THE PATROL

ENVIRONMENT
 IMPORTANCE OF THE
PATROL FORCE
• Patrol is the essence of police operations.
• The patrol force is the single largest unit
within the police organization.
• Actions taken by the patrol officer have
the most direct impact on the citizen’s
satisfaction and on the accomplishment of
police goals and objectives.
• Patrol operation is the most visible form
of activity that enhances the welfare and
security of the community.
• Individual patrol officers represent the
police department in its contact with the
community.
• Individual patrol officers play a major role
in determining the quality of justice in a
given community. Errors made by
patrolmen have significant negative effect
in the public’s perception and on the other
components of the CJS.
• The patrol officer is the most important
human element of the police organization
since all police field operations are
supported by the patrol activity.
POLICE DISCRETION
 INFLUENCES IN
PATROL OPERATIONS
• Community influences
• Political influences
• Local government influences
• Physical environment
 COMMUNITY
INFLUENCES
• Community residents
– Community residents have a vested in
the nature of police services provided
by their local departments
– When establishing and enforcing
departmental policies and priorities,
police administrators have obligation to
be aware of and respond to local
community concerns.
• Police administrators and patrol officers
must be able to distinguish legitimate
community concerns from isolated
incidents of nit-picking by people looking
out only for themselves.
• Community leaders
– Community leaders must be aware of
police capabilities.
– They need professional police
administrators to help them in
identifying legitimate goals and
objectives of the police.
– Thus, police administrators must play a
leadership role in the community.
• Community personality -
– Communities are like people - they have
their own personalities. No 2
communities are exactly alike, just as no
2 people are identical.
– Community values – cultural norms
• Community problems
• Composition of the populace
 POLITICAL
INFLUENCES

• Public policy
• Political decisions
• Partisan politics
• Political control and interference
 Local Government
• Local chief executives
• City/Municipal council
• Existing form of local government
• Local government budget for the
police
POLICE PATROL
HAZARDS
Psychological hazards
 Occupational stress

• External stressors
• Internal stressors
• Stressors in law enforcement work
• Stressors confronting the individual
officer
 Critical incident stress

• Physical CIS
• Cognitive CIS
• Emotional CIS
• Behavioral CIS
»Stress Debriefing
 Job-related hazards

• Organizational frustration
• Role conflict
• Moral conflict
• Corruptive influences
 Physical hazards

• Physical conditioning
• Fatigue
• Physical strain from shift rotation
• Dealing with communicable diseases