Police Operations
Chapter 1
Hiring Process
• You need to decide
– What size department
• Small, medium, large
– Will it be a job or a career
• Retirement options
– What are my career goals
• Specialty job – Detective, K-9 handler, Accident
Reconstruction….
• Promotion
Hiring Process
• Am I a viable candidate?
– Background
• Criminal activity – detected and undetected
• Drug use
– Employment history
• I’ve always wanted to be a cop…
– Credit history
– Driving History
– Physical condition
– Job suitability assessment/personality inventory
Getting Hired
• Agency application
• ALERT Test
– Writing
• Clarity, vocabulary & spelling
– Reading
• Comprehension
– Reasoning
– Practice Tests (from MCJA website)
– http://lib.post.ca.gov/Publications/poWrittenPractice
Test.pdf
http://www.testprepreview.com/sat_practice.htm
Getting Hired
• Written exam (maybe)
– General knowledge
– Observation
– Pattern recognition
– Integrity Component
Getting Hired
• Physical Agility Exam
– Based on Cooper Institute standards
– Age and gender based
– 1.5 mile run
– Sit-ups (timed)
– Push-ups (timed)
– Pass/ Fail
– Done again two weeks before entering police
academy
Getting Hired
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Interview
Rolling resume – tell us about yourself
What have you done to prepare
Community involvement
Any bad behavior
Strengths/weaknesses
Scenarios
Low stress but you’re on the hot seat
Getting hired
• Background packet
– Be honest
• Background investigation
– Follow up on what you put in the packet
– References – make sure they know
• Pre-employment polygraph
– Meeting God
Getting Hired
• Conditional Job Offer
– Contingent upon you passing the medical & psych
• Medical Examination
– Comprehensive exam
• Psychological Examination
– Written and interview
– Personality inventory
You’re Hired!
• Maine Criminal Justice Academy
– 18 weeks in beautiful downtown Vassalboro
• Monday through Friday
• Classroom, scenarios, range weeks
• Weekly tests
Your Department
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Field Training Program
San Jose Model
Used in Portland & other departments
14 week program
Daily evaluations
Progress in two week increments
Mission Statement
• Declaration of purpose for the organization and
it’s members
• A road map for the organization
• Gives direction and sets priorities
• PPD Mission Statement
– The mission of the Portland Police Department is to
maintain a safe city by working in partnership with the
community to prevent and reduce crime, protect life
and property, help resolve neighborhood problems
and protect the rights of all.
Police Power
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U.S. Constitution
State Constitution
Statutes – state and federal
Case law
Three General Eras of Policing
• Political – 1840 thru 1930
• Reform – 1930 - 1980
• Community – 1980 – to present
Professionalism of Police
Wickersham Commission
• Report 11 – Lawlessness in L.E.
– Police brutality, questioning tactics, threats, illegal
detention, no access to an attorney
• Report 14 – The Police
– Police administration – leadership, centralized
administrative control, higher personnel standards
– Overall professionalization of the police
– And all this leads to…
Professionalism of Police
• 1960’s Case Law
– Miranda v. Arizona
– Terry v. Ohio
• 1970’s Education and formal academy
– Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA)
– Formal education through CJ programs
• Technology
– Video
– Improved investigations
Police Organizations
• Paramilitary structure
• Chain of Command – rank structure
• Organizational Chart - responsibilities
• Patrol Division (Field Operations)
• Detective Division
• Specialty Positions
Basic Patrol Objectives (p. 5-6)
• Prevent Crime
– Proactive patrol
– How is this measured?
• Community Involvement
– Quality of life issues
• Prevent Delinquency
– Youth programs
– Diversion from the formal system
• Repression of Crime
– Police presence at “hot spots”
Basic Patrol Objectives (p.5-6)
• Arresting & Assuring Conviction of Offenders
– Your job is not to convict
• Reducing Traffic Collisions
– Enforcement & presence at high accident
locations
• Assuring Public Peace
– Gatherings, demonstrations, neighborhoods
• Problem Solving & Crisis Planning
– Weather emergencies, sports championships,
neighborhood issues
Patrol Services
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Routine patrol
Preventive presence
Community/benevolent services
Business/property security
Inspection services
Public interaction
Calls for service
Animal control
Patrol Services
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Traffic direction/control
Preliminary investigation
Information services
Develop contacts
Make arrests
Collect/preserve evidence
Testify in court
Prepare reports
Distribution of Patrol Resources
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Jurisdiction
Telephone/internet reporting
Reportable traffic accidents
What generates a report?
Population density
Calls for service
Size of geographic area
Distribution of Patrol Resources
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Nature of area (Old Port)
Beat boundaries
Open beats – who is responsible
Rotating assignments
Proactive v. Reactive
Discretion
• Professional judgment
• Department outlook…
• Personal outlook – knowledge, training,
experience, circumstances
• Advice from other officers
• Voluntary compliance is the ultimate goal
Officer Liability
• Civil
– Compensatory damages – generally covered by
your employer or insurance company
– Punitive damages – the individual is responsible
– Attorney costs are paid by employer
• Criminal
– Officer is responsible for attorney costs
Officer Liability
• Civil Rights Lawsuit
– Protection of citizens against abuses of government –
including police misconduct
– Willful police conduct that violates an individual's
constitutional rights
– False arrest, malicious prosecution, excessive force,
failure to intervene
– An individual bringing a police misconduct claim must
prove the actions of the police exceeded reasonable
bounds, infringed the victim's constitutional rights,
and produced some injury or damages to the victim
Public Perception
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Usually based on limited information
All police are painted with a broad brush
Difficult to change the perception
Perception becomes reality…
• What factors impact your perception of the
police?
Public Expectations
• People want to be able to explain their
situation to the police
• They want the police to be unbiased, neutral
and fair
• They want to be treated with dignity and
respect and have their rights acknowledged
• They want the police to consider their needs
and be concerned about their well-being
• After all…I pay your salary