m. The use of evidence depends on the protection and control of the crime scene. MPs must not
compromise the protection of the scene. Make sure the MPs are well-trained in protecting the crime
scene.
8.
Patrol Distribution.
a. MP personnel represent the most valuable resource a PM has available. There are few
equipment resources available to the garrison PM. It is critically important his MPs are widely used.
b. The PM should continually strive to reduce "guesswork" in police operations. Selective
enforcement is a good means by which the PM can plan enforcement activities without complete
reliance on intuition. The basis for selective enforcement is accurate historical data. This refers to time,
place, type, and frequency of incidents or violations.
c. Careful interpretation of this data will aid in finding the causes of crime and projecting
operating costs. This data helps in forecasting personnel and equipment requirements, and maintaining
accurate reports on the status of discipline within the command. By its very nature, selective
enforcement provides for a better use of manpower and lends direction to crime prevention and law
enforcement activities.
d. Statistical data is used for selective enforcement planning. Proper collection and
interpretation of this data is essential to achieve the desired results. The PM needs data that will provide
pertinent facts to be used in solving continuing enforcement problems. The best source is the data
contained in records and MP reports readily available to the PM. The PM must assure that routine
reports are accurate and complete. If personnel fail to properly record incidents, accidents, or violations,
the data will not be factual. This may result in faulty enforcement plans. Raw data must be organized
and summarized before it will become meaningful for planning purposes. One useful method is by the
construction of a frequency distribution table. This table groups items of the same class. It specifies the
number of items in each class. Some examples of data suitable for forming classes are: type of offenses,
time of day of offenses, and age of offenders. With some type of data, it is useful to group it concisely.
For example, if we are listing numbers of offenses by time of day it would be helpful to combine two or
more hour classes together. This forms an hour group or interval. A table that lists offenses for 3-hour
periods (such as 2100 hours to 2400 hours had 284 offenses for a 6 month period) would mean more
than a listing of 24 different 1-hour periods.
e. Selective enforcement is the planned distribution of MPs. This ensures that law enforcement
is applied when and where it is needed. MPs are placed in sufficient strength in identified areas in order
to handle predicted crime activity. The PM, like all modern police administrators, has learned that the
patrol force must be dispersed when and where police problems are likely to occur. The PM can
economically, yet effectively, distribute assigned MPs over the 24-hour, 7-days-a-week duty period.
MP2003
5-12
Previous Page
