You are the Chief of Police in a small Midwestern town. Your police department consists of eight

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Question:

You are the Chief of Police in a small Midwestern town. Your police department consists of eight police officers (4 - patrolmen, 2 - sergeants, 1 - detective, 1 - chief). By contract the police department must cover all shifts (8:00 a.m. - 3 p.m. - 3-11 p.m. - 11 p.m. - 7 a.m.) with at least one uniformed officer on duty. Officers patrol the city via the traditional method of patrol car. Patrol officers generally respond to calls and forward police reports to the detective who is in charge of follow-up investigations. The detective is a police officer who has been assigned to investigative duties. Your police resources are limited to what is written in the scenario

The Police department has a very bad reputation in the community. Last year an officer was videotaped striking an elderly gentleman with his flashlight. The police chief was adamant in his protection of the officer. The chief was fired and the police force publicly backed the officer and chief. The officer was charged with Felonious Assault. He was found not guilty in court. The officer was able to get his job back on the police department and is the assigned detective. The police department has had numerous complaints for excessive force in the past. The department utilized a stop and frisk approach in the apartment complex two years ago. Many in the community felt the approach was too heavy handed and led to the problems between police and the individuals in the apartment complex. A new chief was brought into the department and she has promised to bring a POP approach. Despite the anger towards the drug dealers the residents are reluctant to ask the police for help. Most of the complaints received by the police department have been called in by residents who wish to remain anonymous. The belief in the apartment complex is that you can't trust the police. The police officers have not provided a presence in the apartment complex since the old chief was fired. They handle calls quickly and leave.

Recently the police department has been receiving a number of complaints (25 total) from citizens and groups regarding unlawful and suspicious activity in the housing in Cardinal Court. The neighbors have called repeatedly about people parking illegally for periods of time in front of their apartments. The neighbors have also complained about vehicles slowly circling through the apartment complex. There has been an increase in foot traffic in the complex. It has been noted that vehicles and strangers have been coming at all hours of the night and are slamming their car doors while talking loudly. Last week there were two daytime burglaries one block away from the target apartments.

A number of thefts have been reported in the area as well as destruction of property calls. These thefts occurred during the nighttime hours with unlocked vehicles. One neighbor reported that her children are harassed when they ride by the target apartments on their bikes. The police officers on duty investigated the complaint but stated there was nothing they could do since there is no assigned parking and the comments to the child were rude, but not illegal. The neighbors have also complained of traffic being blocked in front of their apartment by residents possibly selling drugs in the parking lot. A narcotics officer from the county called on Monday and stated that a confidential informant informed him that heroin was being sold in two apartments in Cardinal Court.

Residents complain that they can't get in or out of the complex at night because of the traffic and parked cars. They also are sick of the garbage and beer bottles on the property. They report that there are nightly fights on the property but they are hesitant to call because they are afraid of the occupants in the two apartments. The residents have noted that the occupants and their friends hang-out on the porches of the target apartments. There are at times what appear to be lookouts in the parking lot. Quite often one of the suspicious occupants will approach cars in the lot. After a brief time the car will pull away.

It appears that there is also some walk-up drug traffic to the two houses. Customers have been going into the two apartments. One neighbor believed prostitutes were beginning to hang out at the houses. At any one time there will 4-5 individuals hanging out on the porches of both apartments hanging out and playing loud music. Another neighbor reports people are parking in the parking lot across the road and walking to the houses.

A rumor started in the neighborhood that a child was solicited for sex on her way from school by a person loitering in front of the house. This rumor has not been substantiated by the police department but seems to be taking on a life of its own and is accepted as fact in the community. Many of the police complaints about illegal activity were made after the rumor started. Citizens have become very vigilant about the houses. At a recent City Commission meeting a group of neighbors demanded that the houses be torn down.

A small number of people that live in the apartment complex are becoming active. One neighbor, John Smith has begun going door to door with a petition for eviction of the residents. Many of the neighbors have signed the petition and have been swept up in the emotion of events. Smith is threatening to march in front of the city hall until action is taken. Since the high school is nearby the police chief has been getting calls from parents asking when action will be taken. John Smith has agreed to help bring the citizens together. He stated that the police have to show the citizens that they are sincere in helping and not using heavy handed tactics against them. He adds that many residents are addicts and he will refuse to help if the police decide to use a zero tolerance. You give him your promise that you will not be arresting the addicts and will seek an alternative approach to their problem.

Parking and other ordinances are not enforced very strongly in the city. Officers are not fond of parking enforcement and spend a great deal of time keeping the peace on or near the college campus.

Overview

The apartment complex is deemed as a "residential only" zone within the city. You will have to research existing ordinances to see what action you can take. The apartment building is a federal housing complex. The manager of the complex started a little over six months ago. Since that happened the complaints have tripled. It is rumored that he rented the two problem apartments to two drug dealers he knows. The manager has been seen hanging out at the apartments. The manager is very resistant of the police and states he can run the complex the way he wants to. He adds that he can personally vouch for the two residents in question. The residents believe that the new residents are trying to run the law abiding residents out. A number of moved out already.

When police go to complete a routine check of the residents they notice that three new sex offenders are now living in the complex. The probation department confirms that four probationers moved into the complex in the last two weeks. You called the federal housing authority in Grand Rapids and she stated that the housing authority will only take immediate action against an official if complaints are received from residents in a federal housing complex.

Questions

· Explain how you will establish trust back in the community. What steps will you take to show you are going to involve the community in the process

· Using Problem-Oriented Policing address the following

o Identify the true problem and solution using the four stages of POP.

o Use the crime triangle to identify and address the main problem. Focus on fixing the problem at the Manager, Guardian and Handler levels.

o What will your response be? Explain how you will utilize your response with the officers you have.

o Do not use or mention the words "more patrol". Do not use it - think more. Patrol will not solve your problem

o Your response must include non-police responses. Use other agencies that may work with the apartment complex - The Housing Authority and the Building Code Department are two that you could use.

o Your problem must include social interventions -

o You must find a drug treatment program for drug addicts in the apartment complex. Find a drug program in your community that would provide assistance for free -

o What will be proof that your program is working? How will you assess your program?