PATROL THEORIES AND METHODS

a. Theories of Patrol

� Theoryof Police Omnipresence � high police visibility discourages

criminals.Normally, criminals think twice before executing their plans if there
isobvious presence of police officers. Thus, patrol activity should be carried ina
manner that attracts maximum attention to the police officer or policevehicles.
This theory applies the principle of overt operation or high policevisibility.

� LowProfile Theory � low police visibility increases the opportunity toapprehend

criminals. Deceptive absence of the police officers will letcriminals believe that
they will not be detected or caught if they executecrimes that they plan. In this
theory, the objective is to attract as littleattention as possible while on the
process of patrolling. The officers shouldoperate in a manner that it would be
difficult for either criminals or thepublic to determine that the police are
around. The principle of covertoperation is integrated in this theory.

b. Patrol Methods

Beat patrol

a. Foot patrol

b. Bicycle patrol

Sector Patrol (Motorized patrol)

a. Automobile patrol

b. Motorcycle patrol

c. Aircraft patrol (Helicopterand fixed wing)

Specialized Patrol

a. Horse (Mounted) Patrol

b. Marine (Water) Patrol

c. Canine (K-9) Assisted Patrol

d. Special Terrain Patrol

FOOT PATROL

Foot patrol is restricted to small areas and is used to deal withspecial situations
while maintaining radio compact with officers in patrolcars. It is used to secure
two types of police geographical units:

� Post� a fixed location where an officer is assigned for guard duty.

� Beat� the area specifically assigned for patrol purposes.

Fixed foot patrol � is usually used for traffic, surveillance,parades, and special
events.

Line Beat Patrol � is used in securing a certain portion of a roador street. Random
foot patrol is used in checking residential buildings,business establishment, dark
alleys, and parking lots.

WHAT ARE THE FACTORS TO BECONSIDERED IN DETERMINING THE SIZE OF THE BEAT?

1. Area to be patrolled

2. Man-made and Natural barriers

3. Number of men to patrol thearea

4. Type of patrol to be used

WHAT ARE THE FACTORS TO BECONSIDERED IN DETERMINING THE NUMBER OF MEN TO BE

DEPLOYED?

1. Size or Area to be patrolled

2. Topography (Physicalcharacteristics or terrain of the area)

3. Crime rate
4. Possible problems to beencountered on the beat

WHAT ARE THE BASIC TECHNIQUES ANDPROCEDURES OF FOOT PATROL?

1. Do not establish a set ofpattern of patrolling procedure.

� Ifyou patrol your beat along certain streets and make regular stops at
specifictimes and locations, criminals will learn your habits and take steps to
avoid.

� Turncorners as often as possible to avoid being followed.

� Refrainfrom taking meal or coffee breaks at the same time and place during your
shift.

� Reversethe direction of your patrol route, often and at random.

� Cutthrough lanes and alleys.

2. Walk systematically (withpurpose) on the beat while on patrol.

� Pauseoften during your patrol and look around you.

� Ifyou are not paying attention to your surroundings, you are not patrolling
butyou�re strolling.

3. Do not smoke nor drink whileon patrol during night or day shift.

4. Walk near the curve duringdaylight. This technique offers:

� Abetter view for observing street activity;

� Lesschance of obstruction by pedestrians on the side walk if you are to take

quickaction;

� Higherpolice visibility, which is effective in crime prevention.

5. Walk near the buildings duringnight patrol.

� Checkthe window glass of street level stores or offices for cracks or broken
glass.

� Avoidlooking backwards, unless necessary. Use the reflection in store windows to

seeyour back.

� Movediscreetly to avoid tipping off burglars or muggers.

� Pausefrequently in shadows to observe without being seen.

� Useconvenient light to check doors in case of forcible entry.

6. Do not immediately open the door when intending to getinside. Observe and
evaluate first the situation.

7. Check the interiors of buildings and rattle door knobs toensure that premises
are secured.

8. Enter and inspect alleys when not by public.

9. Watch for persons loitering or hiding in doorways, eitheringress or egress.

10. Use fire escapes to inspect building rooftops once in awhile.

11. Be attentive or on alert for the sound of breaking glassor any unusual noise
they may be caused by criminal activity.

ADVANTAGES OF FOOT PATROL

1. Greater personal contact with the public leading to increase community

support for the police. Police becomes closer to the community residents.

2. Greater opportunity to develop sources of information.

3. High police visibility. Regular police presence discourages criminals and

provides greater sense of security to storekeepers, females and elderly persons.

4. Places not accessible by motor vehicle are reached and patrolled. Patrol
officers can enter small alleys and side streets.

5. Easier detection of criminal activities. Foot patrol provides closer

observation of the environment and the circumstance that may require immediate
police attention.

6. Easy discovery and familiarization on the layout of the beat. In-depth

knowledge of the character and problems of the patrol area.
DISADVANTAGES OF FOOT PATROL

1. Low mobility resulting to limited coverage of the patrol area.

2. Low response time to telephone complaints.

3. Foot patrol method involves a large number of personnel, since officers are
assigned on small areas of jurisdiction called posts and beats.

AUTOMOBILE PATROL

The Automobile Patrol has the greatest mobility andflexibility. Most experts on
patrol operations agree that it is mostcost-effective method of patrol.

GENERAL PROCEDURES AND TECHNIQUES IN AUTOMOBILE PATROL

1. Thoroughly check the patrolcar before leaving the garage. Know your BLOWAG.

2. Do not establish routepatterns in patrolling the area of jurisdiction.

Recommended patrol patterns:

� Clockwise pattern � usually done duringthe first hour of patrolling.

� Zigzag or free-willing pattern � start atone corner of the patrol area and work
your way diagonally across to theopposite corner.

� Criss-cross pattern � this is more orless similar to zigzagging.

� Straightway pattern � the easiest toobserve because as the name implies, the
patrol officer just follow the lengthof the street.

3. Do not develop the habit of using only the main road inyour area. Most criminal
activity occurs at the backstreets, out of sight fromthe main thorough fares.

4. Do not spend too much time in drive-inns or coffee spots.

5. Always take note (jut down) the plate numbers of strangeor suspicious vehicles.

6. Get out from the patrol car regularly or frequently to bevisible and accessible
to the public and develop personal contacts in the neighborhood.

� Cloverleaf pattern � a highwayintersection designed so as to route traffic

without interference, by means ofsystem of curbing ramps from one level to another,
in the form of a 4-leafclover.

� Counter-clockwise pattern � usuallydone before the tour of patrol duty ends.

7. Set an example to othermotorists

� Observe/obeyall traffic laws for both safety and public relation reasons, unless
you are inroute to an emergency or while on pursuit.

� Alwayspark the patrol car in the legal way.

� Useseatbelts or shoulder straps and other safety devices.

� Usethe proper traffic signal lights and hand signals.

8. Avoid driving too fast ongeneral patrol conditions except during emergencies or
in pursuing somecriminals/suspects. Maintain a cruising speed of 20-25 mph during
patrol. Thisis slow enough to make detailed observations without impending the
traffic law.

9. Maintain frequent contact withthe radio dispatcher or other communication

personnel in the field or at theheadquarters.

10. Minimize hiding behind hills,curves or signboards to trap traffic violators.

This is bad public relationsand serves to erode community or public confidence in
the police sense of fairplay.

11. Frequently check thepotential trouble spots in your patrol area.

12. Stop periodically amongparked cars at the entrance side streets to observe
activity on the streets.

13. Check the occupants ofvehicles that stop beside and behind you at
intersections.

14. Regularly check parking lotsfor abandoned stolen vehicles.

15. In stopping and checking avehicle, park at the rear side of the suspect�s
vehicle. Leave the doorslightly open unless the area is highly populated.

16. Do not leave the key in thepatrol car especially if the place is in a high-
crime or congested area.

ADVANTAGES OF AUTO MOBILEPATROL

1. High mobility allowing coverage of greater area.

2. Quicker response time to complaints. Greater efficiency in responding to
emergency calls and other called-for services.

3. More economical as compared to foot patrol.

4. Enable more effective street pursuit of offender.

5. Enable more effective traffic enforcer.

6. Provide an element of surprise, especially when crime is in progress.

7. Provide the officer with necessary protection during inclement weather.

8. Enable officers to carry supplementary equipment essential in patrolling.

DISADVANTAGES OF AUTO MOBILEPATROL

1. Diminished personal contact with the public.

2. Little opportunity to develop sources of information.

3. Marked police vehicle hampers apprehension and surveillance operations.

BICYCLE PATROL

This is growing in popularitybecause of easy operation and its acceptance by the

public, particularlychildren who view them as a non-threatening form of patrol.
Bicycles are nowused in many countries as a simple and inexpensive means of
silenttransportation to carry police officers throughout their patrol
districts.Often, bicycles are used in parks and on beaches and have many of the
sameadvantages and disadvantages as motorcycles.

ADVANTAGES OF BICYCLE PATROL

1. Lower-cost (inexpensive) tooperate as compared to motorcycle and automobiles.

2. Areas not accessible by patrolcars or are too wide for foot patrol can be
covered by bicycle.

3. Increased mobility and stealthsince bicycle can be operated quietly and without
attracting too muchattention.
MOTORCYCLE PATROL

ADVANTAGES OF MOTORCYCLE PATROL

1. Speed and maneuverability

2. Greater access to some areas and are better suited to heavy traffic, narrow
alleys and rugged terrain.

DISADVANTAGES

1. Costly to operate.

2. Hazardous to the driver.

3. Inoperative during inclement weather when the police should be most active in
the enforcement of traffic regulations or readily available for special escort
duties.

4. It is tiring for the driver and has no capacity to transport prisoners, other
personnel or equipment.

HORSE PATROL

ADVANTAGE OF HORSE PATROL

� It covers large areas or similar places whereautomobiles cannot go or may be

forbidden. Mobile cars cannot be expected to goto race on grassy fields or wooded
areas but horses can.

DISADVANTAGE

� Expensive in its maintenance.

AIRCRAFT PATROL

ADVANTAGE OF FIXED-WING AIRCRAFT PATROL

� Patrolling long stretches of highway or expensesof inaccessible land.

� Excellent for traffic control in long stretchesof highways, for search and
surveillance and other special mission.

DISADVANTAGES
� It has very little flexibility in congestedmetropolitan areas.

� Needs a span of flat land for lift-off andlanding.

� Very expensive to operate.

ADVANTAGES OF HELICOPTERPATROL

1. Able to travel at low speed, to hover if necessary and to land even in small
patch of flat land.

2. Increased visual range/scope.

3. More efficient for rescue, medical evacuation, surveillance, and other high
profile police activities.

4. Improved response time to emergency call and other called-for service.

5. Increased rate of apprehension of professional and organized crime groups.

6. Improved efficiency of regular patrol units through airborne reconnaissance.

7. Increased ability in conducting searches for missing or lost people.

8. Provide a better system of flood lighting areas to be patrolled at night.

9. Capable of broadcasting information to a large area through airborne

speakers.

10. Provide rapid emergency transportation of personnel

11. Added security to patrol officers on foot, motorcycles, or in patrol cars

through back-up offered by aerial patrol.

DISADVANTAGES

1. Very expensive � high cost of training of pilots, fuel and special facilities
for housing and maintenance.

2. Public complaints about the noise and about being spied upon.

3. Forcibly grounded during bad weather.

4. Element of surprise is lost since criminals could hear the helicopter coming
even from a greater distance.

MARINE PATROL
� This is extremely used in areas with extensivecoasts or a great deal of lake or
river traffic.

DISADVANTAGE

� Expensive to operate and maintain.

CANINE (K-9) ASSISTED PATROL

ADVANTAGE

� It provides great assistance in search andrescue as well as in smelling out drugs

and bombs.

DISADVANTAGES

� Most police dogs work with only one handler

� They are territorial

� Dog training is expensive