State agencies to process crime scenes within their jurisdiction. Having patrol officers supplement their duties with the policing of chat rooms online is another way to keep them motivated. Like narcotics or any other undercover assignment, the investigator needs to learn the language of the targeted element. Policies and procedures should be drafted to guide the computer investigation unit.