Stratified Policing: An Organizational Model for Proactive Crime Reduction and Accountability

Implementing effective crime reduction requires deliberate thought and effort to integrate processes into the police organization, its culture, and the day-to-day work. Stratified Policing: An Organizational Model for Proactive Crime Reduction and Accountability provides police leaders a clear path for institutionalization of crime reduction modeled after current police processes. It sets up an organization to more easily incorporate evidence-based strategies into everyday operations with the goal of changing a police organization from reactive to proactive. Stratified Policing incorporates what works for crime reduction and how to realistically make it work in police practice. The book details the specific and adaptable framework that infuses small changes by rank and division into daily activities that build on each other resulting in a comprehensive and focused approach for crime reduction. It also lays out a multifaceted accountability process that is fair and transparent. Importantly, the book dedicates entire chapters to methods for developing crime reduction goals, addressing immediate, short-term, and long-term crime and disorder problems, and implementing a stratified accountability meeting structure. Chapters include specific recommendations supported by research and grounded in what is realistic in police practice for application of evidence-based strategies, assignment of responsibility and accountability, crime analysis products, and assessment measures for impact on crime and disorder. The book is a culmination of the authors' 15 years of work and will synthesize their research, other publications on stratified policing, and provide new material for police leaders and professionals who are seeking an organizational structure to institutionalize crime reduction strategies into their day to day operations.

Roberto Santos is an associate professor of criminal justice and co-director of the Center for Police Practice, Policy and Research at Radford University in Radford, VA. He is a retired police commander from the Port St. Lucie, FL Police Department where after 22 years worked in, supervised, and commanded every division within the agency. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (Class 239). Prior to policing, Dr. Santos was a sergeant in the Marine Corps and is a veteran of Desert Storm/Desert Shield. Dr. Santos is recognized nationally and internationally for his impact on the field of policing through his high-level rigorous research, translation of research to practice, and hands on work with police organizations.As Co-Director of the Center for Police Practice, Policy, and Research, Dr. Santos shares in the administration of the Center and management of large-level, grant-funded research projects. The purpose of the Center is to facilitate collaboration among researchers and police practitioners to foster a unique blend of evidence-based and practice-based police policy and research. He has served as a subject matter expert for the Federal agencies (Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services and Bureau of Justice Assistance) and State governments (Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware) as well as police research organizations, such as the Institute for Intergovernmental Research, the Police Executive Research Forum, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the National Police Foundation. He conducts assessments, evaluation, training and technical assistance for local police departments, county sheriff’s offices, and state police across the United States where he works closely with leadership as well as operational personnel to integrate policies and best practices into day-to-day police operations. Dr. Santos earned his Master of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University and his Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Organizational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

Rachel Santos is a professor of criminal justice and co-director of the Center for Police Practice, Policy and Research at Radford University in Radford, VA. Dr. Santos has been working with police organizations since 1994 and conducts practice-based research on organizational change and accountability, crime analysis, and sustainability of evidence-based crime reduction strategies in police organizations. Dr. Santos started her career as a crime analyst for the Tempe, AZ Police Department then served as a Senior Research Associate and Director of the Crime Mapping Laboratory at the National Police Foundation in Washington D.C. Currently, as a co-director of the Center for Police Practice, Policy, and Research, Dr. Santos shares in the administration of the Center and manages large-level, grant-funded research projects that focus on identifying and testing practical police strategies. She conducts assessments, training, and technical assistance for local police departments, county sheriff’s offices, and state police and serves as subject matter expert for large level federal initiatives. Dr. Santos is an international expert on crime analysis and its role in effective crime reduction and has conducted experimental research and evaluation of police practices. She has published many final reports, practitioner guidebooks, book chapters, and articles for both academic and professional journals. She has one of the only sole authored books on crime analysis in its fourth edition, Crime Analysis with Crime Mapping. Dr. Santos earned her Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology from Arizona State University.