DETROIT POLICE DEPARTMENT’S EMERGENCY POLICIES
The Detroit Police Department will respond to citizens’ calls for service in a manner that reflects the best intervention strategy for that situation. Response by patrol officers will be aimed towards, but not limited to, those situations in which there is an immediate threat to public safety or an officer’s presence is required to address an emergency situation that absent an officers’ presence is unlikely to be mitigated without additional risk to life or property.
The purpose of the enhanced services provided by the Telephone Crime Reporting Unit (T.C.R.U.) is to minimize responses to non-emergency calls for service, which do not require the immediate service or presence of an officer. This course of implementation allows patrol officers to remain in the community to respond to property and/or life threatening emergencies and engage in pro-active policing.
The goal is to redirect about 40% of the calls for service to T.C.R.U., thus providing the citizenry with almost immediate reporting service. It should be noted and emphasized that approximately 80% of all citizens calls for service nationally are of a non-critical nature (Police Executive Research Forum).
Non-emergency calls for service are handled by police officers (limited duty status) and/or civilian personnel. Emergency calls for service received by the Detroit Police Department are prioritized using a system that assists dispatchers in sending patrol units to the most urgent / life threatening situations first.
The urgency of many assignments to which the Detroit Police Department responds depends upon the level of threat or danger to life and property upon when the offense occurred. For example an unauthorized entry to a residence while the owner is away is a lower priority than an unauthorized entry to a residence while the owner is at home. To assist the Emergency Service Operators in determining the most appropriate call for service, listed below are brief narratives of the priority codes:
Priority (1): Police Dispatched - Emergency in Nature Emergency runs involving life-threatening conditions where one or more of the following criteria exist:
· In progress
· Perpetrator still on scene
· Likelihood of apprehension is high
· Emergency Medical Service is needed/requested
· The preservation of evidence or the protection of the crime scene is of an urgent nature
Priority (2): Police Dispatched - Serious in Nature Emergency runs where the situation has been stabilized and where one or more of the following criteria exist:
· In progress or Just happened
· Perpetrator is still on scene
· Occurred within 15 minutes
· Likelihood of apprehension can be high or low
· The preservation of evidence or the protection of the crime scene is of an urgent nature
Priority (3): Police Dispatched - Not Serious In Nature Emergency runs where police assistance is needed, but not urgently.
· In progress or just happened (e.g. Larceny in progress, Suspects stripping a house, B/E business or residence just happened)
· Perpetrator is on the scene
· Occurred less than 15 minutes ago
Priority (4): Police Dispatched or T.C.R.U. - Not Serious In Nature Emergency runs where police assistance is needed, but not urgently. These runs may be redirected to T.C.R.U. for report purposes and only when the following criteria exist:
· Not in progress
· Perpetrator is not on the scene
· Occurred more than 15 minutes ago
· Likelihood of apprehension is low
Priority (5): T.C.R.U. - Not Serious In Nature Emergencies shall be redirected to be processed by T.C.R.U. when the following criteria exist:
· Not in progress
· Perpetrator is not on the scene
· Occurred more than 15 minutes ago
· Apprehension unlikely
· Damage or loss is less than $10,000 dollars
“We, as Detroit Police Officers took an oath to protect and serve,” stated Chief Ralph L. Godbee, Jr. “We have looked at best practices across the country to ensure that our implementations of best services are efficient and effective, as we serve the citizens of Detroit.”
Thank you,
City of Detroit - Police Department
The Office of Public Information
1300 Beaubien Street, Room 203
Detroit, Michigan 48226
Office: (313) 596-2200
Fax: (313) 596-1450
Email: