Criminology Board Examination Reviewer Police Patrol

and Operational Planning

Patrol - from french patrouiller - to paddle, paw about, patrol.

            - keep watch over an area by regularly walking or traveling around or through it.
            - a person or group of people sent to keep watch over an area.
- backbone of Police Organization (George Payton), oldest services and is the focal
point of all police activities.

Patrol Officers - are uniformed officers assigned to monitor specific geographical areas, that is
to move through their areas at regular intervals looking out for any signs of problems of any
kind.

Importance of Police Patrol

1. Patrol is the essence of the police function.
2. The patrol force is the single largest element of police organization, and the actions taken by
patrol officers have a direct impact on citizen. Satisfaction and well-being on the
accomplishment of police goals and objectives.
3. The patrol function is also the most visible form of police activity, furthering the community’s
well-being and perception of the level of local government services.
4. The individual patrol officer represents the police organization in its contact with the
community.
5. The individual patrol officer plays a major role in determining the quality of justice in a given
community.
6. The police administrators must recognize and emphasize that the patrol officer is the most
important number of the police organization and that all other people activities must be
supportive of the patrol mission.

Purposes of Patrol
1. To reduce opportunity to commit crime.
2. To safeguard people and property.
3. To preserve the peace.

Factors Affecting Patrol Operation

1. Internal Factors
2. External Factors
3. Occupational Hazard

History of Patrol
1. Ancient China - law enforcement was carried out  by prefect. Prefects were government
officials appointed by local magistrates who reported to higher authorities such as the governors
who in turn were appointed by head of state usually the emperor of the dynasty.

2. Ancient Greece - publicly owned slaves were used by magistrates as police. In Athens, a
group of 300 Scythian slaves (rod-bearers) was used to guard public meetings to keep order
and for crowd control and also assisted with dealing with criminal, handling prisoners and
making arrests.

3. Roman empire - the army rather than a dedicated police organization provided security.
Local watchmen were hired by cities to provide some extra security. Magistrates such as
procurators, fiscals and quaestros investigated crime. Under the reign of Augustus, 14 wards
were created, the wards were protected by seven squads of 1000 men called vigiles who acted
as firemen and night watchmen. Their duties included apprehending thieves and robbers and
capturing run away slaves. The vigiles were supported by the urban cohorts who acted as a
heavy duty riot force and praetorian guard if necessary.
 praetorian guard - bodyguards used by roman emperors.
 urban cohorts - were created by Augustus to counter balance the enormous power of
the praetorian guard in the city of Rome and serve as the police force.
 vigiles - (watchmen of the city) - were the firefighters and police of ancient Rome.
 ward - a subdivision of a municipality.

4. Medieval England - the Anglo-Saxon system of maintaining public order since the Norman
conquest was a private system of tithing, led by a constable to enforce the law.
 tithing - was a grouping of 10 households.

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 Criminology Board Examination Reviewer Police Patrol
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 constable - is a person holding a particular office most commonly in law enforcement.

The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdiction.

5. Spain - modern police in Europe has a precedent in the Hermandus or (brotherhood) - peace
keeping association of individuals, a characteristic of municipal life in medieval Spain. The first
recorded case of the formation of the hermandad occurred when the towns and the peasantry of
the north united to police the pilgrim road to Santiago de compostela in galicia and protect the
pilgrims against robber knights.

6. France - The first police force in the modern sense was created by the government of King
Louis XIV in 1667 to police the city of Paris, then the largest city in Europe.

7. Britain and Ireland - in England, a system of sheriffs, reeves and investigative juries to
provide basic security and law enforcement.
 Sheriff - is a contraction of the term "shire-reeve" - designated a royal official
responsible for keeping the peace through out  a shire or county on behalf of the king.
 Reeve - a senior official with local responsibilities under the crown. ex., chief magistrate
of a town or district.
 Shire - traditional term for a division of land in the UK and Australia.
 Jury - is a sworn body of people convened to render impartial verdict officially submitted
to them by a court or to set a penalty or judgement.
 Thief taker - a private individual hired to capture criminal.
 Bow street runners - London's first professional police force.
 Henry Fielding - a magistrate educated at Elton college who founded the Bow street
runners originally numbered just six.
 Statute of Winchester - in 1285, obliged the authorities of every town to keep a watch
at the city gates and arrest all suspicious night walkers.
 Sir Robert Peel - prime minister of England from Dec. 1834 to April 1835 and again
From Aug.1841 to June 1846. While home secretary, help create the modern concept of
the police force leading to officers being known as bobbies in England and peelers in
Ireland.
 Patrick Colquhoun - (1745 - 1820) - a Scottish merchant and a magistrate who founded
the first regular preventive police force in England, the Thames river police.

8. In the US - the first city police services were established in Philadelphia in 1751, Boston 1838
and new york 1845.
 August Vollmer - first police chief of Berkeley California. He is sometimes called the
father of modern law enforcement in the US.
   1. He was the first chief to require that police officers attain college degrees.
   2. First police chief to create a motorized force placing officers on   motorcycles and cars so
that they could patrol broader areas with greater efficiency .    
   3. He was also the first to use the lie detector in police work.
 O.W. Wilson - studied under August Vollmer. Became Chief of Police of the Fullerton
police department. He also became chief of police of the Wichita police department. He
introduced the following reforms and innovations:
1. requires new policeman to have college education.
2. use of police car for patrol, mobile radios and use of a mobile crime laboratory.
3. he believe that the use of a two way radio allowed better supervision of patrol officers.

What are the 3 Main Task of Supervision?

1. Organize - means planning the work of the department and of the personnel in an orderly
manner.
2. Delegate - means giving someone else the responsibility and authority to do something. The
supervisor confers upon a subordinate officer the same authority and responsibility that the
supervisor possesses to accomplish the specific task. The supervisor remain responsible for the

completion of the delegated task.

3. Oversee - means that the supervisor ensures that the work that has been organized and
delegated is satisfactorily completed.

Community policing - is the process by which an organized group of citizens devoted a time to
crime prevention within a neighborhood. When suspecting criminal activities, members are

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encourage to contact the authorities and not to intervene.

Beat patrol - the deployment of officers in a given community, area or locality to prevent and
deter criminal activity and to provide day to day services to the community.

Sting Operations - organized groups of detectives who deceived criminals into openly
committing illegal acts of conspiring to engage in criminal activity.

Hotspots of Crime - the view that a significant portion of all police calls in cities typically radiate
from a relatively few locations.

Models of Policing
1. Neighborhood Oriented Policing - a philosophy of police suggesting that problem solving is
best done at the neighborhood level, where issues originate not at a far-off central
headquarters.
2. Pro Active Policing - aggressive law enforcement style in which patrol officers take the
initiative against crime instead of waiting for criminal acts to occur.
3. Problem Oriented Policing - a style of police management that stresses pro active problem
solving instead of reactive crime fighting.
4. Community Oriented Policing - programs designed to bring the police and the public closer
together and create more cooperative working environment between them.
5. Reactive Policing - the opposite of Pro Active policing where the police wait for crime to
occur.

Blue Curtain - describes the secrecy and insulation from others in society that is a
consequence of the police subculture.

Cynicism - the belief that most peoples actions are motivated solely by personal needs and
selfishness.

Civilian Review Board - ex. PLEB - organized citizen groups that examine police misconduct.

Watchman - style of policing characterized by an emphasis on maintaining public order.

Fleeing Felon Rule - the oldest standard relating to the use of deadly force.

Beats - designated police patrol areas.

Internal Affairs - unit that investigates allegations of police misconduct.

Deadly Force - police killing of a suspect who resists arrest or presents a danger to an officer or
the community.

Booking - the administrative record of an arrest listing the offenders name, address, physical
description, date of birth, time of arrest, offense and name of arresting officer. It also include
photographing and fingerprinting of the offender.

Line Up - placing a suspect in a group for the purpose of being viewed and identified by a
witness.

Stop and Frisk - the situation in which police officers who are suspicious of an individual run
their hands lightly over the suspects outer garments to determine if the person is carrying a
concealed weapon. Also called Inquiry of Pat Down.

Foot Patrol - police patrol that takes officer out of cars and puts them in walking beat to
strengthen ties with the community.

Excited Delirium - an overdose of adrenaline that can occur in heated confrontation with the
police.
* Patrol reduces crime by creating an impression of omnipresence.

Responding to Crime - total response time is comprised of Four Dimensions.

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1. Discovery Time - interval between the commission of the crime and its discovery.
2. Reporting Time - interval between the discovery of the crime and when it is reported to the
police.
3. Processing Time - interval between receiving the call and dispatching the  officers for service.
4. Travel time - the amount of time it takes for the police to travel to the scene of the crime.

The Phantom Effect - "residual deterrence" most people believe that the police is present even
when they are not in sight.

Sworn Date - the date that  a sworn employee took the oath of office for their position.

Foot Patrol
 Oldest form of patrol.
 Team is assigned to a specific designated area to be covered by foot.
 Risk of being alone could provide an opportunity for the offender to take advantage in
assault and escape.
 Mobility is a form of problem since the area that could be covered is smaller.

Automobile Patrol
 Automobile patrol operated by one man is more effective and economical than if
operated by two men. One man vs two man patrol car is more efficient.
 No, of patrol unit is increased 100%.
 Frequency of patrol is doubled.
 Being alone causes less distraction by idle conversation, hence more attentiveness to
local conditions.
 The lone driver, not pat to take chances while driving, is more careful in operation.
 Most prevalent and economical method of patrol used in the police force, aside from
being modernly equipped.

Bicycle Patrol
 Introduced and successfully adopted in 1939 by the Manila Police Department to
augment the foot patrol but unfortunately when two member met their sudden death due
to accident.
 However, in other countries, this kind of patrol is still very popular and effective.

Motorcycle Patrol
 Solo motorcycles have been traditionally been used in department for traffic
enforcement, escort, and parade duty.
 Some units abandoned this owing to several operational limitations, including cost of
operation, safety hazards and limited used during adverse weather.

Helicopter/Air Patrol
 Craft have been prove to be useful and effective to large cities but not to municipality.
 It is too expensive in cost and maintenance of its operational activity.
 Helicopter offers unique advantages for patrol.
 Enable the police to quickly response in a wider area for “hot” burglary and robbery
suspects and to evacuate victims of vehicular, industrial, and recreational mishaps with
greater ease and speed.

Canine Patrol
 Like motorcycle patrol, canine patrol leas limited applications in dice patrol operations.
Dog patrol used primarily for search purposes, to act contraband such as drugs and
other volatile substances. It is also used in tracking down missing and or 1 person.

Marine Patrol
 These units have proven themselves on many occasions by detecting fires, saving lives,
hastening disaster relief, and victims.
 Patrolling in marine areas, busy summer beaches, and in keeping order and recreation
waterways.
 Expensive to maintain operation.

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 The Western Police District introduced this during PC/INP. Used watercraft in the anti-
smuggling operations along the Pasig River and Manila Bay

Basic Preventive Patrol Methods Utilized by an Officer

1. Frequent check and contact with business premises
2. Frequent check of suspicious persons
3. Fluctuating patrol patterns
4. Maintenance of visibility and personal contact
5. Daily individual patrol and community action plan

Factors to be Considered in Becoming Familiar with the Community

1. General population information
2. Appropriate geographical information
3. Recent criminal activity
4. Specific factors that may influence patrol functions
    ex. location of hospitals, high crime areas, community habits.

How to Prepare for a Normal Patrol Shift

1. Gathering information through crime reports and briefings
2. Gathering needed materials ex. report forms, citation books
3. Obtaining and checking equipment
4. Planning work around identified priorities
5. Preparing daily patrol and community action plan

What an Officer on Night time Patrol Should be Looking for

1. broken glasses
2. open doors and windows
3. pry marks
4. suspicious vehicles
5. persons on foot
6. differences in normal lighting (on or Off)
7. unusual sounds
8. access to roof tops or upper floors

Definition of Terms
1. Section - a primary subdivision of a bureau with a department wide responsibility for
providing  a specific specialized functions.
2. Unit - a subdivision of a section usually small in size with personnel assigned to perform a
specialized activity, one or two employees performing assigned work.
3. Squad - a subdivision of a unit.
4. Detail - a subdivision of a squad.
5. Precinct -the primary geographic subdivision of the patrol operation bureau.
6. Sector - the primary geographic subdivision of a precinct, supervised by a sergeant
containing two or more beats, route, or post.
7. Beat - the primary subdivision of a sector. An area assigned for patrol purpose, whether foot
or motorized.
8. Watch/Shift - one of several tours of duty. A time division of the day for the purpose of
assignment.
9. Post - a fixed point or geographic location usually assigned to an individual officer:
a. Intersection or cross-walk for traffic
b. Spot or location for general guard on duty observation and surveillance or for the
apprehension of a person wanted for or about to commit a crime.
10.Task Force - an adhoc work group normally established by bureau commander to respond
to a specific incident or series of related incidents. Task Force assignment is temporary.
11.Chief of Police - overall commander of the department.
12.Chain of Command - a fundamental component of proper supervision.The chain of
command requires that each employee reports and is accountable to   only one direct
supervisor.
13. Area – a section or territorial division of a large city, each comprised of designated district.
14. Cop – commonly used to describe a police officer that is in patrol duty.
15. Districts – a geographical subdivision of the city for patrol purposes, usually with its own
stations.

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16. Platoon – personnel assigned to one shift or watch.

17. Route – a length of street designated for patrol purpose.

Police Operational Planning

Police Operational Planning - the act of determining policies and guidelines for police
activities and operations and providing controls and safeguards for such activities and
operations in the department. Involves strategies or tactics, procedures, policies or guidelines.

Operational Planning - the use of rational design or patten for all departmental undertakings
rather than relying on chance in an operational environment. The preparation and development
of procedures and techniques in accomplishing each of the primary tasks and functions of an
organization.

Police Planning - an attempt by police administrators in trying to allocate anticipated resources

to meet anticipated service demands. The systematic and orderly determination of facts and
events as basis for policy formulation and decision making affecting law enforcement
management.

Planning - the determination in advance of how the objectives of the organization will be
attained; involves the determination of a course of action to take in performing a particular
function or activity. The process of developing methods or procedures or an arrangement of
parts intended to facilitate the accomplishment of a definite objective. The process of deciding in
advance  what is to be done and how it is to be done.

Plan - an organized schedule or sequence by methodical activities intended to attain a goal or

objectives for the accomplishment of mission or assignment. A method or way of doing
something in order to attain objectives and provides answers to the 5Ws and 1H.

Strategy - a broad design or method or a plan to attain a stated goal or objective.

Tactics - are specific design, method or a course of action to attain a particular objective in
consonance with strategy.

Procedures - are sequences of activities to reach a point or to attain what is desired.

Policy - a course of action which could be a program of

actions adopted  by an individual, group, organization or government or the set of principles on
which they are based.
 Case Operational Plan (COPLAN) - a definite target - specific activity conducted in
relation to an intelligence project under which it is affected. Several case operations may
fall under one intelligence project.- refers to a preparatory plan on how to carry out a
case operation which is the last resort to pursue intelligence objectives when normal
police operations fail.
 command post/holding area - area where case conferences, briefings and debriefings
are being conducted by the responding agencies.
 dragnet operation - is a police operation purposely to seal off the probable exit points of
fleeing suspect from the crime scene to prevent their escape.

Management or Administrative Functions

  1. Planning
  2. Organizing
  3. Directing
  4. Controlling
  5. Staffing
  6. Reporting
  7. Budgeting

Guidelines in Planning
  1. What - mission/objective
  2. Why  - reason/philosophy
  3. When - date/time

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 Criminology Board Examination Reviewer Police Patrol
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  4. where - place
  5. How  - strategy/methods

Characteristics of a Good Plan

  1. A Plan must have a clearly defined objective
  2. A Plan must be simple, direct and clear
  3. A Plan must be flexible
  4. A Plan must be attainable
  5. A Plan must provide standards of operation
  6. A Plan must be economical in terms of resources
      needed for implementation.

Types of Plan
  1. Procedural/Policy Plan
  2. Operational Plan
  3. Tactical Plan
  4. Administrative/Management Plan
  5. Extra-Departmental Plan

Prepared by:

Prof. Aidalyn Bustamante Barrido, MBA, PhDPAc

Criminology Board Exam Reviewer
College Consultant
PPSC Associate Professor
Police Officer