Majority of police officers are assigned to patrol and deliver
the bulk of police services to the public.
The marked patrol car and the uniformed police officer are the visible symbols of the police in the eyes of the public. Days are spent on routine patrol or performing non-criminal functions for the public. However, in spite of this routine, the job is often more dangerous than most people imagine. They are the ones called to respond to crimes in progress or crimes that have just been committed.
Patrol officers are also the most important decision makers in the police department if not the entire criminal justice system. Their decision produces the majority of the arrest.
The uniformed patrol officer of the PNP is the personification of law enforcement in the Philippines. Most of the people served respect and considered patrol officers as their protectors. Others, however, see the uniformed patrol officers as oppressors, nuisance, extortionist and as enemy.
It is the patrol officers responsibility to serve all members of the community with equal dedication and respect and with a sense of justice. SPECIAL EVENTS Many of the functions performed by patrol officers can also be required in handling special events. Patrol officers are often essential part of large public gatherings including rallies and demonstrations, parades, sporting events, rock concerts, political and religious gatherings, VIP security other celebrations etc. The presence of uniformed police officers help assure peaceful assembly and prevents unlawful actions. Experience on patrol is a crucial aspect of a police officers career. The street experience is an important part of the police officer subculture.
It forges a bond of common experience among officers. Many officers believe that only people who had that experience can really understand police work. Why is Patrol duty is held in low status and is generally considered the least desirable assignment? It is a common knowledge that career advancement usually means promotion or assignment to some more desirable duty such as detective work (specialized divisions such as Homicide, Anti-Illegal Drugs etc.) In other countries and even during the glorious days of the Manila Police Department, the patrolman is usually the lowest paid, least consulted and most taken for granted member of the police force. At present enhancing the status of patrol duty and improving police morale of patrol officers are two of the most critical problems facing the police today. THE FUNCTION OF PATROL Three main functions: 1. Deterring Crime 2. Enhance Feelings of Public Safety 3. Make officers available for public safety The deterrent function of patrol as the attempt to create an impression of omnipresence which will eliminate the actual opportunity exist for the successful violation of law.
Maintaining Feelings of Public Safety: The visible presence of patrol officers is designed to reassure law-abiding citizens at the same time it deters criminals.
Being Available for Service: is accomplished by dispersing patrol officers throughout the AOR. Patrol work is unique in that professional police officers go to their clients. They are extension of the government making important decisions affecting peoples lives, working out on the street. The Organization and Delivery of Patrol The delivery of patrol to the public is affected by a number of organizational factors: 1. The total number of sworn officers 2. The percentage of officers allocated for patrol 3. The distribution of patrol officers by shift and area 4. The number of officers available for duty at any given moment 5. The type of patrol (foot, motorcycle, car, bicycle etc.) 6. The style of patrol (aggressive vs. passive) 7. Management Styles of Chiefs PATROL STRATEGIES TO CONTROL CRIME Question: Does increasing the number of police on the streets in preventive patrol led to the decrease of the crime incidents? Question: Does the Sophisticated installation of an emergency 117 telephone number by the DILG have resulted in a quicker response time by the police who must wait for the public to call in the crime? Question: Do checkpoints in Metro Manila help reduced crime incidents in Metro Manila? THE WATCH STYLE It emphasizes order and maintenance to control illegal and criminal behavior. Watch oriented police departments still existed in older American cities where machine politics reign, and poor and minority citizens lives. In this style, the police exercise considerable discretion in the use of persuasion, threats, and even street justice to maintain order. Law enforcement is personal, and the officers rely on their own power and sense of justice, rather than the arrest mechanism to enforce the law. The downside of this style is that too much discretion can result in police brutality and corruption. LEGALISTIC STYLE
Adheres to the Letter of the Law and pursues violators by making a large number of arrests and issuing tickets. Police attempt to punish, to reduce corruption, and bypass political influence/interference by enforcing all the laws all of the time. The law backing the arrest may be outdated, ambiguous or vague. Example latest decided cases on arrest regarding personal knowledge of police officers. What arrests are proper for inquest, status of warrant of arrests etc. Arrest requiring DISCRETION particularly arrest situation wherein there is a possibility exist of creating a serious public safety problem. Example: an arrest that may trigger a riot. Quiapo and Railroad tracks incidents. Discretionary Arrest DISCRETION is an authority conferred by law to act in certain conditions or situations in accordance with the officials own considered judgment and conscience. Or in short you are confronted with infinite variety of situations, in which you must make split second decisions about how best to enforce the law. You should consider the following: 1. Seriousness of the crime; 2. The behavior of the subject and 3. Danger to the officer and public before making a decision. Example: Lately a patrol officer of PS-3 MPD responded to a robbery snatching incident involving 2 unidentified male factor riding in tandem. The said police officer fired several shots at the suspects hitting a nurse in the forehead causing the latters spontaneous death. Was the shooting justified? SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT Police set priorities, selective enforcement refers to choosing among which laws to enforce. Such discretions may result from command decisions known as command discretion Example: A Chief of Police decides to de-emphasize arrests of drug peddlers in favor of arrest of prostitutes. On the street level a police officer may decide to ignore all violations of city ordinance, and concentrate on serious crimes such as robbery etc. FOOT PATROL Foot patrol has its origins in England and America in the 19 th century. By assigning foot patrol officers to designated areas called beats it is presumed that the presence uniformed police officers would prevent crime, and provide citizens with feelings of safety. It creates stronger ties with the community, as officers walking, talking with citizens, and checking on safety concerns, become familiar with citizens, both good and bad. The disadvantage is that it isolates officers from other police and supervisors; creating ties between the patrol officer and the neighborhood residents that result in officer sympathy for illegal community practice, promoting biased and unequal enforcement; and encouraging corruption. Question: Does it promote public cooperation, do foot patrollers had a higher level of job satisfaction? MOTORIZED PATROL PREVENTIVE STRATEGY OF POLICE CARS PATROLLING VISIBLY, AND RANDOMLY, TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY SAFETY AND DETER OFFENDERS, BY THE THREAT OF UNEXPECTEDLY ENCOUNTERING THE POLICE.
This patrolling approach emphasizes reactive service, rapid response time, and crime deterrence. The speed of automobiles, and the benefits of two-way radios, enable police to respond quickly when called. RESPONSE TIME the amount of time it takes the police to reach the scene of an incident once it has been reported to measure the effectiveness of motorized patrol. Response time is measured in minutes; three to five minutes is excellent. WHICH is better when it comes to response time? American Police, British Police, Japanese Police or the PNP. Reactive and Proactive Style Historically most police responses to crime have been reactive in other words, notification/call comes in to a police office, and police respond. On the other hand PROACTIVE approach is simply police attempt to control crime before it occurs. Examples: community relation police officers interact with the public and distributed brochures and pop- sheets on how to prevent crimes and to avoid being victims. Detective units will identify and track down career criminals, enforce warrants and conduct anti-crime operations, use informants and form special task force. Situations that calls for Strategic Thinking
The MPD mobile patrol car received a daily 5-liter gasoline allocation which is basically not enough to patrol their beat/sector. Question: should they stop from patrolling and wait for calls at the MPD Headquarters similar to Fire personnel?
Can the MPD HQS monitor the locations and activities of their mobile patrollers on the field?
What is the difference between Police Station Mobile Patrol and the MPD HQS District Mobile Patrol Unit?
What are the common complaint of motorists and public commuters on patrol officers?
While on Patrol can the Police Stop and Frisk Suspects on the Street?
Experienced police officers (uniformed/detective patrol)employ what is called a 6 th sense that tells them criminal activity is about to be committed or has been committed.
Some developed x-ray vision and can easily determined a person carrying illegal contrabands (drugs and weapons) and has its unique ways of identifying pick pockets, slashers, lifters, jumpers, credit card artists, wanted personnel.
Many has the ability to spot motor vehicles using fake, altered or changed plate number belonging to another vehicle
As a patrol officer, you learned that many of your fellow patrol officers of the same rank were accepting protection money from bookie joints, small-time drug peddlers, mini fairs, vendors, pimps and prostitutes.
What should you do? A. Join them and have your name listed in the payroll. B. Report the matter to your Chief and the IAS. C. Make a bust and arrest. D. Talk with the vice-operator E. All of the above