Even though the crime rates have been steadily falling from the 1990's, some of the bigger cities across the nation have to still contend with a growing crime rate. While the government officials are doing their best, crime related problems continue to persist due to the ever-growing population in these urban centers. So fighting crime is a battle that must be waged continuously day after day by law enforcement agencies against elements of anarchy and social unrest.



Minneapolis is located in Minnesota and has a population hovering just under 400,000. The emergency services in this major American city almost never stop fielding calls and requests for aid. On any given day, over 1,000 calls are received and processed for emergency services from the police, fire, or EMT 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.

Minneapolis devised this method of prioritization of incoming calls in order to handle crime more expediently. It is effective because it reduces the chances of spending time and energy on low priority calls. Moreover, they can focus their resources to handle ongoing crimes quickly and effectively. These strategies are all part of the new CODEFOR plan.

CODEFOR stands for Computer Optimized Deployment?Focus on Results. All sections of the police force are involved in this new crime reduction initiative and it involves four basic ideas: 1. accurate and timely intelligence on crime that is occurring 2. rapid deployment of personnel and resources in appropriate circumstances 3. effective tactics and 4. relentless follow-up and assessment.

In another Minneapolis initiative, a voluntary program called ?Watch Your Car?, the participating citizens give a declaration to the police that their car is normally not used between 1 am and 5 am and therefore give the police permission to pull their car over if and when seen on the roads during this period.

Participants get luminous stickers for their cars. If a vehicle with the sticker is seen between 1-5 a.m. the police will pull it over even if no crime has yet been witnessed. The citizens are happy to join this revolutionary program because it is showing great results.

However, it is presumptuous to consider a crime fighting initiative will be 100% effective. But, the Minneapolis police department is certainly trying its best to make the community as safe as possible for its citizens. It is a great incentive for people considering relocating to Minneapolis as the community is committed to fighting crime to make the city safe to live.