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Home | Computers & Technology | Security With population currently hovering around 400,000, Minneapolis, Minnesota keeps its emergency services constantly busy with requests for aid and assistance. It has been estimated that over a 1,000 emergency calls are received and processed every day by the police, EMT and fire departments. Due to budget constraints and the sheer reality of the situation, it is not always possible to immediately respond to all calls made for emergency services. All calls involving life threatening problems are given first priority. The less severe calls for assistance are prioritized and processed in the most logical manner to ensure the best service possible. It takes about an hour to assess the nature of the call and dispatch a cop during the busiest of times. Each incoming call is assessed and put into low priority only if (i) there is no immediate threat to life, (ii) the caller has no injuries, (iii) the caller is not a victim of ongoing criminal action, and (iv) the offender is not an immediate threat and is not expected to return. In a new initiative, the city of Minneapolis has adopted a plan called CODEFOR that ensures efficient distribution of the forces to ensure effective handling of the emergency situation, be it crime, fire or any such other event. The underlying principle is to achieve effectiveness in handling crime through proper prioritization of calls rather than spreading the forces thin. The acronym CODEFOR means Computer Optimized Deployment-Focus On Results. CODEFOR, which involves all sections of the police force, is driven by four basic principles viz. a. providing timely and accurate intelligence on an ongoing crime, b. rapidly deploying resources and personnel in appropriate circumstances, c. ensuring tactics that are effective and d. relentlessly following-up and assessing the situation. Minneapolis is also using the "Watch Your Car" program to help reduce car theft. This is a voluntary program on the part of registered owners who must sign a release form stating that they are not normally driving their vehicle between 1-5 a.m. and therefore give police permission to pull their car over should it be seen on the road during these hours. Participants are given reflective stickers that can be seen by police late at night and if they spot any vehicles with the stickers during the 1-5 a.m. window, they have the right to pull it over despite the fact that no crime has yet been witnessed. It is a radical program but it is having great results and citizens seem pleased with the plan so far. Although no crime fighting initiative will ever be 100% effective, the Minneapolis police department is certainly trying its best to make the community as safe as possible for its citizens. People considering relocating to Minneapolis will be glad to know that the community is committed to fighting crime and making the city a safe place to live and work. Article Source: http://www.articlewheel.com
Heather Woodbine is the webmaster for F minneapolis, the web's premier resource for information about minneapolis. For more articles on minneapolis visit: www.yominneapolis.com/articles
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