Interjurisdictional Cooperation Among Police Departments in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area

Abstract

This is a study of cooperative arrangements that exist among 28 independent police departments in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The conditions that are conducive to the development and maintenance of patterns of cooperation in organized human activity are among the factors that are the subject of basic disagreements among political theorists. Some argue that cooperation will not occur among autonomous agencies or units of governments unless it is developed and overseen by a higher authority in an integrated chain of command. Others contend that cooperative arrangements will emerge and pose no difficulties as long as concurrent judicial, political and administrative arrangements are available to process and resolve conflict. In addition, these arrangements can facilitate the supplying of complementary services that relate to the problems of overarching communities of interest.' The one approach tends to emphasize the limitations of federalism whereas the other argues that federalism will work under appropriate conditions. From a researcher's standpoint, the diverging beliefs of proponents of each of the two approaches suggest the need to systematically examine assertions made with a view to ascertaining the degree to which these beliefs are grounded in fact. This discussion will be an empirical examination of several hypotheses that exist in the extant literature pertaining to the reform I would like to acknowledge the support of the Center for Studies of Metropolitan Problems of the National Institute of Mental Health in the form of Grant 5 RO1 MH