The effects of patrol workloads and response strength on arrests at burglary emergencies

Abstract This study was concerned with response-related capture at residential burglary emergencies. Successfully catching burglars red-handed depended on response times, and particularly on numbers of units attending, as well as on incident characteristics. Response quickness and strength were influenced by the number of patrols available to respond, and this, in turn, reflected the workloads placed on patrols. Lighter workloads per patrol improved the chances of on-scene capture, though burglary circumstances determined the incidents at which this proved most promising. Stronger responses might offer scope for on-scene and near-scene capture at incidents with longer reporting delays than hitherto supposed. Findings were at odds with previous research, indicating that emergency response might be more effective than generally supposed in the U.K., if not in the U.S., particularly when calls were graded, units on patrol were matched to the incidence of emergencies, and single-crewed units could be used.