Small departments , big changes : A blueprint to modernizing the heart of policing
Agencies must begin preparing today to capture the benefits of tomorrow ’ s advanced technology
By Chris Shields , MSPM , PMP
Reprinted with permission from Police1 , www . police1 . com .
The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | February 2024
The heart of policing in the United States is made up of the thousands of departments employing fewer than 100 full-time police officers . According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics , about 92 % of the 17,451 state and local law enforcement agencies in the United States employ fewer than 100 full-time sworn police officers , and only 80 agencies employ more than 1000 . The resource constraints smaller law enforcement organizations face challenge their ability to adapt to today ’ s fast-changing policing environment . The Police Executive Research Forum ( PERF ) reported a decrease of 3.48 % in officer staffing levels over the two years of 2020 and 2021 ; hirings were 3.9 % lower , and resignations increased 42.7 %.
Resource constraint challenges are compounded further by rising crime rates across the country and , in some cases , reduced funding and community support . We often ask our nation ’ s police departments to do more with less . Today , with demands for modernization in such a challenging environment , we ask them to do nearly the impossible . However , the heart of our nation ’ s policing can successfully modernize by following the proper blueprint .
How do small police departments successfully modernize ? Successful modernization requires projects that deliver new operational ways of working integrated with modern policing technology . These projects focus on enhancing a department ’ s situational awareness , leading to improved service delivery , positive policing outcomes , and optimized resource efficiency and effectiveness .
Achieving project success , regardless of type , is a challenging and complex endeavor . Technology projects are notoriously difficult to execute . Around the world , about two-thirds of technology projects fail . Projects that do make it to completion frequently fall short , with only about 30 % meeting expectations . The country ’ s largest law enforcement agencies , like the NYPD and LAPD , have dedicated project management officers with teams that deliver complex new programs and solutions . Unfortunately , replicating the NYPD or LAPD model may be impractical for many police departments .
A 3-step blueprint The following blueprint for modernizing the heart of policing aims to leverage the strengths available to many police departments , especially project strengths that are unique to their size and internal environment . For example , smaller agencies may enjoy greater agility and less bureaucracy . Simple , cost-effective enhancements can quickly make significant impacts across the agency . Project leadership and teams are more likely to be compromised of those close to the operations , improving commitment , fostering change , acceptance , and supporting the delivery of new benefits that meet the unique needs of their organization .
There is a three-step process . The strategy begins with discovering the department ’ s interdisciplinarians who will form the coalition needed to execute complex projects . The next step is enhancing the organization ’ s project management competency through career development initiatives . The final step is to select project-proficient service partners that will support the implementation and integration of new products and services .
An agency that follows this blueprint can strengthen its modernization efforts and deliver high-value policing services to its community .
1 . Discovering interdisciplinarians Modernization efforts have emphasized hiring college-educated candidates , particularly those studying criminal justice or a closely related field . Many of these candidates may view a patrol assignment as a temporary step toward a specialized law enforcement career . The reality is that specialized opportunities are likely limited in most police departments . And even if those opportunities exist , everyone starts in patrol , and it may be several years before specialized opportunities become available . Additionally , in many cases , specialized assignments will end , and the return to patrol may be inevitable . The police department must be transparent about specialization opportunities during the recruitment process . This not only sets expectations for improving retention later , but it can also identify individuals who are the right fit for the organization .
Instead of being a prerequisite for specialized assignments , a patrol assignment should be viewed as its own specialization requiring a unique blend of knowledge , skills and abilities . Consider the assignments of a patrol officer in a small-to-mediumsized police department . In addition to their regular job responsibilities , they may complete tasks reserved for specialized
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