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MH/CPU.PR CONTACT: David Weaver, 301-217-6530
DUNCAN RECOMMENDS PERMANENT
CENTRAL PROCESSING FOR ADULT
ARRESTS; PILOT EVALUATION
COMPLETED For Immediate Release: October 31, 1996
Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan has recommended that the
County continue with central processing as a means for processing adult
arrestees in Montgomery County. Duncan's recommendation follows a 10-month
evaluation of central processing at the County's Detention Center in
Rockville, in which adult arrestees were brought to the single, centralized
facility for a criminal history check, fingerprinting, photographs and
appearance before a District court commissioner.
"Based on the evaluation, I'm recommending that central processing be
made permanent," said Duncan. "The evaluation shows that central processing
does indeed save time and allows our police officers to quickly return to duty
in the community."
According to the evaluation, central processing saves the arresting
officer on average nearly 2 hours for each arrest made, freeing officers to
return to their assigned beats much faster. In addition to police officer
time savings, the evaluation also concluded that central processing reduces
total time in processing an arrest. The evaluation also looked at management
considerations, costs, community impact and other issues.
Duncan forwarded his recommendation to the County Council and will soon
send a supplemental appropriation to the Council to fund this year's
-more-
DUNCAN RECOMMENDS PERMANENT CPU 2-2-2-2
activities within the Central Processing Unit (CPU). In addition to the
County Council, Duncan sent letters to Rockville City Mayor Rose Krasnow,
Administrative District Court Judge Cornelius Vaughey and Chairman Paul
Tierney of the Montgomery County Criminal Justice Coordinating Commission,
informing them of his decision.
A $500,000 federal COPS MORE grant has been received by the Department
of Police to help finance central processing.
The evaluation of central processing was conducted by an ad hoc group of
staff from the Department of Police, Correction and Rehabilitation, Finance
and the Office of Management and Budget. The purpose of the study was to look
at the differences between central and decentralized processing and whether or
not central processing would work here.
In decentralized processing, arresting officers complete all stages of
the arrest process within the local station where the officer is assigned.
With central processing, officers -- including those of municipal, State and
park police departments -- transport the individual directly to the CPU.
The CPU, staffed by five police and correctional officers, is located on
the grounds of the County Detention Center in a 3,350 square-foot modular
secured building connected to the detention center.
On average, more than 30 adult arrestees are processed daily, not
including those appearing directly before a judge.
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Attachment
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