Even though the crime rates have been steadily falling from the 1990’s, some of the bigger cities across the nation have to still contend with a growing crime rate. While the government officials are doing their best, crime related problems continue to persist due to the ever-growing population in these urban centers. So fighting crime is a battle that must be waged continuously day after day by law enforcement agencies against elements of anarchy and social unrest.
With population currently hovering around 400,000, Minneapolis, Minnesota keeps its emergency services constantly busy with requests for aid and assistance. It has been estimated that over a 1,000 emergency calls are received and processed every day by the police, EMT and fire departments.
However, it is not possible to immediately respond to all calls due to budget constraints and the sheer reality of the situation. They give first priority to the calls involving life threatening problems. Then they prioritize the less severe calls for assistance and process them in the most logical manner to provide the best possible service.
During the busiest of times, it can take over an hour before a cop is even dispatched. Four factors must be met before an incoming call is put into a low priority status: 1. no immediate threat to life 2. no injuries 3. no ongoing criminal action and 4. the offender is not in the immediate area and is not expected to return.
Minneapolis devised this method of prioritization of incoming calls in order to handle crime more expediently. It is effective because it reduces the chances of spending time and energy on low priority calls. Moreover, they can focus their resources to handle ongoing crimes quickly and effectively. These strategies are all part of the new CODEFOR plan.
CODEFOR stands for Computer Optimized Deployment—Focus on Results. All sections of the police force are involved in this new crime reduction initiative and it involves four basic ideas: 1. accurate and timely intelligence on crime that is occurring 2. rapid deployment of personnel and resources in appropriate circumstances 3. effective tactics and 4. relentless follow-up and assessment.
Minneapolis is also using the "Watch Your Car" program to help reduce car theft. This is a voluntary program on the part of registered owners who must sign a release form stating that they are not normally driving their vehicle between 1-5 a.m. and therefore give police permission to pull their car over should it be seen on the road during these hours.
Reflective stickers are provided to the participants to be pasted on the vehicles. The police identify the vehicles by these stickers and have the right to pull 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.
The Minneapolis Police Department is doing its best in fighting crime and in contributing to building a safer community for its citizens. The community as a whole is also committed to fighting crime thereby ensuring a safe environment for those wishing to relocate to the city of Minneapolis
