Summary
"In practice, many police organizations have been slow to adopt real and meaningful change grounded in a sound analysis of current procedures. More often than not, based on routine and lacking any meaningful measures, police organizations are loath to modify their practices, despite an organizational need to make the best use of existing resources. By using data from the Vancouver Police Department, this thesis assesses whether organizational impediments, systemic inefficiencies and a reluctance to employ evidence-based practices identified in police organizational literature, were prevalent in the deployment and scheduling of patrol officers in a metropolitan centre. Utilizing techniques and constructs identified as best practices in evaluative research, the deployment model of the Vancouver Police Department was analyzed in terms of whether it was achieving the most effective and efficient use of their resources. The specific findings of this research indicate that until recently, there was considerable room for improvement in the manner in which the Vancouver Police Department deployed patrol resources. The findings of this study illustrate the larger problems inherent to many police organizations in general and how the adoption of evidence-based practices, grounded in empirical research, can result in greater efficiencies. By examining how police agencies, such as the Vancouver Police Department, deploy and use their resources, and how the Department developed the capacity to assess its effectiveness and efficiency, recommendations can be developed that challenge outmoded policies and encourage the adoption of clearly defined and progressive organizational objectives."--Abstract.