Law enforcement operations have been heavily altered through the effects of COVID-19. Substitute methods of penalty have been applied to keep both civilians and front-line workers at a lower risk of contracting the coronavirus.
Quarantine regulations presented complications within departments nationwide as many officers did not return to duty after their temporary leave had ended. Due to a lack in personnel, strategic planning was necessary to rebuild new shift schedules. So, how will departments bounce back post COVID-19 changes? What changes will revert to original procedure and which will remain?
COVID-19 Policing Changes
Police departments and other counterparts reconfigured policing efforts with COVID-19 as the center of concern. New policies and modified procedures were temporarily put in place to equally benefit police officers and civilians against the invisible threat, COVID-19. Listed below are recommendations for pandemic policing, taken from non-profit organization, Center for American Progress:
- Reduce police stops and custodial arrests
- Prioritize responding to and preventing domestic violence
- Distribute and require personal protective equipment (PPE) to every officer on duty
- Limit amount of calls for service that officers physically respond to
By creating these short-term modifications, police departments were able to reimagine and restructure policing efforts. With protocols lasting several months, new methods of policing are being experimented. These experiences under updated methods of patrol are giving insight on what may be an ultramodern spin on traditional practices of policing.
What Changes Will Remain After COVID-19 Restrictions Are Lifted?
The future presents numerous questions in which most do not know the answer to. For police and other vital workers, this can create a disconnect in effective planning and safety. Consistency is a great way to ensure productivity and safety when other concerns are left uncertain. Creating an expectation within your department to uphold and abide by simple restrictions, such as wearing a face mask, can reassure the public and reduce the risk of contamination.
Adjustments made during the pandemic may be more effective than what was previously established. For instance, the use and reliance on technology has spiked within the law enforcement industry. The more jobs that can be assisted through technology, the less physical contact needed. However, when the pandemic truly subsides, technological resources that have been applied will mostly likely remain in use due to their efficiency.
Effective Alternatives for Performance Goals and Execution
With these unprecedented times, budgeting time and money are important to note. According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police’s (IACP) Best Practices Guide, personnel services take up approximately 85% of a department's total budget.
Particularly for smaller police agencies, managing yearly budgets is critical to ensure safety and security among civilians and staff. However, managing a squad within a smaller department through automated scheduling makes for easy, visible changes. Regardless of your department’s size, with automated scheduling, the entire workforce has access to viewing schedules with any device. This increases communication and understanding between staff and makes for a more cohesive change.
POSS automated scheduling system was specifically designed to handle the needs of law enforcement agencies of all sizes.
Here are just a few of the many services POSS provides:
- Time and attendance
- Staff Shortage Management
- Extra duty
- Overtime & PTO Management
- Shift trades/bidding
With POSS systems, department staff can input their availability, providing real-time access to staff members looking to switch shifts. They can do this by requesting through a supervisor who will then accept or deny the request. VCS Intelligent Workforce Management systems attain supported information which can effectively deny a request without going through a supervisor. This eliminates the need to micro-manage tasks, therefore, simplifying the work of a schedule supervisor.
Visual Computer Solutions offers police departments Jobs4Blue, a service that outsources extra duty jobs. Jobs4Blue views available extra-duty jobs instantly and administers them directly to your department. Distributing manpower is effortless with Jobs4Blue, knocking out a boring, lengthy and manual inhouse process by applying an easy and efficient system. Jobs4Blue takes full responsibility of interactions between police departments and outsourced contractors. Jobs4Blue finds available contractors in need of police supervision within and around your town, providing more opportunities for officers looking to work overtime.
Let Jobs4Blue Handle It:
- Coordinates daily extra duty job schedules
- Responds to contractor requests
- Handles emergency and non-emergency jobs
- Chases down collections from delinquent accounts
Download our Jobs4Blue Brochure to learn additional information about our service.
About VCS
VCS provides the public sector with ultramodern workforce management tools that better manage their most complex scheduling patterns and tedious business processes. Backed by 20 years of experience, VCS’ platform boasts industry-specific products and services, carefully crafted to make employee scheduling, time & attendance, human resources, and payroll easier for the entire workforce.
For more information, visit www.vcssoftware.com
