Review the methods for "recapturing" officers' time for engaging in problem solving

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Many officers complain that they are going from call to call and have little time for anything else; therefore, the following four methods of time management can be used to overcome the problem of finding time for problem solving while still handling calls effectively:

1 . Allow units to perform problem-solving assignments as self-initiated activities. Here, a unit would contact the dispatcher and go out of service for a problem-solving assignment, being interrupted only for an emergency call in its beat area.
2 . Schedule one or two units to devote a predetermined part of their shift to problem solving. A supervisor might designate one or two units each day to devote the first half of their shift or even only one hour to problem solving. Their calls would be handled by other units so that they have an uninterrupted block of time for problems.
3 . Take more reports over the telephone. The average telephone report taker can process four times as many report calls per hour compared to a field unit.
4 . Review the department policy on assist units. In some departments, several units show up at the scene of a call even though they are not needed. This problem is particularly acute with alarm calls. A department should undergo a detailed study on the types of calls for which assist units are actually appearing, with the aim of reducing the number of assists and discouraging officers from assisting other units unless it is necessary.