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32. PROBLEM STATE~ENT (Continued) <br /> <br /> To the citizen who is in danger or in dire need of police <br /> assistance, a slow response from a police unit may cost <br /> him his life, well being, or the loss of property. Wis <br /> understanding of the Police Department's problems is <br /> limited to his contact with them and his need for assis- <br /> tance. If this assistance is not provided when requested, <br /> or c~mes after it is no longer needed, the response be- <br /> comes ineffective, geherates poor co~unity relations, and <br /> generally results in a much reduced level of operational <br /> effectiveness which is necessary to maintain the safety <br /> and security of the community. The response time problem, <br /> therefore, remains as one of the highest concerns for both <br /> law enforcement and the community it serves. <br /> <br />Total response time may be defined as the time it takes <br /> <br />the Police Department to reach the incident from the time <br />the initial call for service is received. If all available <br />field units are busy, management must m~<e a timely re-allo- <br />cation decision based on priority, availability and needs <br />of the incident to which they are responding. Current <br />methods are cumbersome, outdated, and ineffective in dealing <br />with all of the ~a6t~rs which mus~ be known before a decision <br />must be made. Mann,al processing of the necessary information <br />from recording the initial call for service to the dispatch- <br />ing of a unit results in a repetitive, slow reaction to a <br /> <br />- 13- <br /> <br /> <br />