Deployment shuffle
Precinct captains staff each shift with two to seven squad car units, said Deputy Chief David LeValley, who oversees deployment.
“We never start out a shift with one car,” LeValley said. “But there are times when units get pulled to other precincts, there might be only one car. It’s not an ideal situation.”
Deployment decisions are based on recent crime trends, LeValley said.
“We try not to pull cars from higher-crime areas, but that changes every night, or during different times of the day,” LeValley said. “We’re constantly monitoring data to see which days and shifts need increased staffing.”
Special Operations squads and undercover “30 Series” vehicles can be rerouted to patrol during busy times, LeValley said, although he said redeploying specialty units takes them away from their duties.
“The (manpower) numbers are what they are,” he said. “But we’re figuring out how to best deploy people. We try to be predictive — but we have no way of knowing when people are going to pick up the phone and dial 911.”
Craig said crime statistics suggest the creative deployment tactics are working.
As of last week, there were 139 homicides in 2015, up from 128 during the same period last year, but down from 150 in 2013. There have been 475 non-fatal shootings this year, up from 473 last year, compared to 546 during the same period in 2013. There have been sharp reductions in robberies, carjackings, and property crimes since 2013.
“We’re not letting our staffing challenges stop us from doing our job, which is taking criminals off the street,” Craig said.
A recent spate of multiple shootings at parties presented staffing problems, Craig said.
“When you have officers at several major crime scenes, it doesn’t leave many to patrol,” he said.