LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATION AND PLANNING WITH CRIME MAPPING

CLASSIFICATION OF PLANS & STEPS IN POLICE PLANNING AND OPERATIONS

Police administrators sometimes do not appreciate the importance of planning because of the pattern of
career development. It is ironic that the pattern of career development for typical police managers carries
with it seeds that sometimes blossom into a negative view of planning. However, planning is an integral
element of good management and good decision-making. Management needs to anticipate and shape
events; it is weak if it merely responds to them.

What is a Plan?

A plan is an organized schedule or sequence of methodical activities intended to attain a goal and objectives
for the accomplishment of mission or assignment. It is a method or way of doing something in order to attain
objectives. Plan provides answers to 5W’s and 1 H.

What to do – mission/objective
Why to do – reason/philosophy
When to do – date/time
Where to do – place
Who will do – people involve
How to do – strategy Characteristics of Plan

Effective plans have certain identifiable characteristics, namely:

 Clearly define goals or objectives
 Clarity, simplicity and directness
 Flexibility
 Possibility of attainment
 Provisions for standards of operations
 Economy in terms of resources needed for implementation
 Anticipated effec/s on future operations

What is Planning?

Hudzik and Cordner defined planning as “thinking about the future, thinking about what we want the future
to be, and thinking about what we need to do now to achieve it.”

Planning is a management function concerned with visualizing future situations, making estimates
concerning them, identifying issues, needs and potential danger points, analyzing and evaluating the
alternative ways and means for reaching desired goals according to a certain schedule, estimating the
necessary funds, and resources to do the work, and initiating action in time to prepare what may be needed
to cope with the changing conditions and contingent events.

What is Police Planning?

Police Planning is an attempt by police administrators in trying to allocate anticipated resources to meet
anticipated service demands. It is the systematic and orderly determination of facts and events as basis for
policy formulation and decision affecting law enforcement management.

What is Operational Planning?

Operational Planning is the use of rational design or pattern for all departmental undertaking rather than
relying on change in an operational environment. It is the preparation and development of procedures and
techniques in accomplishing each of the primary tasks and functions of an organization.

What is Police Operational Planning?

Police Operational Planning is the act of determining policies and guidelines for police activities and
operations and providing controls and safeguards for such activities and operations in the department. It
may also be the process of formulating a coordinated sequence of methodical activities and allocation of
resources to the line units of the police organization for the attainment of the mandated objectives or goals.

Objectives are a specific commitment to achieve a measurable result within a specific period of time. Goals
are general statements of intention and typically with time horizon, or it is an achievable end state that can
be measured and observed. Making choices about goals is one of the most important aspects of planning.
Relate these definitions with their description as defined in chapter one.

The process of police operational planning involves strategies or tactics, procedures, policies or guidelines.
A Strategy is a broad design or method; or a plan to attain a stated goal or objectives. Tactics are specific
design, method or course of action to attain a particular objective in consonance with strategy.

PNP Goal (To reduce crime by 20%)

Strategy (To build a strong relationship with the community)

Tactic (Show good deeds to them, set as a good example, provide community projects etc.)

Procedures are sequences of activities to reach a point or to attain what is desired. A policy is a product of
prudence or wisdom in the management of human affairs, or policy is a course of action which could be a
program of actions adopted by an individual, group, organization, or government, or the set of principles on
which they are based. Guidelines are rules of action for the rank and file to show them how they are
expected to obtain the desired effect.

The process of police operational planning involves strategies or tactics, procedures, policies or guidelines.
A Strategy is a broad design or method; or a plan to attain a stated goal or objectives. Tactics are specific
design, method or course of action to attain a particular objective in consonance with strategy. Procedures
are sequences of activities to reach a point or to attain what is desired. A policy is a product of prudence or
wisdom in the management of human affairs, or policy is a course of action which could be a program of
actions adopted by an individual, group, organization, or government, or the set of principles on which they
are based. Guidelines are rules of action for the rank and file to show them how they are expected to obtain
the desired effect.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

Strategic planning is a series of preliminary decisions on a framework, which in turn guides subsequent
decisions that generate the nature and direction of an organization. This is usually long range in nature. The
reasons for Strategic Planning are:

VISION – A vision of what a police department should be.

LONG-RANGE THINKING – Keeping in mind that strategy is deciding where we want to be

KINDS OF POLICE PLAN:

Policy or Procedural Plan – these are standard operating procedures that guide members in
the field and routine operations and in some special operations.

Field Procedures – procedures intended to be used in all situations of all kinds, shall be outlined as
a guide to officers and men in the field. Procedures that relate to reporting, to dispatching, to raids, stopping
suspicious persons, receiving complaint, touring beat, and investigation of crimes.

Headquarters Procedures – these are the duties of dispatcher, jailer, matron and other personnel,
concerned which may be reflected in the duty manual.

- procedures that involve coordinated action on activity of several offices; however shall be established
separately as in the cases of using telephone for local/long distance calls, the radio teletype, and other
similar devices.
Special Operation Procedures – certain special operations also necessitate the preparation of procedures
as guides. Included are the operation of the special unit charged with the searching and preservation of
physical evidence at the crime scenes and accidents, the control of licenses, dissemination of information
about wanted persons, inspection of the PNP headquarters, and the like.
Are the procedures that apply a special event or special unit which has specific functions. Investigating
sensational crimes are included.

Tactical Plans – procedure for coping with specific situations at known locations. Included in this
category are plans dealing with an attack against the PNP police headquarters against lawless elements.
Plans shall likewise be made for blockage and jail emergencies and for special community events, such as
larger public meeting, athletic contest, parade, religious celebrations, carnivals, demonstration and other
street affairs.

These are procedures developed in order to cope up with the

current situations.(SECURITY ASSISTANCE)

Operational Plans – this pertains to plans of division: they are prepared to accomplish each of the
primary police tasks such as:

 Patrol division
 Investigation division
 Traffic Control division
 Vice Control division
 Juvenile Control division

These are procedures for special divisions. These procedures are developed to accomplish a given
police task.

Extra-Office/Departmental Plans – the active interest and the participation of individual citizens is also vital
to the success of the PNP programs that the PNP shall continuously seek to motivate, promote and maintain
an active public concern in its affairs. These are plans made to organize the community to assist in the
accomplishment of objectives in the fields of traffic control, organized crime, and juvenile delinquency
prevention. The organization may be called safety councils for crime commissions and community councils
for delinquency prevention. They shall assist in coordinating community effort, in promoting public support,
and in combating organized crime. Organization and operating plans for civil defense shall also be prepared
or used in case of emergency or war in coordination with the office of the Civil Defense.

Management Plans – it includes budget planning; accounting procedures; specifications;

personnel; and organization.

Budget Planning – present and future money needs for personal, equipment and capital
investments must be estimated. Plans for supporting budget requests must be made if needed
appropriations are to be obtained.

Accounting Procedures – procedures shall be established, and expenditure reports be provided to

assist in making administrative decisions and holding expenditures within the appropriations.

Specifications and Purchasing Procedures – Specifications shall be drawn for equipment and
supplies. Purchasing procedures shall likewise be established to insure the checking of deliveries against
specification of orders. Plans and specifications shall be drafted for new buildings and for modeling old ones.

Personnel – procedures shall be established to assure the carrying out of personnel programs and
the allocation of personnel among the component organization units in proportions needed.

Organization – a basic organization plan of the command/unit shall be made and be posted for the
guidance of the force. For the organization to be meaningful, it shall be accompanied by the duty manual
which shall define relationships between the component units in terms of specific responsibilities. The duty
manual incorporates rules and regulations and shall contain the following: definition of terms, organization of
rank, and the like, provided the same shall not be in conflict with this manual

Steps in Police Operational Planning:

 Frame of Reference – based on a careful view of the matters relating to the situation for which
plans are being developed. Opinions or ideas of persons who may speak with authority on the subject and
views of the police commander, other government officials, and other professionals shall be considered.

Clarifying the Problem – this calls for the identification of the problem, understanding both its
record and its possible solution. a situation must exist for which something must and can be done.

Collecting all pertinent facts – no attempt shall be made to develop a plan until all facts relating
to it have been gathered. In the series of robberies, all cases on files shall be carefully reviewed to
determine the modus operandi, suspects, type of victims and such other information as may be necessary.
Facts relating to such matters as availability, deployment, and the use as of present personnel shall be
gathered.

Analyzing the facts – after all dates have been gathered a careful analysis and evaluation shall be
made. This provides the basis from which a plan or plans are evolved. Only such facts as may have
relevance shall be considered.

Developing alternative plans – in the initial phases of plan development, several alternative
measures shall appear to be logically comparable to the needs of a situation. As the alternative solutions are
evaluated, one of the proposed plans shall usually prove more logical than the others.

Selecting the most appropriate alternative – a careful consideration of all facts usually leads to
the selection of a “best” of alternative proposals.

Selling the plan – a plan to be effectively carried out, must be accepted by persons concerned at
the appropriate level of the plans development.
For example, a robbery case, the patrol division head may be preparing the plan. At the outset, the
detective chief is concerned and shall be consulted. As the planning develops, there may be a need to
involve the heads of personnel, records and communication units, and all patrol officers.

Arranging for the execution of the plan – the execution of a plan requires the issuance of orders and
directives to units and personnel concerned, the establishment of a schedule, and the provision of
manpower and equipment carrying out the plan.

Briefings shall be held and assurance shall be received that all involved personnel understood
when, how, what is to be done.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the plan – the results of the plan shall be determined. This is
necessary in order to know whether a correct alternative was chosen, whether or not the plan was correct,
which phase was poorly implemented, and whether additional planning may be necessary. Also the effects
of the executed plan on other operations and on total police operations shall be determined. Follow-up is the
control factor essential for effective command management.

How Operational plans are executed in the PNP?

The plans are made, same shall be put into operation and the result thereof evaluated accordingly.
Operations in the PNP shall be directed by the police commander to attain the following objectives:
 protection of persons and property;
 preservation of peace and order;
 prevention of crimes;
 repression of suppression of criminal activities;
 apprehension of criminals;
 enforcement of laws and ordinances and regulations of conduct;
 prompt execution of criminal writs and processes of the courts;
 coordination and cooperation with other law enforcement agencies.

Prevention of Crimes – This activity requires the members of the PNP to mingle with the members
of the community where criminal activities originate and bred and criminalistic tendencies of individuals are
motivated to indulge in anti-social behavior; and seek to minimize the causes of crime. This activity or
mission also requires the individual members of the PNP to understand the people and the environment in
which they live.
 Repression or Suppression of Criminal Activities – This activity or mission emphasizes the
presence of an adequate patrol system including the continuous effort toward eliminating or reducing
hazards as the principal means of reducing the opportunities for criminal action. The saying “the mouse will
play while the cat is away” is equally true in law enforcement and in public safety. The presence of a
policeman in uniform would deter or discourage the would-be criminal or would-be
offender-regulations. Crime repression means the elimination of the opportunity that exists on the part of the
would-be criminal to commit a crime.

Preservation of Peace and Order – This activity or mission requires the individual members of the
PNP to gain the sympathy of the community to close ranks in combating crimes and any other anti-social
behavior of the non-conformists of the law and order.
The community, therefore, should be informed through proper education, of their share and involvement in
law enforcement and public safety.

Protection of Lives Properties – The responsibilities of the members of the PNP in providing for
the safety and convenience of the public are analogous with those of the doctor. The doctor protects life by
combating diseases while the PNP promotes public safety of accidents and in guarding the citizens public
safety by the elimination of hazards of accidents and in guarding the citizens against the attacks of the bad
elements of the society. The policeman though, has a collateral responsibility in his obligation to protect life
and property – a responsibility that is fundamental to every duty he performs. The police have the obligation
to preserve the citizen’s constitutional guarantees of liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Enforcement of Laws and Ordinances - these activities and mission requires the members of the
PNP to constructively integrate or enforce and implement the laws of the land and city/municipal ordinances
without regard to the personal circumstances of the individual citizens and any other persons sojourning in
the Philippines. This is to provide tranquility among members of society. These also include the regulations
of non-criminal conduct, specifically to obtain compliance through education of the public in the dangers
inherent in the disobedience of regulations. This makes use of warnings, either oral or written, which informs
the citizen but not to personalize.

Apprehension of Criminals – this activity defines specifically the power of the police as possessed
by every member of the integrated police, as a means to discourage the would-be offender. The
consequence of arrest and prosecution has a deterrent effect intended to make crime or any unlawful act
less worthwhile. Consequently, apprehension and the imposition of punishment for the corresponding
unlawful act are committed,
lessens repetition by causing suspects to be incarcerated, and provides an opportunity for reformation of
those convicted by final judgment. This activity also includes the recovery of stolen property in order to
restrain those who are accessories to the crime and thereby benefiting from the gains of crime.

Coordination and Cooperation with other Agencies – This activity requires the duty of a
commander of any unit of the PNP and its unit subordinates to establish a report or good relationship with
other law enforcement agencies of the government. Through rapport, a police station commander and his
subordinates may be able to maintain a harmonious working relationship with other law enforcement
agencies of the government whereby coordination and cooperation between them may be established.
Coordination is an essential conduct of command.

Safeguard Public Health and Morals – This involves many activities or missions peripheral to
basic law enforcement and public safety. Such as, for instance, sanitation, search and rescue operations,
licensing, inspection of buildings in order to determine whether or not the Presidential Decree on fire
prevention is strictly obeyed. This also includes supervising elections, escorts duties, civic actions, and
many other activities or missions related to law-enforcement and public safety.

Note: To achieve the foregoing objectives, the public safety services tasks shall be specifically
assigned and each member must know his particular duties and functions.

Functions or Tasks shall be categorized into:

Primary. The primary or line operation tasks shall include patrol, investigation, traffic, vice and
juvenile control. Accomplishment of these primary tasks shall achieve the main objective of the PNP.

Secondary. Auxiliary or service tasks shall include records, property, jail, crime laboratory,
transportation and communication. These tasks shall assist and effectively support the primary task in the
accomplishment of the objective.

Administrative. The administrative or managerial tasks shall include personnel, intelligence,

inspection, planning, budgeting, training and public relations. These tasks shall assist and effectively support
both the primary and secondary tasks in the attainment of their objectives.

Crime Mapping is associated with the simple display and querying of crime data using a Geographic
Information System (GIS). It is a general term that encompasses the technical aspects of visualization and
statistical techniques, as well as practical aspects of geographic principles and criminological theories
(Wilson and Filbert K, 2008) The term is a combination of visualization and statistical techniques is shared
between mapping, spatial analysis.

Mapping is simply a visualization tool that is used to display raw geographic data and output from analysis,
which is done through a GIS (Wilson and Filbert K, 2008)

Types of Mapping
Here are the types of mapping being employed in law enforcement, particularly that of crime mapping
(Boba, 2001):

Manual Pin Mapping – Wall maps have long been a simple and useful way to depict crime incidents or hot
spots. Many police departments still have large maps tacked to the wall of the briefing room with the most
recent crimes represented by pins. Although useful, manual wall maps, offer limited utility because they are
difficult to keep updated, keep accurate, make easy to read, and can only display a limited amount of data.
For example, although different colored pins could be used to represent different types of crime,
date and time of incidents, the nature of incidents, and other information cannot be displayed easily. In order
to update a manual wall map, for example, the pins must be removed each month. Unless a photo or some
other mechanism is used to record the previous month’s map, the information illustrated on the map is lost.
Thus, comparison is difficult, if not impossible,
from one month to the next. Finally, the maps become unreadable when they display large amounts of data
because of the numerous pins and/or holes (Boba, 2001, p.18).

Computer Mapping – Computer map is similar to a wall map, in that the computer is used to place a point
at a specific location just as a person would put a pin on a wall map. Thus, computer maps have limitations
similar to wall maps. While visually appealing and easy to use, computer mapping does not allow any more
effective analysis than manual pin mapping (Boba, 2001, p.19).

Geographic Information System (GIS) – A GIS is a powerful software tool that allows the user to create
anything from a simple point map to a three-dimensional visualization of spatial or temporal data. A GIS is
different from manual pin maps and computer maps in that it allows the analyst to view data behind the
geographic features, combine various features, manipulate the data and maps, and perform statistical
functions (Boba, 2001, p.19).

Crime Analysis Mapping – It is the process of using a geographic information system in combination with
crime analysis techniques to focus on the spatial context of criminal and other law enforcement activity
(Boba, 2001, p. 20). In this report, the term crime analysis mapping is used to describe this process because
using a GIS to analyze crime is not just the act of placing incidents on a map but also of analysis.

Theoretical Explanations of Crime and Place

Theories of crime and place understand crime in a physical or spatial environment. They explain crime
patterns by the location of targets, offenders’ choice of travel routes, use of space for various activities, and
the innate ability of a place or target to defend itself (what-when-how.om, n.d.). Theories of crime and place
can be described as belonging together under the umbrella of what is called Environmental Criminology
(Brantingham and Brantingham, 1981).
Level of Theories of Crime Macro-level
Theories of crime and place at this level of spatial aggregation explain(all) crime patterns across larger
areas. Examples of macro-level crime and place theories include routine activity theory, crime pattern
theory.
Meso-level

Explanation of crime at the meso-level explain crime at an intermediate level of spatial aggregation.
Examples of crime and place theories at the meso-level include territorial functioning, and collective
efficacy.
Micro-level

Theories at the micro-level focus on explanations of crime at the individual level or at the actual
location of the crime. An example of these theories is rational choice theory.
Environmental Criminology
Environmental criminology is the study of crime as it occurs within a geographical area, and it’s a
positivist theory that suggest crime is influenced, if not caused, by a person’s spatial environment