Health and General Welfare The shore patrolman must be on the alert for signs of uncleanliness or violations of sanitation and fire laws by restaurants or taverns patronized by service personnel, and, if any are found, they should be reported to the duty officer immediately. If upon an inspection of the heads, they are found filthy, place the establishment temporarily out-of-bounds until the deficiency is corrected. The patrolman must also be alert for known prostitutes or houses of prostitution where venereal diseases are prevalent, so that service personnel may be informed of potential dangers from these sources. The shore patrolman should always be on the lookout for fire hazards. People are much too careless about the disposal of inflammable materials, so always be on the lookout for such materials. If you find anything that could start a fire or add to one already started, notify the manager and ask him to remove the hazard. If he refuses to comply with your request, notify headquarters and place the establishment temporarily out-of-bounds. Check to make certain that all exits so marked are really exits. Too frequently exit doors are carelessly left locked, which fact is not discovered until they are urgently needed. Exits should be sufficient in number to permit all people in the building to escape in case of fire. When a ship's party is scheduled in your area, you may be called upon to inspect the hall or place in which it is to be held. Ascertain the number of people expected, in order to evaluate the exits, and to check the location and adequacy of fire escapes, which should be conspicuously marked. If you make a careful inspection and turn in an unfavorable report, resulting in the cancellation of the party, you may make a few people unhappy but you may save many lives. Therefore, don't be lenient in your report; state your honest convictions. Decorations should be carefully inspected to see that they do not constitute a fire hazard. Always be on the lookout for anything which may cause harm to your fellow servicemen. If you believe the material or object constitutes a fire hazard, report it to the proper authority for checking. Develop close cooperation with local firemen and leave nothing to chance. The Shore Patrol should maintain close co-operation with various civil agencies, such as health and sanitation departments. When reported conditions are not rectified, the establishment or area is placed out-of-bounds for service personnel. General Attitudes of Shore Patrolmen The Shore Patrol must be the smartest outfit ashore, and members must perform their duties in such manner that they will have the utmost pride in their job, not only as individuals but also as a unit. A shore patrolman should be helpful and polite at all times. By following this policy, he not only will be working for the best interests of the service but, at the same time, will be making his own work easier. In the past many men have had the wrong attitude toward shore patrol work. They felt that to do the job properly they had to be "tough" and apprehend as many men as possible. This, of course, was a mistaken idea. The efficiency of a shore patrol organization is judged by the order maintained, and by the pleasure and relaxation servicemen enjoy while on liberty-not by the number of apprehensions made. THE POLICY OF THE NAVY DEPARTMENT IS THAT LIBERTY PARTIES BE INTERFERED WITH AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE. A "tough guy" should never be permitted to wear the "SP" brassard. At times the shore patrolman must be firm, but being firm is entirely different from being "tough." Give the man slightly out of order more than an even break, but bear down on the chronic offenders and those who won't co-operate. There are men who don't appreciate friendly advice, and men who can't understand anything but strength. With them you must be firm, but remember that it must never be the shore patrolmen who start trouble. ORGANIZATION The Shore Patrol of a particular area is organized to care for the needs of that particular area, and no set organizational pattern can be followed. Areas most frequented by servicemen in a city are divided into beats for the foot patrol. The motor patrol is given supervisory control over several beats, according to the needs. Senior Shore Patrol Officer The officer in charge of your unit is the area shore patrol officer. His assistant (if the unit is large) is the operations officer, whose duties are similar to those of the executive officer aboard ship. A duty officer will be on duty at headquarters at all times when the patrol is functioning. In addition, there is an officer or chief petty officer in charge of each watch. This duty is usually assigned to a chief petty officer who has had detailed experience in patrol work. Assignments The duty officer will make your patrol assignment, and he will issue special instructions covering the locality to which you are assigned. Shore patrolmen are usually required to report for duty at least a half-hour before going on patrol. The reason for reporting early is that patrol conditions are subject to immediate change. Beat assignments are rotated, and all hands must be briefed on new directives and conditions before going on duty. When new personnel are assigned to the Shore Patrol, additional time. is required to explain local directives and conditions. Reinforcing a shore patrol organization is called augmenting. Where a shore patrol unit is established in a port with only enough personnel to meet local conditions, additional personnel must be assigned when a number of ships arrive. PRIMARY DUTIES The primary duty of the Shore Patrol is the maintenance of good order wherever military personnel are assembled. It isn't always possible to keep things running smoothly, but much can be accomplished by intelligent patrol work. Some men get into trouble because they are thoughtless rather than tough; in fact, they make up the largest class of offenders. Many offenders of this type, however, will behave if they are reminded by the shore patrol brassard that order must be maintained. Prevention of Misbehavior Never let authority go to your head. Learn to control your temper, regardless of the situation. The idea is to take the minimum action necessary to correct a situation. This means that you will not apprehend a man when a word of caution is sufficient. When he must be apprehended, charge him with the least serious offense. If a man curses or resists you, controlling your temper will be both difficult and important. Never permit yourself to do or say anything that will make a bad situation worse. Ignore the names you may be called, lest you aggravate the situation. The Shore Patrol has no authority to punish offenders or to caution a man in an overbearing manner. When possible, talk to an offender in such manner that only he can hear you, and that only he will know he is being cautioned. This may save you a lot of trouble, as most men will accept a word of caution if they believe no one else knows about it. When there is an audience, they often feel they must show how "tough" they are. When you have reason to believe that an individual will get in trouble if he remains in town, send him back to his ship or station with one of his shipmates. If it seems wiser, return him in the custody of a shore patrolman. Whichever course you pursue, don't do or say anything that will humiliate the man unnecessarily, or you may have trouble on your hands. He may interpret as an insult what you have meant as a kindness. You must be patient and tactful with men who have had too much to drink and know it. Frequently, they insist that they are entirely sober. Never enter into an argument with a man in such condition. Friendly persuasion works particularly well when the man realizes you mean what you say. Discipline Naval discipline is a habit of intelligent obedience instilled in a man by education and training. Discipline insures order, precision, and promptness at all times. The object of naval discipline is to create in the minds of Navy men a confidence in themselves and in their shipmates, so that they may be capable of organized and efficient effort. Discipline produces pride and confidence in Navy men and enables them to surmount difficulties or master situations. Without proper discipline, a group of men simply becomes a mob incapable of accomplishing a mission. Discipline is attained by careful and proper training. The shore patrolman helps to maintain discipline by requiring strict compliance to orders, rules, and regulations in a polite, firm and diplomatic manner. Assistance You must be able to give reliable information, directions, and assistance concerning such pertinent subjects as area, uniform, curfew, and out-of-bounds regulations. You must know where lodging can be found, and you must have a thorough knowledge of the transportation system and the recreational facilities of the city. |