Police officers have discretion in deciding who to arrest and charge with crimes in order to be fair and consider the spirit of the law, not just the letter. Most police work involves patrol officers, who make up 50-75% of officers. Patrol work involves law enforcement like taking reports, preliminary investigations, and traffic enforcement. It also includes public service and order maintenance tasks. Patrol units are assigned to specific beats within sectors supervised by sergeants. Departments use tactical teams during peak crime hours and shifts to quickly respond to calls, conduct proactive policing and intelligence work, and assist with criminal investigations.

2. Police Discretion “decision
making”
A problem with police administration is police
discretion, it is not taught. Administrators don’t think it is
fair to pick and choose who to arrest and who goes free.
Without discretion mom could get arrested for littering
while her toddlers are crying.
This is why the community would be outraged if we
police went with the letter of law rather than it’s spirit

3. Patrol work “back bone of
policing”
All new officers start with patrol officers. 50-75% of
officers are patrol.
When veteran officers leave on department to another
they start off in patrol again (most of the time).

4. Patrol work is divided into 3
categories
Law Enforcement:
Taking crime reports
Conducting
preliminary
investigations
Stopping and
questioning suspicious
persons
Enforcing traffic
violations.
Service Work:
Helping seniors cross
a street.
Freeing cats from
trees
Driving the sick to the
hospital
Helping motorist get
into their cars when
they locked their keys
inside
Order Of Maintenance:
Work that is self-initiated or
formally assigned by the
police dispatcher.

5. Patrol
Geography
In progress calls – one
car is formally assigned,
however every car within
the area usually
responds.
Rapid response cars are
used for in-progress calls
or “hot calls”
Patrol unit of assignment
coverage is called a BEAT.
Several beats are in a patrol
SECTOR, and supervised by a
sergeant.
Beat size depends on the number
of service calls in the area.
Chicago has seasonal beats. The
weather changes the lifestyles of
community members.

6. Power shifts and tactical teams
Power shifts are during high crime
rate periods from 10 am to 6 pm or 6
pm to 2 am.
Departments utilize tactical teams
during these hours. They are not
dispatched, not confined to any one
beat.

7. Tactical Teams:
Respond quickly to calls for service
Proactive policing
Conduct intelligence work on specific criminal problems
Use search warrants for narcotics, weapons, etc..
Conduct criminal investigations.