Introduction
According to Tom Potter and Rosanne Sizer, Mayor and chief of police respectively from the Portland Police Bureau, they describe robbery as a criminal action against a person rather than against the individual’s property. Moreover, they allude that if an intruder breaks and enters into a person’s business property or home and destroys or takes property, then this is called a burglary. However, if an individual is confronted by a perpetrator at his business premises, home, or car and force is used during the process, then this is called robbery. Additionally, daytime robberies take place in broad daylight, witnesses may be involved which could prove very materialistic in the investigation of the same. As a consultant in City X, my main purpose is to come up with investigative strategies and plans that could be implemented to curb this increasingly worrying menace. During the investigative process or procedure, use of technology, liaising with witnesses and the robbery victims will be some of the tools used in this fight (Potter & Sizer, n.d.)
Statistics in city X show that there has been a general increase in the number of robberies that take place on a daily basis. The city’s police department has recently reported that robbery cases have increased up to 20% in the last six months alone. Business and property owners are at a loss for words in expressing their worries and frustrations in general. Investors are scared off, properties locked down, tourists scared off and some business corporations going as far as relocating their businesses to other cities. The city is losing important revenue as a result of this misdeed, therefore, infrastructure and other amenities development have stalled. Worse still, it is spread out to the ten different jurisdictions of the city (Hall, 2013).
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However, as the specialist and consultant mandated to deal with this besieging crisis, I have a laid out plan to fend off this problem. First, in the investigative process, before anything else, a ten-step investigative procedure is paramount in the bid to identify the root and source of this menace. From there on, it is easier to conduct the investigations within the framework provided.
List of Investigative Steps to be taken .
From the individual research conducted, the following are the steps that will be implemented during the investigations to maximize results and findings;
Checking and re-evaluating the reports from the police from the different jurisdictions - police reports are sometimes written in general, and crucial materialistic information may be jumbled up therein. It is, therefore, crucial to check and countercheck the available police reports on all the crimes.
From the reviewed reports, all the witnesses found will be re-interviewed. This is to make sure that no information crucial to the investigation is left out. Combining all the correspondences from the witnesses’ statements and testimonials from all fronts are very important.
Carefully reviewing each and every forensic evidence from each case found in the police reports. Forensic evidence from the investigated crime scenes will be put under scrutiny and all the pointers noted down to further the investigation. Further, the forensic department and lab are expected to be responsive to further tests and identification if required.
Reviewing all the camera footages and recordings as captured from the scenes. Every footage from the respective crime scene is expected to be made readily available for scrutiny and cross-checking. This is materialistic in identifying the perpetrators.
Reviewing the tactical analysis from the city’s police agencies and within the different jurisdictions in the city. This step is important in identifying the similarities and the trends that have previously been found.
After the arrest has been made, the suspect will be cross-examined and queried. The resulting data will be synthesized and analyzed for easier reference and review. Furthermore, the data will be organized in an orderly manner, like for instance categorizing it in details such as location or time of the day.
Mapping the offenses - Since the offenses are spread out through city X, mapping the occurrences will help identify areas prone to frequent attacks. Additionally, this will help the investigation since resources and manpower will be devoted and allocated promptly in the prevalent areas.
Determining and engaging the city’s police agencies in a bid to get manpower and resources- With the rapid increase in the robberies and perpetrators, it is important to have enough manpower to deal with the same and avoid anarchy.
Liaising with other state agencies around the city to find out if the cases have increased in their areas- This step is in tandem with step seven above.
Finally, researching and investigating if there have been any recent changes in population, new businesses or properties, or other zoning changes that may be affecting the recent crime rampage around the city.
Technological Assistance
Drawing inferences from Foster (2000), it is fundamental to note that the police agencies have made major technological leaps and advances compared to the black and white ages where everything was manual, handwritten and coupled with a lot of paperwork. The police agencies in city X as well have not been left behind. The utilization of the technological advancement will make investigations much easier. To further elaborate, the technological assistance that will be needed in this task is accrued from the development of the computers. First, databases and software such as the NCIC and AFIS will prove materialistic in the arrest and identification of the perpetrators. These databases are maintained nationally by the government and law enforcement agencies to allow different agencies compare fingerprints and arrest records of suspects, immediately identifying, matching and locating suspects who have recently been arrested or set free. Also, the investigation will make use of NIMBRS and Uniform Crime Report Data. Both utilities are materialistic in recording reports of incidences as they happen. In addition, the GIS or Geographical Information Software is another piece of technology to be utilized in this process. GIS will enable the select team of specialists to compile complex mapping data and information. Finally, GIS will be closely supported by the GPS which is yet another important technological tool that will help track the suspects’ phones or computers with a pin-point accuracy of their location (IACA, 2012).
Robbery Pattern Analysis
As informed by the National Association of Michigan (2002), the S.A.R.A. (Scanning, Analyzing, Response, and Assessment) analytical model will be used in enforcing the law and as an aid to the investigative process. Prior to robbery analysis, it is absolutely fundamental to gather data and information concerning the subject matter. In this accord, the four steps elaborated in the model will be very helpful. First, scanning will be done to identify and point out the problem which in this case is robbery, then analysis of the probable course or in other words motive will be done. This will utilize raw data as gathered from the police reports. Thirdly, the response part of the model will come into play whereby the plans and strategies previously laid down will be followed. Finally, the assessment and evaluation will be carried out in determining if the strategic plans are effective. Data collected, gathered and compiled for the analysis will be acquired from the various police and tactical reports accrued from different jurisdictions (Bruce, Hicks, & Cooper, 2004).
Data Synthesis and Conclusion
Data synthesis entails omitting or excluding irrelevant data so as to enhance efficiency in the analysis of the required data. After data synthesis is complete, it will pave way for interviewing all the witnesses listed and mentioned in the robbery police reports. Moreover, forensic evidence and examination will be carried out to check if any piece of information was missed. Also, camera footages as provided by the police will be reviewed and cross-checked just to make sure no piece of evidence is left pending. Additionally, from the theories and procedures asserted by Siegel (2010), the rate of change can be calculated by finding the quotient between the total number of daytime robberies and the population per year. This will effectively provide an individual with the statistics of comparison per person. In addition, measuring the percentage change in the past 5 years will be done by subtracting the old data from the new data then consequentially dividing the result by the old or initial data. This can be effectively done using a database management system or a spreadsheet that has data sorted by jurisdiction, time, location, MO, and the type of robbery (Bruce, Hicks, & Cooper, 2004).
Based on city X’s analysis and police reports, it has been noted that prevalence of the daytime robberies is high in properties and business establishments. This is particularly high in areas where there are major streets and highways. Statistics give evidence that city X’s population has increased by 45% in the last six years. This has therefore led to the increased convenience stores thus increasing the robbery cases. Also, other types of businesses like real estate have grown accruing to the population increase. Partially, the immediate management and recommendations are to raise the number of police patrols, deploy more police units in the high-risk neighborhoods and install surveillance equipment on the streets in a bid to manage the menace.
Investigative Units
In a bid to successfully enforce the strategies and plans mentioned earlier, various investigative units have to come into play. This, in coordination with the city’s management, requires hiring additional police patrol units, individual units to analyze crimes, regular beat police, and a competent forensic team. Since there are ten jurisdictions in the city, a total of two police officers per patrol unit in every jurisdiction will be sufficient. This totals to twenty new police officers and ten state civil cruiser patrol cars (Hall, 2013).
Supplies or Equipment required
In evaluating the daytime robbery menace, a range of equipment is needed to comfortably achieve this purpose. All the software mentioned above in the ‘technological assistance’ section above will need to be purchased. Software such as the GIS for crime mapping, databases like Goldmine, and the Microsoft office suite will be required. However, all these equipment and software are useless if there are no trained personnel to handle and manage them. Therefore, there is need to establish a training program to get the best-suited personnel. Additionally, due to the need to add more police officers and patrol cars, a training program for them is thereby fundamental as well as a training facility (IACA, 2012).
Funds Acquisition
In a bid to acquire more funding for this endeavor, a detailed and competitive plan to apply for funds or grants from the Department of justice will be drawn out. Also, applications will be sent to Community for Policing which hosts programs like the Community Policy Development Program and the Cops Hiring Program. These programs are mandated with compliance to fund for personnel increase and equipment from the winning bids (COPS, 2013). Also, other funding programs for the purchase of equipment like the Justice Association Grant Program offered by the National Institute of Justice will be applied for this course. Additionally, the National Institute of Justice offers programs like the transfer of federal surplus equipment to local agencies and state. These programs will be applied for and will prove beneficial to our course.
Conclusion
City X has suffered from this menace long enough and time has come to clean the closet so to say. Recent increase in the city’s population has proved to be the main underlying reason for the increased crime rates. This strategic plan draft addresses every angle of the situation at hand and promises to give commendable results. However, the success of this plan will require a concerted effort by the city’s Mayor and Chief of Police as well as other management agencies. Together, this will be a winning team and a force so strong that perpetrators will think twice before entering the city let alone committing the crime. Together, let us keep the city safe.
References
Bruce, C.W., Hick, S.R., & Cooper, J.P. (2004). Exploring Crime Analysis Reading on Essential Skills. International Association of Crime Analysts. Overland Park, KS.
Community Oriented Policing Services, (COPS) (2013). Grants and Funding. Retrieved From: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?item=46
Foster, R.E. (2000). Police Technology. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall
Hall, E., (2013). Effective Tactical Analysis for Robbery Investigations. Criminology & Justice; Digital Media USA Inc. Retrieved from:
http://criminologyjust.blogspot.co.ke/2013/02/effective-tactical-analysis-for-robbery.html#.WNnUSmj1T3U
International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA), (2012). GIS Software Requirements for Crime Analysts: Standards, Methodology, & Technology (SMT) Committee White Paper. Retrieved From http://www.iaca.net/Publications/IACA
National Associations of Michigan, (2002). What is S.A.R.A. Problem Solving? Retrieved From: http://www.a2gov.org/government/safetyservices/Police/Documents/SARA%20problem%20solving%20sheet.pdf
Potter, T., & Sizer, R.M., (n.d.) A Guide to Robbery Prevention and Response to Robbery. Retrieved from: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/31555 .
Siegel, L.J. (2010). Criminology: Theories, Patterns, and Typologies. Tenth Edition. Belmont: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
