Abstract
The majority of the theoretical and empirical literature on police patrols and crime has concentrated on the logical assumption that more uniformed preventative police patrols reduce crime. However, few studies have examined the comparative relationship between more police officers doing preventative patrols in a specific area and crime rates and response to calls for service. The objective of this research was to examine whether more uniformed police officers, doing routine preventative patrols, assigned to an area the size of a small city reduces class one crimes (robbery, residential, and commercial burglary and auto theft). The principal intention of the study was to investigate the comparative relationship between the amount of time uniformed patrol officers spend on routine patrols (patrol time) and the impact on the crimes of robbery, residential burglary, commercial burglary, and auto theft and response times. Personal observations, on the job experience and published literature including books and peer-reviewed journals were analyzed to identify gaps in the literature and assisted this researcher in analyzing the data and reach the conclusions. More uniformed preventative patrol officers generated more patrol time but more patrol time did not reduce robberies, residential burglaries and auto thefts. On the other hand, more patrol time reduced commercial burglaries and significantly reduced response time to non emergency calls for service in the City of Doral (Florida).
| Original language | American English |
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| State | Published - May 1 2010 |