I. Restore Responsiveness
- patrol priority
- response capability
- staffing alignment
- call triage
- mission clarity
Refocus agency responsibilities on those tasks which most directly meet the public’s expectations of law enforcement and their services. Specifically, make the agency’s first priority the ability to effectively respond to calls for service as they occur.
Only when an agency can accomplish this one basic function should it begin expanding its provision of services (i.e., homeless outreach, mental health services, youth outreach, problem-oriented policing/special projects, proactive enforcement).
The highest budgetary and functional priorities of an agency should be line items that support this basic responsibility, including:
- Adequate staffing of officers
- Adequate support positions to delegate non-emergency calls for service (eg., parking enforcement, Police Investigative Services Officers or non-sworn equivalents, partnerships with private security through tax-based ventures, etc)
- Adequate equipment and technology
- Functional internal communication systems
Calls for service should be evaluated for necessity, priority, and the availability of community partnerships/other resources for response.
Re-evaluate existing agreements that incorporate response by peace officers to ensure it is necessary, reasonable, and desirable, especially in the age of de-escalation, etc.
- Medical-only calls
- Mental health services calls without danger to others
Resources
Expanding the talent pool: How civilian hiring is reshaping police recruitment and operations