Stratified Policing Implementation Assistance

Drs. Roberto and Rachel Santos have developed a systematic process for implementing Stratified Policing into an agency and evaluating its impact on organizational culture and crime. The following is a brief overview of the assistance they provide.  For more information, contact them directly at rsantos4@radford.edu (Roberto) or rsantos5@radford.edu (Rachel).

Organizational Assessment

To understand the policies, practices, and organizational culture of the agency and collect baseline measures for evaluation, an organizational assessment is conducted and results in specific recommendations for tailoring the Stratified Policing organizational structure and implementing the proactive crime reduction strategies best suited for the agency. The assessment includes an examination of current data and technology capabilities, crime analysis products, crime reduction policies and procedures, as well as the organizational structure and unit/personnel functions. An organizational survey is conducted about current crime reduction and problem solving practices, communication, leadership, accountability, and transparency and “process mapping” is used to document observed processes the agency uses to address different levels of problems. Lastly, onsite interviews and focus groups with personnel, ride alongs as well as observation are used to fully understand the agency and its practices.

Recommendations for Implementation

The results from the assessment inform specific recommendations for the agency to implement Stratified Policing. The recommendations focus on the implementation of evidence-based policing strategies that are best suited to the community's problems and the agency's resources as well as an accountability system that ensures sustainability and evaluation of effectiveness.

Assistance is provided to the agency’s leadership in developing clear and specific crime reduction goals, as well as a practical and detailed plan that outlines the crime analysis, crime reduction responsibilities and accountability structure that will be implemented at each rank, unit, and division. Based on the plan, assistance is also provided writing a departmental crime reduction policy on which the training and implementation will be based.

Stratified Training

Training is very important in that it provides the underlying theory, research, and foundational concepts of Stratified Policing, specific processes that are outlined in the department’s policy, and the specific roles and responsibilities of each rank, unit, and division. A 1-day training is conducted for all supervisors, managers, and commanders at the outset of implementation, even before a policy is finalized, to provide an overview of the approach and explains the "why" of changes to be made in the agency. For successful implementation, additional training is conducted that is tailored for each rank, unit, and division depending on the designated roles and responsibilities outlined in the agency’s policy. These sessions are not conducted until after the department develops its implementation plan and finalizes its crime reduction policy.

Ongoing Assistance with Implementation

Other areas of assistance during implementation depend on the capabilities and needs of the department. They might include:

• Evaluating and improving data and technology
• Crime analysis product development
• Developing format and process for accountability meetings and documentation
• Onsite observation and assistance with preparing for and running accountability meetings
• Onsite and in depth assistance with long-term problem identification, analysis, and response
• Developing a train-the trainer program for field and in service training
• Consultation to overcome challenges faced as Stratified Policing is implemented

Ongoing Collaboration

Once a partnership is established, we work with agencies on grant proposals for local or Federal grants to conduct research on Stratified Policing or crime reduction strategies; joint presentations at key policing conferences; and publishing collaborative articles in professional magazines. The goal is not only to assist an agency to implement Stratified Policing and be more effective in crime reduction but also to help disseminate results to other practitioners and researchers to improve policing overall.