City of Morgan Hill Public Safety Master Plan

TABLE 3-1: Calls for Service

Police-initiated

Other-initiated

Units per Call

Units per Call

Category

Calls

Minutes

Calls

Minutes

Accidents

31 10 13 40 19 20 13

1.8 2.0 1.2 1.3 1.3 2.1 1.5 2.5 1.5 1.2 2.2 1.4 1.4 1.4

31.7 25.8 16.5 25.4 31.6 34.4 37.5 56.0 N/A 66.7 31.6 29.8 13.8 17.5 19.3

458

2.3 1.7 1.2 2.0 1.7 2.1 1.5 2.1 1.8 2.0 1.3 2.3 1.8 1.4 1.8

46.7 13.9 29.3 36.5 32.4 47.9 38.1 25.6 34.7 34.9 32.3 55.6 22.4 23.1 30.8

Alarm

1,154

Animal calls

715 219

Assist

Check/investigation

602

1,653

Crime–persons Crime–property

983 758

Disturbance

1,374

Juvenile Medical

0 4

N/A

38

315

Miscellaneous Prisoner–arrest

529 160 948

1,131

353

Suspicious person/vehicle

1,564

Traffic enforcement

7,027 9,416

528

Total

11,243

In general, CFS volume in Morgan Hill is within acceptable bounds. To evaluate the workload demands placed on the department, it is useful to examine the number of CFS received from the public in relation to the population size. With a population estimated to be approximately 41,000, the total of 20,659 CFS translates to about 503 CFS per 1,000 residents. While there is no accepted standard ratio between calls for service and population, CPSM studies of other communities show a CFS-to-population ratio ranging between 400 and 1,000 CFS per 1,000 persons per year. Lower ratios typically suggest a well-managed approach to CFS. The value of 503 CFS/per thousand/year would suggest an appropriate policy is in place for triaging nonemergency calls. A well-managed dispatch system includes a system where CFS are screened and nuisance calls eliminated before they are dispatched. At the same time, while the MHPD has a well-managed system for triaging CFS, it also appears that the department could be even more aggressive at triaging CFS. Certain types of calls do not necessarily require the response of a sworn police officer. Responding to false alarms, and to motor vehicle accidents involving only property damage where the police role is largely administrative and involves preparing and filing reports, still requires considerable patrol resources in Morgan Hill. The bottom line here is that a substantial number of CFS dispatches to officers could be eliminated. This would free officers’ time to address other conditions present in the community as opposed to spending time at CFS at which their services are not essential. It must be noted however, that such responses are expected in smaller communities, and any change in service levels must be carefully implemented.

Police Operations and Data Analysis Report, Morgan Hill, California

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