Transition from Two-Person to One-Person Patrol Cars

Introduction 

The one-person patrol operation is a complex process to plan for and implement. This has been a subject among police organizations for many years. The controversy has been faced with statements of half-truths, overgeneralization and misplaced emphasis hence influencing a conclusion on the matter. In this paper, I will discuss the factors to consider while transiting from two persons to one-person patrol cars including the management and officers concerns. I will also describe the San Diego’s results of one officer patrol experiment. 

Factors to consider 

First, extra patrol cars should be put in place to support this service. This is important as it will promote satisfactory performance. These cars need to be high-level performance with high speed, power and enhanced safety measure to safeguard officers’ safety. Second, the patrol beats areas should be reduced. This implies that more units should be put in place if one-person units need to be implemented. Furthermore, the units need to be based on population density. Highly populated areas should have more units in patrol. Similarly, location is another factor to consider. Disorder and crimes are more prevalent in neighborhoods that are poorer. Therefore, more units should be assigned there. Another factor to consider is time. Most disturbances usually happen at night hence more one-person patrol cars units should be assigned at night. 

Officers’ concerns 

Officers’ main concern is their safety. They claim that their utmost safety is dependent on them having a contact/cover, i.e., one officer approaches a scene while the other watches his/her back. Their concern is also that one-person patrol should not be used in areas where police are mistrusted and in midnight shifts. They also require equipment’s such excellent performing radios for communication and high-level performance cars. 

Management concerns 

Their main concern is on cost effectiveness. They feel that one-man patrol cars are more expensive to implement as compared to two-persons’ patrols. This is particularly on imposing requirements such as personnel officers’ accomplices, special equipment and procedure establishment. 

Result of San Diego’s experiment 

They found that units comprising of one officer were less often assaulted but were involved in the few resisting arrest. Also, such units made more arrest and wrote an increased number of crime reports as compared to those in units of two officers. The report also indicated that the concerns about the safety of police officers appeared exaggerated. 

Reference 

Walker, S., & Katz, C. M. (2012).  Police in America . McGraw-Hill.