Police Patrol & Different Patrol Programs in New York Assignment

Police Patrol & Different Patrol Programs in New York - Assignment Example For the most part, most people will meet up with the police on the streets or highways, when stopped for traffic infractions. Therefore, in downtown areas, it is good to have another presence, that of the police officer who is available to the public and who provides more a level of protection rather than of fear. Introduction Police departments in any city maintain their presence through a number of ways: foot patrols, bicycle patrols, patrolling neighborhoods in squad cars or motorcycles, and in some areas, horse patrols. The patrol system is the means by which the police are able to interact with the communities they serve and build relationships of trust and respect (Craven 2009). When neighbors in a community get to know who is patrolling their sector, then they are far more likely to confide in the members of the police that they see on an almost daily basis (Shelden 2003). Generally, members of the police department are assigned to a ‘beat’ which means they get to know the area through its streets, buildings, businesses, and homes that are part of the individual’s sector of patrol (Hunter & Barker 2011). Accordingly, as part of this beat, police officers get to know the people who live and work in the area and are able to build relationships with local people. ... As large cities had numerous neighborhoods to contend with, as well as business districts, the police were required to walk their beats which also provided opportunities to get to know the people in their area (Craven 2009). In the early days of foot patrols, this was the preferred method of patrolling the beats until bicycles, and then cars, were utilized. Bicycles allowed the police officer to get to one area of his beat to the next spot quicker than ever before. When the automobile was brought into the patrol system, then the police could get around in any weather and go wherever needed, at any time, as well as be able to transport prisoners (Hunter & Barker 2011). It also provided a sense of protection for the police officer, particularly in dangerous areas. Some cities also had the horse patrols in earlier years although maintaining horses could be somewhat expensive. As a consequence, horse patrols were used more often for ceremonial purposes than the actual police beat. New Yo rk City is famous for having a horse division for some of its patrol sectors (Cordner & Scarborough 2010). In other areas of the United States, the motorcycle is the alternative to the car patrol and is more likely to be a part of ceremonial processions rather than horses. 2.Traditional policies in community relations refer to engaging with the public in the various communities which are patrolled on a regular basis. There are several levels of community operations and interactions: individual, as a group and also, as political actors, whereby the police tend to represent those who are in legislature of the city or state under which they work (Hunter & Barker 2011). While the police officers can maintain a friendly attitude towards members