AJ 53 – Police Field Operations

1. AJ 53 –Police Field Operations Chapter 5 – Basic Patrol Procedures

2. Patrol Basics • Duties and Responsibilities • Moving around within a designated area • Active observation • Interactive participation with citizenry • Purpose • Visible presence to all • Symbol of safety and security to law abiders • Reminder to potential law breakers • All types of patrol should result in daily, face-to-face contact with citizens • Link to Homeland Security?

3. Patrol Activities • Administrative Activities • Community & department meetings, equipment maintenance • Officer-Initiated Activities • Proactive efforts based on traffic/pedestrian stops, PR contacts, etc. • Assigned Calls-For-Service • Calls received by Dispatch • Follow-Up/Directed Patrol • Specific to ongoing investigations

4. Vehicle Patrol • Most common mode of patrol transportation • Patrol car becomes officer’s mobile “office” • Communications & Equipment • Types of vehicles used for various purposes/situations • General patrol duties • Pursuits • Marked vs. Unmarked vehicles • Off-road • Disadvantages? • Easily recognizable • Barrier to interaction with citizens • Costs

5. Types of Patrol • Foot Patrol • Maximize contact with people in malls, parks, beaches, trouble spots… • Allows for increased personal interaction • Less mobile – slower response time • Bicycles • Mobile, unobtrusive, access to equipment • Motorcycles • Primarily for traffic enforcement

6. Types of Patrol (continued) • Horses/Mounted Patrol • Parades, crowd control, search and rescue • Welcoming and intimidating • Small Vehicles • Electric vehicles, ATV’s/quads, Segways… • Airplanes and Helicopters • Traffic, search and rescue, narcotics, etc. • Boats and Jet-Skis • Waterways, holiday crowds, search and rescue/recovery

7. General Preparation for Patrol • Keep a Positive Attitude • Must be developed and maintained despite overwhelming negative encounters: Not all people are bad! • Maintain positive off-duty relationships • Be Curious and Suspicious • Situational awareness • Observational perception • Wonder why people do what they do • Become a Student of Human Nature • Learn as much as possible about people and social interactions • Develop a broad base of multi-cultural experiences • Be Professional, Courteous, Empathetic, and Compassionate to All!

8. Pre-Patrol Preparation • Knowledge and Information • Local, state, national current events • Legal updates, case-law decisions, etc. • In-service training classes • Beat Familiarity = Beat Integrity! • Demographics, business, residential, rural • Streets/numbering system, routes • Floor-plans of likely calls for service • Liquor stores, banks, schools, apartment complexes

9. Pre-Patrol Preparation (cont’d) • Briefing • Beat assignments, recent activities • Reports • Read crime/incident reports from your beat • Vehicle Inspection • Careful and thorough! • Gas, damage, lights/siren, equipment, etc.

10. Beginning of Patrol • Check-in • Talk to officer going off-duty who has been working your beat • Check Your Beat • Cursory check of area • Random, varied pattern • Don’t establish permanent routine! • Keep log of times & activities • Homeland Security issues/locations

11. Foot Patrol Considerations • Recent trend of returning to foot patrols • Increases face-to-face encounters • Builds and maintains Trust & Respect • Get to know people while on foot • Be cautious of unethical gratuities • Good opportunity for PR contacts • Actively observe surroundings/goings-on • You are still “on patrol”

12. Vehicle Patrol Considerations • Consider vehicle as mode of transportation • Don’t “hide” inside patrol car • Get out and walk around • In general, patrol at normal flow of traffic • Slow enough to observe surroundings without impeding other drivers • Windows open, radios low • Patrol Patterns (p. 168) • Spiral, zigzag, quadrant, cloverleaf • Driving Factors • Vehicle, traffic, weather, fatigue, pursuits • EVOC training

13. Plainclothes Patrol • Unmarked vehicles • In uniform or plain clothes • Advantages • Stealth and anonymity • Observation and approach to illegal activity • Immersion in crowds, special events • Challenges • Identification • Communications • Weapons • Contact with uniformed officers

14. Building Checks • In vehicle or on foot • Need to physically “shake some doors” • Note floor plans for future reference • Check vehicles/persons in area or parking lot • Loud vs. quiet approach • Communication with Dispatch, other officers • Check for signs of forced entry • Broken locks, pry marks, tools, etc.

15. Building Checks (continued) • Open Door • Someone inside? • Enter alone or wait for partner? • Consider K-9 if available • Weapon drawn? • Employee? Janitor? Burglar? • Lighting issues • Vision adjustment • Flashlight vs. light switch • Checking interior • Listen! • Doors may be open, locked, etc. • Expect someone to be there! • Make contact with Responsible Party

16. Crime-Prevention Checks • Excellent PR tool! • Residential • Vacation checks • After theft, burglary, etc. • Commercial & Institutional • Good use of foot-patrol time • Offer advice to business owners • Check business licenses

17. Attractive Nuisances • Be aware of potentially hazardous or troublesome locations… • Vacant/Abandoned buildings • Teen “party houses” • Parks or playgrounds at night • Drug use/sales • Liquor stores, bars, etc.

18. Gangs and Gang Activities • Not just a “big city” problem • Pre-teens to young adults • Typical activities/crimes • Tagging, graffiti, vandalism • Theft, Robbery, Burglary • Alcohol use, Drug use/sales • Fights & Weapons • Patrol Officer’s responsibilities?

19. Surveillance • Surveillance = observing a place, person, or object for the purpose of… • Identification • Developing information • Determining relationships • Gathering evidence • Loose vs. Fixed surveillance

20. Surveillance Considerations • Gather as much intelligence as possible • Before and during operation • Discreet communications • Combine various methods • Foot, vehicle, individuals, and teams • Develop a plan for contingencies • Expect the unexpected!

21. Stakeouts • Fixed surveillance for suspect, crime • Planning and preparations • Notifications and cooperation • Location and equipment • Food, water, bathroom • Communications • Relief of personnel • Plan for contingencies

22. Specialized Enforcement • SWAT, Gangs, Narcotics, Vice, etc. • Special training/equipment required • Somewhat autonomous but still within Department policies & procedures • Requires communication/coordination with uniformed patrol

23. Undercover Assignments • Requires careful planning/preparation • May require memorization of new identity/personal history • Challenges of isolation and separation • May have to build relationships with less-than-desirable people • Impact on family?