Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Crime Prevention Taken Seriously In Minneapolis

Author: Heather Woodbine

Source: articledashboard.com



According to statistics the crime rate has been falling steadily all over the nation since the 1990's. However, it is still a huge problem in some of the bigger cities across the nation. As population grows there are more problems to contend with. The fight against crime is a never ending battle and the law enforcement agencies and government officials, minneapolis travel agencies , have to be on their toes all the time or else lawlessness and social unrest will prevail.

Minneapolis is located in Minnesota and has, minneapolis travel agencies , a population hovering just under 400,000. The emergency services in this major American city almost never stop fielding calls and requests for aid. On any given day, over 1,000 calls are received and processed for emergency services from the police, fire, or EMT departments.

Budget constraints and the sheer volume of calls make it impossible to respond immediately to all such emergency calls. Hence the local administration officials are forced to impose a prioritization of all such emergency calls. Highest priority is given to all those calls dealing with life threatening situations. Subsequent priority is allotted to calls based on their severity level in a manner to ensure the best possible service within the given constraints.

During peak times, a situation is assessed using the following criteria before a cop is dispatched to the location. The process of such verification and dispatching a cop takes around one hour. An incoming call is considered high priority if 1. there is an immediate, minneapolis travel agencies , threat to life, 2. there are any injuries 3. there is any ongoing criminal action and 4. the offender is present in the immediate vicinity or is expected to return.

This prioritization of incoming calls is part of the new initiative by Minneapolis to more effectively handle crime. Rather than spread their force thin responding, minneapolis travel, minneapolis travel agencies , agencies , to low priority calls, the police ration resources so that they are always capable of, minneapolis travel agencies , handling ongoing crimes effectively. It is all part of the new CODEFOR plan.

CODEFOR is an anagram for Computer Optimized Deployment—Focus on Results. This is the new crime reduction program that involves all sections of the police force. It works on four basic ideas that include (a) to get exact and timely information on crime that is occurring, (b) to deploy personnel and resources in appropriate, minneapolis travel agencies , circumstances immediately, (c) to use effective tactics and (d) to follow-up and,, minneapolis travel agencies , minneapolis travel agencies , assess relentlessly.

In another Minneapolis, minneapolis travel agencies , initiative, a voluntary program called "Watch Your Car", the participating citizens give a declaration to the police that their car is normally not used between 1 am and 5 am and therefore give the police permission to pull their car over if and when seen on the roads during this period.

Reflective stickers are provided to the participants to be pasted on the vehicles. The police identify the vehicles by these, minneapolis travel agencies , stickers and have the right to pull, minneapolis travel agencies , over the vehicle even if no crime has been witnessed. Thus far, the citizens are finding this radical program effective and the results of this program seem to please all sides.

However, it is presumptuous to consider a crime fighting initiative will be 100% effective. But, the Minneapolis police department is certainly trying its best to make the community as safe as possible for its citizens. It is a great incentive for people considering relocating to Minneapolis as the community is committed to fighting crime to make the city safe to live.