Now more than ever, the benefits of automated scheduling are increasingly convincing police departments to eliminate paper-based time and attendance tracking and instead allow software technology to accurately manage complex scheduling processes.

For police departments in particular, scheduling software can pose major advantages as police officers and public safety personnel often have much more sophisticated scheduling patterns than their counterparts in the private sector. With increasing numbers of overtime slots to fill, staffing requirements that must be met by specific skillsets, government regulations and compliance issues at hand, police scheduling is no easy task - however, it is one that can be greatly simplified and streamlined through automation, making for a much more efficient system.

Automated scheduling is the answer to effective and timely staffing within a police department. Public safety software automation saves time and resources, allowing for more productivity amongst officers while eliminating the errors often associated with manual paper-based scheduling. Automated scheduling provides real-time alerts through text and email when a job opportunity arises or a sudden change in the schedule occurs. Providing officers with access to their schedule through desktop or mobile devices gives them more control and freedom and allows them to instantly respond to job opportunities or changes. 

Accurate record keeping and reporting is a key benefit of an automated scheduling solution. Supervisors and key management personnel have immediate access to error-free and real-time reporting to include time record reports, time-off reports and
overtime valuation reports, to name a few.

For many departments, making the change from manual scheduling to automation can be daunting; as many remain reluctant to dive deeper into technology when manual services seem to work. The problem is…manual scheduling doesn’t work and doesn’t provide for an efficient and manageable means to staffing in today’s public safety environment. Today, more and more police departments are adopting technology to manage staffing requirements, track hours, create schedules, manage rotations and effectively handle overtime needs. With automated scheduling solutions, the added benefit is the time and resources saved as a result of its efficiency.

Regardless of agency size, automated solutions provide benefits to all. Large departments that rely on manual scheduling are at a huge disadvantage when it comes to change management as schedule adjustments can be time consuming, error prone and risky if proper compliance regulations are not followed. A smaller agency is often limited in terms of resources that are required to properly manage day-to-day staffing needs. An automated solution eliminates the need for additional staffing so that resources can be allocated to the protection of the citizens that the department rightfully serves.

Automated scheduling is a time tested and proven solution that effectively manages today’s public safety staffing needs. Begin your free trial of POSS today to discover our Police Officer Scheduling System, which is currently in use by hundreds of police departments throughout the U.S., and learn how it can have an immediate impact on your department’s ability to efficiently manage your workforce.