In your community, select two adjoining municipalities and undertake an exercise whereby these police departments are consolidated into one department. Give an overview of the demographics of each entity

Question

What are the major issues that you would have to contend with?

Answer 1

Main Points:
The response would first include a review of the two departments in terms of the community demographics (size, populations, major economic activities) and the current size and scope of each department (number of personnel, general budget, general overall view of physical plant assets, and organizational structure).
Once this is completed, then moving to a discussion of consolidation would include the following issues and questions:
1. Leadership – who is going to be the chief and what kind of entity would the new department report to (e.g. mayors of both governments, police commission).
2. Related to item 1, how will this new entity be funded? Would there be fiscal appropriations from both municipalities or would a special police district be created for tax and finance purposes?
3. In terms of "branding" how will this new department look in terms of uniforms, patches, and paint and lettering schemes on patrol vehicles?
4. For physical plant, to what extent will police stations or auxiliary offices be closed?
5. For personnel, would there be a need to keep all members of all ranks from both departments or would there be layoffs or reductions through retirements and holds placed on hiring new personnel or organizational restructuring?
6. Related to item 5, the same issues and questions would apply to non-sworn personnel especially communications and the plan to merge this function into one operation.
7. For funding, what would be the new salary structure? In most cases of consolidation, personnel generally move to the higher salary and benefit packages from one of the two departments.