Time between calls for service is precious time for a police officer. It affords the officer an opportunity to do things beyond the normal routine, to be proactive and to go beyond the boundaries of the radio calls for service.
Uncommitted time for most patrol officers is dispersed in small snippets--25 minutes here, 15 minutes there, 45 minutes...and no officer can predict how long that time will be available. So, making the most of uncommitted patrol time is very important to the mission of the Department and to the delivery of quality police services.
This is where the "Koper Curve Principle" comes in. Dr. Chris Koper is a police scientist at George Mason University. His Koper Curve Principle says that a police officer who conducts highly visible and active patrolling for 12-16 minutes in one hot spot area can reduce crime in that area for 2 hours afterwards.
The highly visible and active patrol includes police foot patrols, field interviews, bicycle patrols, check points, and other patrols besides just driving through in a patrol car.
Dr. Koper's theory has been proven to work in other cities. It is being put to use here in Greenville.
When you see Greenville Police officers walking the beat or conducting check points, you will know they are also following the advice of Dr. Koper, doing crime prevention in accordance with the Koper Curve theory.
For more detailed information about Hot Spot Policing, check out this Web Link: Hot-Spot Policing Put To The Test
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