The Saint Paul Police Research and Development Unit have the basic responsibility for staff work essential to the development of departmental policies and procedures. It also serves as the grant writing unit for the department. The unit generates and submits grants and then administers awarded grants. In addition, this unit is responsible for crime analysis and compiles departmental statistics into printouts which are used by management and line units as an aid in decision making. This unit is also responsible for publishing analysis of this material and other non-statistical information as determined by management for their use in formulating plans both short and long-term.
Functions:
The unit serves in a staff capacity by completing and consolidating into standard developmental programs and procedures, those planning projects providing for operational alternatives.
- Design, approve and control all departmental forms, and expunges forms as they become obsolete.
- Conduct surveys, studies, and other detailed analysis for department use.
- Provide for the compilation, preparation of the department s annual activity report and other reports necessary for effective management practices.
- Conduct follow-up analysis of plans previously adopted and currently operational and evaluates results for the purpose of making adjustments and improvements where necessary.
- Prepare weekly felony warrant, crime mapping, and district council reports.
- Prepare periodic reports of year-to-date comparisons: Part I and part II offense comparisons and analysis; updates of offenses and case number figures in all files; prepares semi-annual analysis report of operational activities, typically including the following: type of activity, location, time and date. Distribute reports to the appropriate units or persons.
- Distribute administrative and analytical reports and publications to appropriate unit commanders, unit heads, management team staff, city department managers, press and citizen groups as deemed appropriate and allowed by law.
- Utilize all available data in formulating crime analysis reports, to include the following factors: frequency of crime; geographical factors; chronological factors; victim, target, suspect and vehicle descriptors; modus operandi factors; and physical evidence information.
- Reference the following source documents for crime analysis: offense reports, domestic assault reports, crime trend mapping data, the Saint Paul Police Department database, and CAD data.
- Conduct periodic surveys of crime analysis products to evaluate usefulness.
- Maintain the police department manual.
- Maintain mapping software, update mapping database, creates maps to identify trends, problem areas, and areas of interest for reports and inquiries.
- Other duties as assigned by the administrative team.
Supervision:
The personnel in the unit report directly to the commander of technology and research who reports directly to the assistant chief of support services and administration. The commander will ensure that staff members maintain an efficient and effective working relationship with members of the management team, unit heads, district commanders, technology unit and records unit as the combined work is closely related. The commander is responsible for the preparation of working schedules, review and action of complaints, recommendations, etc. The commander is further responsible for the establishment of job priorities, assuring that daily, monthly, and special reports are completed on a timely basis.
Revised June 7, 2016