Policing Levels, Roles, and Functions

As a Police Chief and seeing and experiencing a high degree of turnover in the department heads, and having to do a budget for the new fiscal year. This could be a trying time. Now the Mayor wants to hold a workshop with all the department heads and this is going to be tricky in getting everything done. The information that I will need to put together are:

•Budget
•Training

•Manpower

In addition, reports on crime and critical issues facing the city. Let us talk about the budget first! Here are the steps that I need to take: •I need to come up with a reasonable objective to the new fiscal year. As the Chief, I should have a preliminary figure and it should be realistic. I know that I can tweak it throughout the year. •I also know to consult other members of the department. For the reason that they know more about the day – to – day operation. •”Analyze inflow. Realistic expectations of income require analysis of the preceding budgets. Before inputting preliminary numbers, compare month – to – month, quarter – to – quarter, and year – to – year figures from the previous year.”(n.d., Withrow)

•Analyze outflow. Determine the unexpected expenses that might have an important factor on the budget. For instance, anyone retiring, any layoffs, possible hiring, training and any cost training and equipment for new employees. In addition, is any office equipment in need of updating? •Now to prepare the budget. Before I do the final draft, I should consult with other department managers. For the reason it could have an impact on the budget.

Budgets need to be adjusting in order to have everything you need to run an operation. Now let us talk about training. As more and more higher-level officers are approaching retirement age and are retiring early, this is a problem for many police departments. Some will ignore the problem or would not think there is a crisis. Now I need to implement a Succession Planning Program to replace those that are leaving. For the most part, I do have a plan to replace people leaving the department, but I do not have one for supervisors and managers. “The successor program I need to develop are more critical path in replacing investigators, specialists, supervisors, and managers,”(June 2006, Michaelson). Usually the human resource is responsible for developing future supervisors and managers programs. It is to my benefit to help the human resource office in developing a new program for future leaders.

We could “develop the necessary skills or competencies based experiential set of scenarios, assignments, rotations, mentoring and coaching opportunities, and evaluations not only to provide the candidates with this experience but also to enable the agency to gain the benefit from this experience and information.”(June 2006, Michealson). I can assign young officers with veteran officers and give them opportunity to carry out a few tasks:

•”Plan an event
•Write a training bulletin
•Review and make recommendations to improve or update department policies or procedures

•Conduct training
•Conduct research
•Write a proposal
•Write a grant
•Write a newsletter article
•Manage a committee write a report on the committee’s actions and recommendations, evaluate the committee’s success, and make a presentation on the committee’s findings.
•Assess equipment and supplies, research replacement costs and options, and recommend replacing or updating them
•Counsel peers

•Become mentor to young officers and college students
•Make a presentation to a local community group
•Conduct a program evaluation with recommendations
•Write contingency plans

•Write after – action plans
•Work on unit effectiveness report, to include use of statistical analysis
•Review the department’s and the jurisdiction’s master plan
•Review staffing and budget requirements for the current and upcoming fiscal year
•Determine how staffing and budget will affect the role of Sergeants and Lieutenants.” (June 2006,Michaelson).

Even doing this I cannot forget the responsibilities of the “individual preparation for leadership, which requires:

•Undertaking a formal academic course of study
•Taking a team leadership role in department activities
•Participating and leading in civil opportunities, such as parent – teacher associations and civic clubs
•Networking with peers
•Engaging in intellectual discussion groups

•Attending voluntary conferences and training sessions
•Reading the professional literature
•Studying national and local reports and analyzing the reports results •Using the Web as a resource
•Serving as a guest lecturer in college class or accepting other speaking engagement
•Engaging in research and reporting the findings.” (June 2006, Michaelson).

In developing all of this, I still need to have all of it documented. This way I have the accomplishments and failures of them. Then I can advance them as needed. If my police department ends up becoming short of officers due to them leaving, retiring, etc. I could implement a program called Part-Time Reserve Police Officers. “Their responsibilities would consist of:

•City hall security detail
•Police department lobby entrance staffing to assist visitors
•Increased law enforcement presence during special events
•Prisoners transport and guarding for court appearances, medical care, and interjurisdictional transports
•Uniform patrol augmental when staffing shortages occur as a result of long – term illnesses, injuries, workers’ compensation leave, vacations, training, and so on
•Supplemental resource for section commanders when incidents or details develop
•Resource for disaster incidents such as floods.” (January 2012, Williams, Crowe, and Lowe)

“PTR police officers have reduced employment costs because part-time employees do ot earn vacation or sick time, holiday pay does not apply, and health care and retirement benefits are not available. These officers are issued department equipment and are covered by workers’ compensation insurance for work-related medical incidents.” (January 2012, Williams, Crowe, Lowe)

Now for crime report and critical issues, my sergeants and lieutenants could give me this information. Therefore, I would do these things as Chief of police. In which the budget, work force, training, crime report and the critical issue report, would be met for the fiscal year and for the workshop.