DEPARTMENT INPUT


Captain Vern Snyder

The following distills information from the internal input process.

NOTE: No reports from:

  • Vice
  • Training
  • Senior Volunteers
  • Interns Reports from groups not anticipated:
  • Strategic Planning Workgroup Coordinators (in addition to the full Advisory Committee)
  • Youth Commonwealth Workgroup

NOTE: The Forensic Services Unit and the Office and Financial Assistants/Records Management/General Support Services Workgroups have written thoughtful and complete reports on specific issues concerning their unique responsibilities in fulfilling the community policing mandate. To save space, their specific issues have not been included; those reports deserve a special reading.

PHILOSOPHICAL INFRASTRUCTURE

The primary group to tackle philosophical issues were the Lieutenants:

  • VISION: Note that the Lieutenants have italicized the Chief’s Vision Statement, to draw attention to the fact that they would like to change the wording to emphasize: (1) the highest standard of quality of life and (2) the Grand Rapids Police Department (instead of the city of Grand Rapids) will lead American cities into the 21st century.

  • VALUES: The Lieutenants list seven core values:

    • We believe the protection of life and property is our highest priority.
    • We believe our Oath of Office defines our highest standard of conduct.
    • We value honesty, integrity, civility, and respect for ourselves and others
    • We value a trusting relationship with the community we serve.
    • We believe our employees are our greatest asset and could be developed to their fullest potential.
    • We believe in open communication among all stakeholders.
    • We value knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and compassion.
  • MISSION: The Lieutenants propose:
    • We exist to protect life and property and respond to the needs of the community.
  • GOALS: The Lieutenants identified six basic goals:
    • Reduce the incidence and fear of crime.
    • Improve quality of life.
    • Optimize internal and external communication.
    • Create an organizational structure that most effectively delivers police service.
    • Promote employee development.
    • Develop community focus.
  • OPERATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE
    • RESTRUCTURE - Some workgroups suggested disbanding, civilianizing, or otherwise changing some units:
    1. INTERNAL AFFAIRS - The Advisory Committee recommended that day-to-day discipline be handled in precincts.
    2. NEIGHBORHOOD PATROL UNIT - The Advisory Committee recommended changing this unit so that it becomes a Special Response Team with 30 members, used in critical incidents and high-risk situations, paged in as needed, with warrant service handled by patrol. Patrol Unit Two proposed disbanding the NPU and having the tactically trained officers respond as needed to critical incidents and warrant service. They also considered the idea of having an SRT team for each precinct. The Strategic Planning Workgroup Coordinators proposed assigning the NPU to Vice, so that they could assist in warrant searches and other enforcement activities when not needed for tactical situations.
    3. STAFF SERVICES/SUPPORT - The Advisory Committee recommended civilianizing the unit.
    4. TRAFFIC UNIT - The Advisory Committee initially recommended disbanding the Traffic Unit. Patrol Unit Two also recommended doing so. The Strategic Planning Workgroup Coordinators suggested assigning trained Accident Reconstructionaists to each precinct as regular patrol officers. If none were on duty when needed, they could be called in. Hit and run accidents would be handled by precincts. In response, Traffic Unit Officer Gregory Edgecombe wrote a special report defending the unit, including an analysis of what everyone does.
    5. TRAINING UNIT - The Day Shift proposes instead that would utilize experts from the city that have already implemented a program. The captains for the precincts would be responsible for setting and meeting training goals. A range officer and ppct instructor would be assigned to each precinct.
  • EMPOWERMENT/DESPECIALIZATION

  • Advisory Committee
  • Provide a prisoner transfer van so officers can remain in their beats
  • Let officers solve problems as they see fit
  • 12-month minimum assignment in beats
  • Officers become generalists
  • Civilians handle some duties
  • Change arrest approval policy so that officers can make arrests for lesser crimes without approval; require approval only for newer officers

  • Lieutenants
  • Make sure officers have the tools to deal with quality-of-life issues
  • Encourage employee participation on local boards
  • Work with unions on necessary contractual language
  • Encourage decision-making at lowest level possible
  • Allow ALL employees greater input into policymaking and develop a consistent system for input
  • Improve/simplify report writing
  • Streamline hiring
  • Promote employee wellness

  • Sergeants
  • Use police interns and light-duty officers in the precincts to handle walk-ins, to free patrol
  • Eliminate reports on assaults without injury and vehicles taken without owner’s permission.
  • For property damage accidents and private property accidents, drivers should come in or phone in
  • Use prisoner transport from precincts in peak arrest hours.

  • Detectives
  • Do away with arrest approval after retraining
  • More patrol officers on the street
  • Civilian employees should have permanent assignments
  • Beat assignments should be 12 months
  • Officers should work where they want and are interested in helping that area

  • Day Shift
  • Simply need more officers

  • Patrol Unit Two
  • Want autonomy, freedom, and discretion, allowing officers to work their beat, with its unique problems and issues, the way they see fit.
  • Want input into decision-making process instead of being told to run radar, do foot patrol, and seek approval for arrests.
  • Other ideas included permanent beat assignments, flexible work hours.

  • Patrol Unit Three
  • More open range time.
  • Schools at MSP - free.
  • More personnel sent to schools outside our department.

  • Community Affairs
  • Focus on smaller areas so that officers can know the problems - assign people to the right areas in the city (don’t isolate minority groups and by income level)
  • Change in attitude - officers need freedom to solve problems and not just run from call to call (must also determine calls are legitimate)
  • Commanders must use case-management approach and be willing to give officers the time to solve problems

  • Youth Commonwealth
  • Officers should be able to make decisions previously made by command

  • Strategic Planning Workgroup Coordinators
  • Do away with arrest approval policy
  • Put more officers in patrol to enhance problem solving
  • Officers should be given discretion to address problems in their beats.
  • Emphasis should be on quality, not quantity.
  • Civilians should be classified as Police Civilians, to promote job stability.
  • Permanent beat/call signs/job assignments for officers.

  • PROBLEM SOLVING

  • Advisory Committee
  • Ordinance and Law Violations
  • Increase prosecution of violations by City Attorney’s Office and Prosecutor’s Office
  • Examine Grand Rapids ordinances for effectiveness
  • Research ordinances in other locations that address chronic problems
  • Increase manpower
  • Develop an Intelligence Information Unit
  • To facilitate information exchange, including with other regional agencies:

    •   (1) provide documentation and cross-training
  • To enhance referrals: (1) Improve police department and city services that proactively target juveniles, (2) Use the Public Safety Forum program as a method of educating the public

  • Lieutenants
  • Improve crime response
  • Maintain traditional methods of law enforcement
  • Use a variety of tactics, bikes, foot patrols, surveillance
  • Prioritize crime prevention efforts
  • Address chronic problems
  • Target repeat offenders aggressively
  • Identify and address causes of crime and disorder
  • Promote public education
  • Address juvenile problems through various enforcement
  • Seek improved criminal justice system response to juveniles
  • Seek ordinance review and update as necessary to achieve neighborhood goals
  • Encourage citizen involvement and initiative
  • Increase use of problem solving
  • Determine ownership and accountability of problem properties
  • Determine unique neighborhood and individual needs (Spanish-speaking, Deaf, etc.)
  • Identify processes that could enhance problem resolution (housing code, abandoned vehicle removal)
  • Schedule regular staff meetings within and between precincts
  • Schedule regular team meetings including all ranks
  • Evaluate dispatch
  • Establish online crime reporting
  • Put Police Blotter in press every day
  • Reduce jargon in police reports so everyone can understand them
  • Improve listening skills
  • Identify trends in demographic changes
  • Review beat/precinct boundaries regularly
  • Develop team structure
  • Use command post as a "mobile precinct"
  • Develop better survey instruments and establish on-going surveys
  • Establish precinct goals specific to the area.

  • Sergeants
  • Review calls more than 20 minutes old to see whether an officer should still be dispatched
  • Officers with evidence or property should transport it to central HQ

  • Detectives
  • Meetings between substations
  • City attorney support
  • Bring in speakers on problems and solutions
  • Get together a plan with juvenile to toughen up on offenders

  • Office & Financial Assistants/Records Management/General Support Services
  • Want information on problem solving and how they fit in

  • Communications
  • Need change in attitude and prejudicial response (examples: West Siders, white trash and other comments imply that the situation isn’t as important)
  • Allow more problems to be resolved over the phone – set up a resolution center where some calls could be sent. For non-violent domestics. But would need more personnel.

  • Day Shift
  • Officers need information on city services
  • Educate the public about the social services available through the city.
  • Target at-risk youth and notify appropriate agency
  • Follow up on requests from other agencies – for example,. clean up graffiti in a timely fashion.
  • Update the city department directory and distribute to officers.

  • Patrol Unit Two
  • Key is communication and information - between officers, between units and precincts, between officers and supervisors, with citizens and neighborhood groups, and with other jurisdictions
  • Perhaps an Intelligence Unit, located centrally, which would disseminate information
  • Weekly meeting within the precinct

  • Community Affairs
  • Lack of manpower
  • Proactive surveillance of problem individuals
  • Change city ordinances to solve chronic problems – prostitution, loitering
  • Proactive teams in neighborhoods (city services) to cover areas and look for code violations
  • More discussions with neighborhood groups on how to solve problems
  • More community involvement, with neighborhood leaders/decision-making
  • Have neighbors go through strategic planning process
  • Start with good neighborhoods, not just bad
  • How do we improve the community’s perceptions of us?
  • Develop an organized/categorized card catalogue system for referrals to city/social services

  • Youth Commonwealth
  • We all need to work for the common good

  • Strategic Planning Workgroup Coordinators
  • Provide current guides to city services
  • Follow up on requests for city services
  • Weekly meetings for all personnel (sworn and civilian)
  • Support City Attorney in prosecuting ordinance violations
  • More meetings with neighborhood and business associations
  • Develop PR with schools and churches to enhance their perceptions of GRPD
  • Target at-risk youth

  • PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

  • Advisory Committee
  • Eliminate emphasis on numbers
  • Revise current forms
  • Evaluations should be done by someone actually observing performance
  • Re-evaluate current personnel rank and structure system (sworn and civilian)

  • Lieutenants
  • Develop a new, equitable performance evaluation system
  • Develop minimum standards and criteria for performance
  • Define roles and responsibilities of rank

  • Sergeants
  • Team concept will make evaluation easier
  • Community Policing will make current form more applicable
  • Stop using numbers to make assignments to other units
  • Consider innovation in evaluations
  • Consider problem solving

  • Detectives
  • Figure out what job is and get rid of numbers game
  • Base performance and awards partly on community input
  • DU pay grade as in contract

  • Office & Technical Assistants/Records Management/General Support Services
  • Current evaluations too generic and vague
  • New evaluations should reflect customer service
  • Supervisors should work with employees to understand what they will be judged on
  • Should not be reprimanded for spending too much time on customer needs

  • Communications
  • Get away from numbers game
  • Focus more on solving problems, even if temporarily, the FIRST time a call is received. Much time wasted on return calls

  • Day Shift
  • Should be done by immediate supervisor and based on actual experience with the officer
  • Attitude, knowledge, and work performance should be the basis – not what the citizen thinks. No more surveying complainants to ask how they liked the service
  • Concerns about a "popularity contest" - must be concrete goals.

  • Patrol Unit Two
  • Current process terribly flawed
  • Officers who do not do a good job still get step increases
  • Too much emphasis on statistics
  • The supervisor evaluating you may not know you
  • Consider Master Patrol Officer rank, based on merit, with increased pay and recognition

  • Community Affairs
  • Change mindset to focus on problem solving and not numbers
  • Appoint senior patrolman/corporal to help supervise on-the-road, low-level supervisor issues. Paid or unpaid position. Suggestions made by peers concerning who should be appointed, with final appointment made by command
  • Should judge on character traits and then document why decision was made
  • Easier to evaluate once officers are responsible for an area and can be judged on solving problems
  • Need feedback/communication between supervisor and officers along the way
  • Must look at long-term problem solving – takes time
  • Reward initiative
  • Not only how but "who" does the officer work with – agencies – and they should also be rewarded
  • Supervisors must understand how to evaluate problem solving
  • Twice a year, look at skills and behaviors
  • Train supervisors to use new evaluation tools

  • Youth Commonwealth
  • Numbers don’t tell the whole story
  • System has been outdated for years

  • Strategic Planning
  • Workgroup Coordinators
  • Evaluations need a clear reason for their use
  • New hires should be told of the standards to which they will be held
  • Revise forms

  • TRAINING

  • Advisory Committee
  • Establish training goals
  • Community Policing training
  • All employees should receive this training
  • Cross-train with other units in department and other agencies
  • Cross-train with experts outside the department
  • Train in problem solving
  • Train in diversity
  • Train officers in making referrals
  • Train supervisors in mentoring and development of officers
  • Expand specialized training/certify instructors in more areas
  • Driving - defensive and pursuit
  • Computers
  • Day-to-day issues (for example, law refresher)

  • Lieutenants
  • Educate officers on how to deal with quality-of-life issues
  • Educate officers on housing/zoning issues
  • Educate the community through a Citizens Academy
  • Institute cross-training between units
  • Teach listening skills
  • Utilize satellite training
  • Improve legal updates
  • Training should be consistent with philosophy and current practice
  • Develop and maintain a base of qualified instructors
  • Establish additional educational incentives
  • Contract with local colleges to give credit for training held here
  • Encourage lifelong learning

  • Communications
  • Officers need to learn ways other than "intimidating presence" tactics
  • Teach crisis intervention, diversity
  • Use real people from the neighborhoods in the training

  • Patrol Unit Two
  • Officers need training in problem solving and critical thinking

  • Patrol Unit Three
  • Eliminate arrest approval
  • Reward system for suggestions that are approved (which save money, etc.)

  • Neighborhood Patrol Unit
  • Tactical driving

  • Communications
  • Interagency, interview skills, conflict resolution, problem solving

    NOTE: Please again note that the Forensic Services Unit and the Office and Financial Assistants/Records Management/General Support Services Workgroups have empowerment, problem solving, performance evaluation, and training issues specific to their assignments in their reports. Their reports should therefore be read separately.

  • TECHNOLOGY/INFORMATION/COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Advisory Committee
  • Laptop computers for mobile personnel
  • E-mail for interdepartmental and precinct communications
  • Rrecording functions (reports)
  • Research (call histories, arrest files)
  • LAN/WAN - tied with other agencies
  • Formal structure to discuss internal issues
  • Formal structure for interdepartmental sharing of information
  • Centralized dispatch
  • Encourage sharing information with neighborhoods
  • More accessible translation services
  • Continual review of state-of-the-art equipment

  • Lieutenants
  • Define roles and responsibilities of individuals with respect to communicating internally
  • Develop appropriate external communication links
  • Network computers
  • Combine GRAPHICS/CAD and electronic mail into one computer
  • Facilitate online crime reporting
  • Allow public access to neighborhood crime statistics via computer
  • Consider internal communications when designing facilities

  • Sergeants
  • Communication between precincts is a concern
  • One suggestion is to have the supervisor FAX a log to each building for review at line-up and distribution to units
  • E-mail for officers

  • Detectives
  • Nextel personal phone radios (they are phones that operate as two-way radios and have statewide coverage and beyond)
  • Laptops for all officers - not only can they work at home but they will have instant records to KCCF files, mugs, tissues updates, write reports
  • Need more access to Spanish-speaking services
  • Telephone system with voicemail for all officers

  • Office & Financial Assistants/Records Management/General Support Services
  • When computer network is finished, e-mail list will be issued by Staff Services Bureau. Employees will then be able to communicate easily via e-mail rather than telephone
  • Record Unit has experienced much more walk-in traffic since the INS fingerprinting has begun. This hinders prompt answering of telephone calls. An automated system is necessary. An announcement could give basic information, with options. Remaining calls could be forwarded to someone not working at the counter, outfitted with a headset. That person could, during low-volume times, query the computer for mailed-i9n report requests and then print out copies (once the new Records Management System is in place).

  • Communications
  • The problem is not always the system but the people
  • A WAN (Wide Area Network) can be set up to interface with each LAN (Local Area Network) that could be set up in each neighborhood center. Information could be shared LAN to LAN and to units, as well as to individuals within the system. Until then, use FAX and the World Wide Web. Existing computers should be set up with modems and Internet access

  • Day Shift
  • Laptops could eliminate the need for line-up

  • Patrol Unit Two
  • Business cards
  • Precinct Newsletter to citizens
  • Information Line so citizens can all to get information on the precinct and on crime
  • Laptops for each car, to access all kinds of information and be able to download information from the mainframe
  • Voicemail/e-mail for all officers
  • Printers in cars to print out citations and other info
  • AFIS in cruisers
  • Computer system in each precinct, including LEIN terminals
  • Capability to print shift and unit summaries to analyze activity
  • New/better car radios, additional frequencies. Ability to scan other jurisdictions
  • Portables with scanning capabilities, with emergency buttons, with transmit-only features
  • Pagers for all officers
  • Tracking of repeat offenders and parolees
  • Improved phone system

  • Patrol Unit Three
  • Better MDTs with more capabilities
  • Radios with other department frequencies
  • Computer hookup to precincts - instant update tissues and instant stolen reports

  • Neighborhood Patrol Unit
  • Laptops for report writing and other information

  • Community Affairs
  • Centralized computer system that highlights crucial information
  • Laptops in cars with access to
  • KCSD jail (arrest jackets/photos)
  • New Driver License slips cards/Secretary of State
  • Premises history
  • Housing violation records
  • Ability to upgrade/download to/from central database
  • Access to a county-wide database on which to check out a suspect’s history/violations/parole/probation

  • Strategic Planning Workgroup Coordinators
  • Laptop computers with aforementioned capabilities
  • Radios that can scan other departments
  • Zebras that can be heard on both frequencies
  • MDTs that can read the magnetic strip on the new MI licenses
  • New contract with translator services
  • Skilled pay for officers proficient in other languages
  • New phone system with automation for evenings
  • Voicemail for employees
  • Cell phones and pagers for officers

  • OTHER EQUIPMENT/UNIFORM ISSUES

  • Advisory Committee
  • Digital cameras/video in cruisers (user controlled)
  • Permanent assignment of equipment
  • Routine preventive maintenance of equipment
  • Regular review of uniforms for state-of-the-art changes

  • Detectives
  • Polaroids in every department vehicle
  • Let’s ease up with dress but still be professional - shirts and polo shirts on foot patrol, arena and festival OT should not require hat and also be able to walk in more comfortable and less intimidating clothing
  • Spike strips for pursuit
  • Money for annual footwear purchase
  • Rechargeable flashlights in every department car
  • Cooler material for fatigues

  • Day Shift
  • Separate summer and winter uniforms
  • Ties only for formal dress
  • Department-issued shoes/boots, including bike shoes
  • Rechargeable flashlights
  • Cell phones
  • Shortsleeve fatigues for training
  • Hats only for formal dress
  • Permanently assign cruisers

  • Patrol Unit Three
  • More practical winter uniforms
  • New fatiques - cotton?
  • Extended round shotguns
  • Spike strips

  • Community Affairs
  • Bennelli shotgun
  • Onboard video camera

  • Stratetgic Planning Workgroup Coordinators
  • Riot gear at each precinct

  • COLLABORATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Advisory Committee
  • Involve other city services in problem solving
  • Hold regulation meetings with the community and within the precinct
  • City Attorney - increase their awareness of their role in our mission
  • Increase cooperation with department
  • Make them accountable to the citizens of Grand Rapids
  • Improve relationship with media

  • Lieutenants
  • Distribute newsletter to community
  • Seek improved criminal justice response to juveniles
  • Seek collaboration of ALL city departments
  • Pursue additional partnerships with other agencies
  • Use local media to highlight department operations
  • Use interdepartmental forms between city departments to identify problems
  • Review our current contractual relationships as they relate to service provision

  • Sergeants
  • How people are treated is important
  • Hold a meeting once a month with the community
  • Identify problems, analyze how to approach them to solve them, with community input
  • Include churches

  • Detectives
  • Let’s get city departments working together
  • TV commercial about the new GRPD image and philosophy
  • IAU get rid of complaints with no merit at the start

  • Communications
  • Foster neighborhood volunteerism - get them involved - not just the good guys but the troublemakers as well

  • Patrol Unit Two
  • Officers more involved in neighborhood meetings and events.
  • Get City Attorney on board

  • Community Affairs
  • Change mindset where front-line officers are interacting with residents, neighborhood associations, and service organizations
  • Open line-up to residents so different groups meet face to face to identify and discuss problems
  • Need team meetings to problem solve
  • Define expectations of police work in community
  • Supervisors must model attitudes/behaviors that support community policing
  • Supervisors must gain actual experience in community policing. People follow leaders they respect/trust

  • Strategic Planning Workgroup Supervisors
  • Enhance GRPD’s relationship with other city departments
  • More positive image of GRPD in print and TV media
  • Involve churches and schools
  • Handle complaints against employees at lowest possible level
  • Enhance supervisor and officer relations
  • Deputy Chief should attend community meetings

  • PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
    Various groups that addressed the questions related to centralized versus decentralized facilities. Note that there may be confusion concerning because some groups may be talking about precinct/substation-level facilities, while others may be referring to facilities at the beat-office level. The Advisory Committee report was used as a baseline, with the input from other groups noted.

  • Department Advisory Committee Analysis -CENTRALIZED/DECENTRALIZED: Facilities fall into three categories:
  • (1) Centralized (headquarters), Administrative, Staff Services/Support, Information Services, Internal Affairs, Major Crimes Unit, Motor Equipment Unit;
  • (2) Annexed (centralized but not necessarily downtown): Property Management, Training, Vice;
  • (3) ecentralized Units/Services (precinct level), Non-police services (city, county, non-profit, private sector), Patrol (including crime prevention), Senior Volunteers, Police Interns, General Case Detectives, Property Management storage, Traffic services.

    For a discussion of the location/structure of the Neighborhood Patrol Unit, see the highlights on operations.

    *There is a dissenting report that proposes that the Major Case Unit should also be decentralized.

    **To this list, the Strategic Planning Workgroup Coordinators would add the Children’s Assessment Center.

    ***Note that Detectives made a special plea that PMU and Forensics both remain at headquarters downtown. They say that many times they need to show evidence to prosecutors on a moment’s notice. Reports from records are also needed quickly. Also want to be able to do composites onsite.

    NOTE: Patrol Unit Two also did a thorough listing. It also provided a listing of items that it would like to see in those decentralized facilities.

  • NUMBER of decentralized (substation-/precinct-level) facilities: Note that not all workgroups provided input on numbers:

  • Lieutenants’ Report - SIX - The Organizational Chart that shows six precincts/districts, along with a map that shows where they think the boundaries should fall. There is, however, no discussion of the rationale for recommending six sectors, nor does the report address issues of economy of scale, operational minimums and maximums, and costs.

  • Sergeants’ Report - FIVE - It appears that the sergeants prefer five precincts/districts, with a base of operations in each. While their boundaries differ from the Lieutenants’, there is some consistency.

  • Detectives - A FEW SUBS - "where the calls and numbers of people are high." NOTE: Recommends a separate building for Vice.

  • Communications - FIFTEEN - The workgroup lists boundaries and proposes using Fire Houses or leasing existing facilities.

  • Day Shift - TWO - They want a substation in the north side and one in the south.

  • Patrol Unit Two - SIX OR SEVEN - A facility should be centrally located in each.

  • Neighborhood Patrol Unit - THREE OR FOUR PRECINTS IN NORTH & THREE OR FOUR PRECINCTS IN SOUTH - With beats determined by natural boundaries.

  • Community Affairs Unit - MORE THAN FOUR (Probably 5 to 8)

  • Other City/Non-Profit/Private Sector Services To Decentralize

  • Advisory Committee
  • Put 61st District Court Traffic Violation Division in the police headquarters
  • In precincts, people should be able to pay traffic tickets and utility bills
  • Consider Youth Commonwealth

  • Communications · Fire, Streets, Housing, City Administration, City Attorney, Part. Also a counselor for referrals. (And move away from using the term Community Policing toward Community Resolution or Community Problem Solving to reflect this collaboration)

  • Community Affairs
  • City Clerk representative
  • Neighborhood Development Group (housing, property, zoning, code enforcement)
  • 61st District Court representative to handle paying tickets
  • Social Worker for domestic/juvenile support
  • Community Nurse
  • Parks & Rec representative

  • Strategic Planning Workgroup Coordinators
  • Enable citizens to pay traffic tickets and perhaps utility bills

  • Sergeants
  • Remember to include churches

  • SUGGESTIONS ON ISSUES/ITEMS/ACTIVITIES IN DECENTRALIZED FACILITIES

    Ideas followed by a (+) indicate that more than one workgroup made this basic suggestion

  • Many workgroups mention the importance of security for decentralized facilities, both in terms of the facility itself and parked cars

  • Motor pool remains a major concern – suggestions range from indoor facilities to carports, with suggestions on repair ranging from a centralized motor pool to allowing officers take-home cars and thereby making repairs their responsibility

  • Many workgroups talked about wanting covered parking for personal and department cars and bicycles

  • The Advisory Committee specifically recommended: (1) Locker rooms (+), (2) Weight/fitness rooms (+), (3) Interview/conference rooms (+)

  • Lieutenants: (1) Develop user-friendly precincts – better hours of operation, ease of parking and (2) Use precincts as service centers

  • Detectives: (1) Evidence lockers, (2) Computers to access records, (3) Interview rooms with sound and video

  • Office & Financial Assistants/Records Management/General Support Services: (1)Sex offender lists by geographic area, (2) Record checks, (3) Accident and police report viewing/copies, (4) Fingerprinting for reasons other than immigration, (5) Resource referral guide (updated regularly), (6) Translation services, (7) Residents can pay traffic and parking tickets, (8) Separate restrooms for public and for employees, with baby changing areas in both women’s and men’s restrooms, (9) Decent break rooms & kitchen facilities for employees, (10) Color-coded signage so that people know where to go, (11) Children’s area in lobby/waiting areas

  • Day Shift: (1)Code enforcement officer in each precinct

  • Patrol Unit Two: (1) Larger lockers, (2) Holding cells, particularly for juvenile arrests, (3) Transport vans (from holding cells to jail), (4) Computers with Internet access, (5) 24-hour front desk (for accidents, impounds), (6) Break room with small sleeping quarters, (7) Cruisers – cell phones, cameras, binoculars, PBTs, (8) Uniforms - no ties, mock turtlenecks in winter, cleaning service, (9) Precinct Newsletter to the community, (10) Information Line where people can call for information on crime and the community

  • Community Affairs: (1) Activity room/basketball court for neighborhood kids, (2) Proactive surveillance of problem individuals, (3) Proactive teams to cover areas and look for code violations

  • Strategic Planning Workgroup Coordinators: (1) Report Desk staffed by Interns

    NOTE: The Lieutenants suggested development of a special task force to facilitate the transition into new facilities. (They also suggested that there should be a contingency plan if decentralization does not occur.)

  • FINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE

    A number of the proposed changes have financial implications – new facilities, additional training, enhanced technology, upgraded and expanded equipment. Once the basic plan has been identified, it should be examined through this filter.

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