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Operational Issues in the Small Law Enforcement Agency

NCJ Number
225029
Date Published
1990
Length
187 pages
Annotation
This practical reference book for a small agency police chief contains current information and proposed methods of addressing operational issues within a small police organization.
Abstract
The first chapter discusses the benefits and disadvantages of consolidating police and fire services under a department of public safety. This is followed by a chapter that provides guidance for developing and implementing physical fitness programs. The third chapter outlines the three basic legal standards of conduct that control police use of deadly force: common law statutes, modified common law statutes, and model penal code. This is followed by a chapter on the features of a departmental policy on police shootings. The next chapter reviews the techniques that are being used by police agencies around the country in order to reduce police use of deadly force while improving officer safety and public protection. Two chapters address the sources and features of stress in police work and how to cope with it, followed by two chapters on the risk for and nature of alcoholism among police officers, its recognition, and assistance for it. The development of employee assistance programs in small police agencies is discussed in another chapter, followed by a chapter on procedures for evaluating fitness for duty. Three chapters focus on community-oriented policing, as they discuss neighborhood crime prevention, police participation in community planning, and human relations training for police officers. A chapter then provides an overview of legal training programs for police, followed by a chapter on high speed pursuit legal liability. Two chapters address police use of two technologies in small police departments: computers and cellular mobile telephones. The six remaining chapters discuss narcotics investigations in smaller agencies, selecting and training police tactical officers, the selection and assignment of reserve officers, manpower allocation, police generalists and specialized assignments, and the accreditation process. Chapter review questions and a subject index