Operational Report
Police Department
Flint, Michigan
November 2014

475 K Street, NW Suite 702
Washington, DC 20001
www.cpsm.us 716-969-1360

Exclusive Provider of Public Safety Technical Services for

International City/County Management Association

 About the Association and the Company
International City/County Management Association (ICMA)
The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) is a 100-year-old, nonprofit
professional association of local government administrators and managers, with approximately
9,000 members located in 32 countries.
Since its inception in 1914, ICMA has been dedicated to assisting local governments in providing
services to its citizens in an efficient and effective manner. Its work spans all of the activities of local
government—parks, libraries, recreation, public works, economic development, code enforcement,
brownfields, public safety, etc.
ICMA advances the knowledge of local government best practices across a wide range of platforms
including publications, research, training, and technical assistance. ICMA’s work includes both
domestic and international activities in partnership with local, state, and federal governments as
well as private foundations. For example, it is involved in a major library research project funded by
the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation and it is providing community policing training in Panama
working with the U.S. State Department. It worked in Afghanistan assisting with building
wastewater treatment plants and has teams in Central America working with SOUTHCOM to
provide training in disaster relief.
The ICMA Center for Public Safety Management (ICMA/CPSM) is one of four centers within the
Information and Assistance Division of ICMA providing support to local governments in the areas of
police, fire, EMS, emergency management and homeland security. In addition to providing technical
assistance in these areas, it also represents local governments at the federal level and is involved in
numerous projects with the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. In
each of these Centers, ICMA has selected to partner with nationally recognized individuals or
companies to provide services that ICMA has previously provided directly. Doing so will provide a
higher level of services, greater flexibility and reduced costs in meeting members’ needs, as this
expands the services that ICMA can offer to local government. For example, the Center for
Performance Analytics is now working exclusively with SAS, one of the world’s leaders in data
management and analysis. And the Center for Management Strategies is now partnering with
nationally recognized experts and academics in local government management and finance.

Center for Public Safety Management LLC
The Center for Public Safety Management will be maintaining the same team of individuals
performing the same level of service that it has for the past seven years. The contracting entity will
be the “Center for Public Safety Management, LLC” (CPSM). This entity will be the exclusive
provider of public safety technical assistance for ICMA and will continue to provide training and
research for the association’s members and will represent ICMA in its dealings with the federal
government and other public safety professional associations.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 CPSM’s local government technical assistance experience includes workload and deployment
analysis, using our unique methodology and subject matter experts to examine department
organizational structure and culture, identify workload and staffing needs, and identify industry
best practices. We have conducted more than 200 public safety organizational studies in 32 states
and 120 communities ranging in size from Boone, Iowa, with a population of 8,000, to Indianapolis,
Ind., with a population of 800,000.
Thomas Wieczorek is the Director of the Center for Public Safety Management. Leonard Matarese
serves as the Director of Research & Program Development. Dr. Dov Chelst is the Director of
Quantitative Analysis.

Methodology
The Center for Public Safety Management team follows a standardized approach to conducting
analyses of police, fire, and other departments involved in providing public safety services to the
public. We have developed this standardized approach by combining the experience sets of dozens
of subject matter experts in the areas of police, fire, and EMS. Our collective team has more than one
hundred years of conducting research in these areas for cities in and beyond the United States.
The reports generated by the operations and data analysis team are based upon key performance
indicators that have been identified in standards and safety regulations and by special interest
groups such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), International Police
Association, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the International Associations of
Fire Fighters (IAFF), and the Association of Public Safety Communication Officials International,
and through the Center for Performance Measurement of ICMA. These performance measures have
developed following decades of research and are applicable in all communities. For that reason,
comparison of reports will reveal similar reporting formats, but each community’s data are
analyzed on an individual basis by the CPSM specialists and represent the unique information for
that community.
The CPSM public safety management team begins most projects by extracting calls for service and
raw data from a public safety agency’s computer-aided dispatch system. The data are sorted and
analyzed for comparison to nationally developed performance indicators. These performance
indicators (e.g., response times, workload by time, multiple-unit dispatching) are valuable
measures of agency performance regardless of departmental size. The findings are shown in tables
and graphs organized in a logistical format. Despite the size and complexity of the documents, a
consistent approach to structuring the findings allows for simple, clean reporting. The categories
for the performance indicators and the overall structure of the data and documents follow a
standard format, but the data and recommendations are unique to the organization under scrutiny.
The team conducts an operational review in conjunction with the data analysis. The performance
indicators serve as the basis for the operational review. The review process follows a standardized
approach comparable to that of national accreditation agencies. Prior to the arrival of an on-site
team, agencies are asked to provide the team with key operational documents (e.g., policies and

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 procedures, asset lists, etc.). The team visits each locality on-site to interview agency management
and supervisory personnel, rank-and-file officers, and local government staff.
The information collected during the site visits and through data analysis results in a set of
observations and recommendations that highlight strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats of the organizations and operations under review. To generate recommendations, the team
reviews operational documents; interviews key stakeholders and observes physical facilities; and
reviews relevant literature, statutes and regulations, industry standards, and other information
and/or materials specifically included in a project’s scope of work.
The standardized approach ensures that the Center for Public Safety Management measures and
observes all of the critical components of an agency, which in turn provides substance to
benchmark against localities with similar profiles. Although agencies may vary in size, priorities,
and challenges, there are basic commonalities that enable comparison. The approach also enables
the team to identify best practices and innovative approaches.
In general, the standardized approach adopts the principles of the scientific method: We ask
questions and request documentation upon project start up; confirm accuracy of information
received; deploy operations and data analysis teams to research each unique environment; perform
data modeling; share preliminary findings with the jurisdiction; assess inconsistencies reported by
client jurisdictions; follow up on areas of concern; and communicate our results in a formal, written
report.

Center for Public Safety Management Project Contributors
Thomas J. Wieczorek, Director
Leonard A. Matarese, Director, Research & Project Development
Dov N. Chelst, Senior Quantitative Analyst
Priscila Monachesi, Quantitative Analyst
Sarita Vasudevan, Quantitative Analyst
Paul O’Connell, Ph.D., Senior Associate
James E. McCabe, Ph.D., Senior Associate – Team Lead
Dennis Kouba, Senior Editor

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 Contents
About the Association and the Company ........................................................................................ii
International City/County Management Association (ICMA) ................................................................... ii
Center for Public Safety Management LLC ............................................................................................... ii
Methodology ............................................................................................................................................ iii
Center for Public Safety Management Project Contributors ................................................................... iv

Executive Summary......................................................................................................................... 1
Major Recommendations ......................................................................................................................... 2

Methodology................................................................................................................................... 5
Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................................. 5
Interviews.................................................................................................................................................. 5
Focus Groups............................................................................................................................................. 5
Document Review ..................................................................................................................................... 5
Operational/Administrative Observations ................................................................................................ 5

Background ..................................................................................................................................... 6
Flint Demographics ................................................................................................................................... 6
Uniform Crime Report/Crime Trends ....................................................................................................... 6
Comparisons/Benchmarks ...................................................................................................................... 10

Patrol Division ............................................................................................................................... 12
Patrol Deployment and Staffing .............................................................................................................. 14
Rule of 60 – Part 1 ............................................................................................................................... 15
Schedule and Staffing.......................................................................................................................... 16
Desk Officer ......................................................................................................................................... 19
Part-Time Officers ............................................................................................................................... 20
Michigan State Police .......................................................................................................................... 20
Rule of 60 – Part 2 ............................................................................................................................... 21
Demand ................................................................................................................................................... 28
CFS Efficiency ...................................................................................................................................... 33
Traffic ...................................................................................................................................................... 35
Neighborhood Safety Unit (NSU) ............................................................................................................ 37
Technology on Patrol .............................................................................................................................. 42

Criminal Investigations Bureau ..................................................................................................... 44
Detective Bureau..................................................................................................................................... 44
Case Screening .................................................................................................................................... 46

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 Investigative Teams............................................................................................................................. 47
Intelligence .......................................................................................................................................... 47
Special Operations Bureau ...................................................................................................................... 48

Administrative ............................................................................................................................... 51
Training ................................................................................................................................................... 51
Internal Affairs ........................................................................................................................................ 56
Records Management ............................................................................................................................. 60
Dispatch/Communications...................................................................................................................... 64
Police Facility........................................................................................................................................... 67
Property and Evidence ............................................................................................................................ 68
Strategic Planning and Performance Assessment .................................................................................. 71
Crime Analysis ......................................................................................................................................... 79
Miscellaneous ......................................................................................................................................... 80

Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 82

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 Tables
TABLE 1: 2012 UCR Crime Comparisons ....................................................................................................... 7
TABLE 2: Flint Police Department in Perspective........................................................................................ 11
TABLE 3: Current Patrol Shift Staffing ......................................................................................................... 16
TABLE 4: Appearance Rate for FPD Patrol Bureau ...................................................................................... 19
TABLE 5: Calls for Service ............................................................................................................................ 29
TABLE 6: FPD CFS Efficiency ........................................................................................................................ 34

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 Figures
FIGURE 1: Flint Crime Rates, 2003-2012 ....................................................................................................... 8
FIGURE 2: Flint vs. Statewide Overall Crime Rate, 2003-2012 ..................................................................... 9
FIGURE 3: Deployment and Main Workload, Weekdays, Summer ............................................................ 23
FIGURE 4: Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekdays, Summer................................................................. 23
FIGURE 5: Deployment and Main Workload, Weekends, Summer ............................................................ 24
FIGURE 6: Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekends, Summer ................................................................ 24
FIGURE 7: Deployment and Main Workload, Weekdays, Winter ............................................................... 25
FIGURE 8: Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekdays, Winter ................................................................... 25
FIGURE 9: Deployment and Main Workload, Weekends, Winter .............................................................. 26
FIGURE 10: Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekends, Winter................................................................. 26

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 Executive Summary
The Center for Public Safety Management, LLC, and (CPSM) was commissioned to review the
operations of the Flint Police Department (FPD). While our analysis covered all aspects of the
department’s operations, a particular focus of our study was on identifying the appropriate staffing
of the agency given its workload, community demographics, and crime levels.
We analyzed departmental workload using operations research methodology and compared that
workload to staffing and deployment levels. We reviewed other performance indicators, which
allowed us to understand the implications of service demand on current staffing. We reviewed the
department’s organizational design to determine if the many functions required of a modern police
agency are staffed appropriately.
Our study involved data collection, interviews with key police and administration personnel, on-site
observations of the job environment, data analysis, comparative analyses, and development of
alternatives and recommendations. The general recommendations appear below and are described
in detail throughout the report.
The Flint Police Department is under considerable operational stress and is facing a daunting task
of providing police services with limited resources in a high-crime environment. The department
needs to be given community support in reprioritizing service demands so it can use its available
resources in a way that provides the most efficient mix of personnel and equipment to bring to bear
on the problems in Flint.
The Flint Police Department is understaffed. Economic pressures facing the community resulted in
substantial reductions to sworn and civilian positions in the department over the years. During the
time of the site visit, there were 108 sworn officers assigned to the department. The focus of this
study was to determine the proper allocation and deployment of existing resources and not explore
the appropriate staffing for the department.
However, considering the service demands facing the FPD, a safe conclusion is that the department
does not have sufficient resources to these demands. Arguably, the FPD should have more than
double the number of sworn officers than currently assigned. For example, the report recommends
deploying detectives in teams of four (one homicide team and five investigative teams). Ideally,
there would be one team for each day of the week, plus the homicide team, plus a team exclusively
for property crime cases, plus the additional personnel assigned to specialty units outside the
department. A conservative estimate on the number of detectives necessary for the FPD under this
model would be approximately 40. The current allocation from the FPD (not counting assets
assigned by the Michigan State Police) is 12. A similar expansion of personnel could be made for
each operational, administrative, and support function of the department.

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 The department, with the assistance of Michigan State University and Etico Solutions, has made
tremendous strides managing demand and realigning resources. The conclusions and
recommendations in this report build upon this work and offer additional steps that might be taken
to improve operations. The recommendations in this report are in many ways radical, and
represent a substantial departure from conventional police management. They must be considered
by the community as a whole and viewed as a mechanism for making the most of available
resources.
This report contains hundreds of recommendations. Only the major ones are presented here in the
Executive Summary:

Major Recommendations
In order to alleviate the heavy demand on the patrol function in Flint, CPSM recommends that the
following be adopted:
1. Establish a public information advisory group consisting of three to five prominent
community leaders who would digest the recommendations in this report and work as a
liaison between the department and the community.
2. Establish more aggressive protocols for responding to service demands from the public. The
FPD and community stakeholders should meet and evaluate the necessity of responding to
certain categories of calls.
THE FLINT POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD CEASE AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO ANY
CALLS RECEIVED THROUGH 911 THAT ARE NOT REPORTS OF CRIMES IN PROGRESS OR
DO NOT INVOLVE IMMEDIATE AND CRITICAL LIFE-AND-DEATH EMERGENCIES. ALL
OTHER CALLS RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC AND WHICH ARE NOT IMMINENT
EMERGENCIES SHOULD BE DEFERRED FROM AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE REQUIREMENT
AND CALLERS SHOULD BE INSTRUCTED TO RESPOND TO THE POLICE FACITLITY IN
PERSON OR UTILIZE AN ALTERNATIVE FORM OF REPORTING THE INCIDENT, SUCH AS
“COPLOGIC.”
3. Reprioritize investigative case management so as to incorporate the following protocols:
a. Assign only violent interpersonal crimes for follow-up investigation.
b. Assign one sergeant investigator as administrative case coordinator to manage all other
cases forwarded to the Neighborhood Safety Unity (NSU) and patrol officers for followup. This position would also be responsible for supervising and coordinating the efforts
of the crime analysis and criminal intelligence investigator.
c. Create six teams of four investigators: One homicide team and five general case teams
(ideally, there should be seven general case teams, or one for each day of the week).
d. Assign one detective as the criminal intelligence investigator.
e. Eliminate the arson investigator position.

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 f.

Eliminate the cold case investigator position.

g. Eliminate the position assigned to G.A.I.N.
h. Through attrition, eliminate the sergeant designation for detective.
i.

Eliminate the position assigned to F.A.N.G.

j.

Refocus the enforcement priorities of the Special Operations Bureau

4. Create a Neighborhood Safety Unit (NSU) in order to improve crime prevention efforts and
foster community collaboration. The following organizational changes would support this
effort:
a. Staff the NSU with one sergeant, three police officers, and nine neighborhood safety
officers.
b. Reassign the officer assigned to crime stoppers from the Criminal Investigations Bureau
to the NSU. The crime stoppers officer should share and expand her duties and
responsibilities with the other two officers assigned to the unit.
c. Each Ward in Flint would be assigned a neighborhood safety officer, and a cluster of
three Wards would be overseen by one police officer, with the entire unit supervised by
the sergeant.
5. Equip a minimum of one marked patrol car with an automated external defibrillator (AED)
and an automatic license plate reader, and equip every car with e-ticket readers and
printers
6. Designate one lieutenant to serve as the professional standards officer (PSO) to coordinate
training, discipline, internal investigations, and administrative integrity.
7. Develop a robust in-service training program.
8. Reassign the sergeant from the Safe Streets Task Force to the PSO for investigative and
administrative support of this function.
9. Update or replace the current records management system (RMS); for a replacement,
consider the RMS available through the Michigan State Police.
10. Continue with the scheduled transfer of operations to the county dispatch system, and
ensure that the county dispatch supervisor attend the department’s staff and command
meetings to address any necessary operational or training issues that might arise.
11. Empanel a technology task force.
12. Act immediately to reduce the amount of property and evidence retained at the police
facility.
13. Establish and publish a clear multiyear strategic plan that includes specific performance
goals and objectives for all units.
14. Foster a greater collaboration and true partnership with the Michigan State Police to
coordinate that force’s planning efforts in an effective manner.

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 15. Identify and train additional civilian volunteers to provide effective administrative support.
16. Explore the appointment of part-time police officers to support the department’s patrol
operations.
CPSM thanks the city and police administrations of Flint for their assistance in completing this
project. The men and women of the Flint Police Department should be commended for their efforts
during a period of great hardship. In particular, CPSM commends Police Chief James Tolbert for his
enthusiasm and cooperation with CPSM regarding documentation requests and the overall project.

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 Methodology
Data Analysis
We used numerous sources of data to support our conclusions and recommendations for the Flint
Police Department. Information was obtained from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR)
Program, Part I offenses, along with numerous sources of FPD internal information. UCR Part I
crimes are defined as murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, and
larceny of a motor vehicle. Internal sources included data from the computer-aided dispatch (CAD)
system for information on calls for service (CFS).

Interviews
This study relied extensively on intensive interviews with FPD personnel. On-site and in-person
interviews were conducted with all division commanders regarding their operations. We
interviewed representatives of the operational, administrative, and staff positions to get an
understanding of the department and how it functions.

Focus Groups
A focus group is an unstructured group interview in which the moderator actively encourages
discussion among participants. Focus groups generally consist of eight to ten participants and are
used to explore issues that are difficult to define. Group discussion permits greater exploration of
topics. For the purposes of this study, focus groups were held with representatives of the
department.

Document Review
CPSM consultants were furnished with numerous reports and summary documents by the Flint
Police Department. Information on strategic plans, personnel staffing and deployment, evaluations,
training records, and performance statistics were provided.

Operational/Administrative Observations
Over the course of the evaluation period, numerous observations were conducted. These included
observations of general patrol, special enforcement, investigations, and administrative functions.
CPSM representatives engaged all facets of department operations from a “participant observation”
perspective.

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 Background
Policing involves a complex set of activities. Police officers are not simply crime fighters whose
responsibilities are to protect people’s safety and property and to enhance the public’s sense of
security. The police have myriad other basic responsibilities on a daily basis, including preserving
order in the community, guaranteeing the movement of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, protecting
and extending the rights of persons to speak and assemble freely, and providing assistance for
those who cannot assist themselves.
The Flint Police Department provides a full range of police services, including responding to
emergencies and calls for service, performing directed activities, and solving problems. The current
environment in Flint indicates that the police department struggles to provide the most
fundamental police services and is overwhelmed by the service demands and violence in the
community.

Flint Demographics
When determining the appropriateness of the deployed resources—both current and future—a key
factor for consideration is the demographics of the community.
Flint is the largest city and county seat in Genesee County. It lies along the Flint River and is
approximately 60 miles northwest of Detroit. Over the last several decades Flint has experienced
substantial deindustrialization and demographic changes. These changes have placed the city in an
extended period of economic crisis, which has had a substantial impact on police operations and
service delivery.
In 2013, Flint had an estimated 99,763 residents, which is a 2.6 percent decrease from the 2010
estimate of 102,434. The racial makeup of the city is estimated to be 37.4 percent white, 56.6
percent African-American, 1.0 percent Asian, 5.0 percent other, and 3.9 percent of the population
are reported as Hispanic.
The median household income in Flint is $26,339, which is about 46 percent lower than the median
household income statewide in Michigan. Similarly, on average between the years 2008-2012, 39.7
percent of the Flint population was below the federal poverty level, a percentage that is much
higher than the statewide rate of 16.3 percent.

Uniform Crime Report/Crime Trends
As defined by the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, the seven major Part I offenses are
used to measure the extent, fluctuation, and distribution of serious crime in a defined geographic
area. Part I crimes are the seven most serious offenses in two categories (violent and property

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 crime). Serious violent crime is defined as murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Serious
property crime is defined as burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft.
As can be seen in Table 1, in 2012 Flint reported a UCR Part I violent crime rate of 2,774 violent
crimes per 100,000 residents. For UCR Part 1 property crimes in the same year, the rate in Flint was
5,554 property crimes per 100,000 residents. The violent crime rate in Flint is more than six times
higher than the state rate and more than seven times higher than the national rate. The rate of
property crime is more than double the state rate and nearly double the national rate.

TABLE 1: 20121 UCR Crime Comparisons
Agency
U.S.
Michigan

Population
313,914,040
9,883,360

Violent Crime Rate*
387
455

Property Crime Rate*
2,859
2,531

Warren
Sterling Heights
Ann Arbor
Lansing
Flint
Dearborn
Clinton Township
Livonia
Westland

Population Comparison
134,340
715
129,974
232
115,008
227
114,688
1,078
101,632
2,774
97,215
322
97,001
291
96,028
146
83,299
338

2,819
1,983
2,370
3,291
5,554
3,376
2,299
2,212
2,893

Detroit
Pontiac2
Saginaw

Secure Cities Partnership Jurisdictions
707,096
2,123
59,887
1,897
51,267
2,362

5,792
3,478
3,442

Note: * = per 100,000.

We compared Flint’s crime rate to other communities in Michigan. To do this, we took information
from the FBI UCR Program on Crime in the United States and compared Flint with other jurisdictions
of similar populations. For this analysis Warren, Sterling Heights, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Dearborn,
Clinton Township, Livonia, and Westland were used. In addition, Flint was compared to the other
three cities in Michigan’s “Secure Cities Partnership” being assisted by the Michigan State Police.
For this comparison, Detroit, Pontiac, and Saginaw were used. It should be noted that the
demographics of these communities encompass a wide range and the analysis is not intended to

At the time of this report only 2012 UCR data were available on comparison jurisdictions.
The Pontiac Police Department ceased operation in 2011. Data reported for Pontiac were from 2010, the last
year the department reported data to the FBI.
1
2

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 compare Flint with Warren or Detroit, for example. It is meant as an illustration of communities in
Michigan and how they compare with respect to rates of crime.
Examination of the comparisons presented in Table 1 shows that Flint has the highest violent crime
rate of any community reported and has the second highest property crime rate after Detroit.
Over the past ten years, the rate of crime in Flint has fluctuated and is currently on the rise. Figure 1
shows the rates of both violent and property crime between 2003 and 2012. During this time Flint
experienced a persistently high property crime rate, and a violent crime rate that spiked in 2006,
then dropped for about three years, and rose again. Figure 2 compares the overall crime rate in
Flint with the statewide rate over the last decade. According to this Figure, the overall crime rate in
Michigan remained relatively stable and the rate in Flint was persistently high and subject to spikes
over the time period. Based on the information about crime rates, it can be concluded that Flint is a
relatively high-crime community and the FPD needs to take steps to combat this situation more
aggressively.

FIGURE 1: Flint Crime Rates, 2003-2012
Flint, MI Crime Rate
2003-2102
8000

3000

7000

2500

6000
2000

5000
4000

1500

3000

1000

2000
500

1000
0

0
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Property Crime Rate

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Violent Crime Rate

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 FIGURE 2: Flint vs. Statewide Overall Crime Rate, 2003-2012
Overall Crime Rate Flint v. Michigan
2003-2012
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Michigan Crime Rate

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Flint Crime Rate

It should be noted that the data used here are from 2012. This was the latest year available from the
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program that reports crimes for all of the comparable jurisdictions.
While the crime rate in Flint is still high, current year-to-date statistics for 2014 indicate that crime
has been reduced almost 10 percent this year, with an almost 40 percent reduction in homicides
from 2013. While crime is still high in Flint, the trend is a decrease from high points in 2006 and
2011.
In addition to the crime rate comparisons, it is also interesting to compare Flint with the other
communities in the “Secure Cities Partnership” program with regards to police officer resources.
CPSM does not use population-to-staffing ratios to determine department size and cautions an
overly narrow interpretation of these data, but in this context the size of the department compared
to its population is a useful illustration. According to the FBI UCR, Detroit PD had a population of
707,096 and 2,570 sworn officers in 2012, or 363 officers per 100,000 population. Saginaw had a
population of 51,267 and 80 sworn officers in 2012, or 156 officers per 100,000 population. And
Pontiac, before it disbanded, had a population of 59,887 with 50 officers, or 83 officers per 100,000
population. Flint, in the same reporting period, had a population of 101,632, with 119 sworn
officers, or 117 officers per 100,000 population. Since these data were reported there have been
substantial reductions in sworn headcounts in all communities. Flint, with its current headcount of
108 officers, now stands at approximately 109 officers per 100,000 population. This analysis
indicates that the Flint Police Department is substantially under-resourced, even compared with
other communities in the Secure Cities Partnership program. Pontiac disbanded its department, but
Saginaw had approximately 33 percent more sworn officers per population than Flint, and Detroit
had more than three times more officers. These data underscore the challenges present in Flint. The
department is facing a very high crime rate with a limited amount of personnel resources. The
Michigan State Police are providing much-needed and timely support for Flint, but resources are

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 still stressed and laboring under the burden of providing general police services and combatting
crime.
Our report now turns to the various elements of the FPD and an assessment of those elements in
context with prevailing industry standards and best practices.

Comparisons/Benchmarks
In order to put the FPD into perspective on a wider scale, it is important to compare it with police
department benchmarks. In a 2011 study, IBM looked at several financial, organizational, and
demographic variables to assess the relative efficiency of local governments. The resulting report,
Smarter, Faster, Cheaper, presents data from the 100 largest U. S. cities in various regions.3 In
addition, the Overland Park, Kansas, Police Department conducts an annual survey of 26 small- to
medium-sized police departments each year on, among other measures, the same measures
reported in the IBM report. This Overland Park report, entitled “Benchmark Cities Survey,”4 is also
useful for comparative evaluation. Furthermore, the Bureau of Justice Statistics publishes periodic
reports on the administrative and managerial characteristics of police departments in the United
States.5 Keeping in mind that each community has characteristics that govern the style and size of
its police department, these characteristics and comparisons can help assess the relative
performance of the FPD.
These documents are useful in benchmarking the FPD on several key variables, including per-capita
spending on police services, spending per crime, number of sworn personnel per crime, overtime
expense, and sworn officers per capita (see Table 2).
According to the city of Flint adopted budget for the fiscal year 2014-2015, the community plans to
spend approximately $19.67 million on police services. On average, this equals $197 per capita on
police services, which is much lower than the average of $323 per capita presented in the IBM
report and lower than the $217 per capita presented in the Benchmark Cities Survey. Flint’s 2012
crime rate of 8,328 serious crimes per 100,000 residents is higher than the average crime rate of
5,000 crimes per 100,000 among the cities in the IBM report and is more than double the average
crime rate reported in the Benchmark Cities Survey. Also, the FPD plans to spend approximately
$950,000 on overtime expenses in FY2014-15 out of a budget of approximately $8 million in wages
and salaries. This indicates overtime is approximately 11.8 percent of total wages. This overtimeto-wage ratio is higher than the benchmark on police overtime expenses from the IBM report and
higher than the Benchmark Cities Survey. Lastly, the FPD authorized strength is 120 sworn officers,
or 120 officers per 100,000, which is lower than the average of 190 officers per 100,000 residents

David Edwards, Smarter, Faster, Cheaper: An Operational Efficiency Benchmarking Study of 100 US Cities
(Somers, NY: IBM, 2011), available at
http://icma.org/en/icma/knowledge_network/documents/kn/Document/303182/Smarter_Faster_Cheaper.
4 http://www.opkansas.org/maps-and-stats/benchmark-cities-survey/
5 Bureau of Justice Statistics, Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics (2007).
3

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 10

 from the IBM study, and also lower than the 144 officers per 100,000 residents from the
Benchmark Cities Survey.

TABLE 2: Flint Police Department in Perspective

Benchmark Area
Per capita police spending
Crime rate
Overtime
Officers per capita

FPD
$197
8,328
11.8%
120

IBM
Benchmark
$323
5,000
5%
190

Vs. IBM
Benchmark
LOWER
HIGHER
HIGHER
LOWER

Benchmark
City Survey
$217
3,277
3.8%
144

Vs.
Benchmark
City Survey
LOWER
HIGHER
HIGHER
LOWER

Overall, the FPD earns low marks for financial benchmarks. The cost of operations appears lower in
some areas and higher in others. This is related to many factors that will be discussed in the body of
the report. In brief, the department has fewer officers per capita, and has a mixed experience with
regards to comparison reports on spending per capita and overtime, with higher levels of crime.
The key to operational efficiency, however, is not found exclusively in financial austerity. The size
and style of a police department and the types of services that it provides are a reflection of the
character and demands of that community. The challenge is to determine how many police officers
are necessary to meet that demand, and how to deploy those personnel in an effective and efficient
manner. The analysis that follows is an attempt to build upon this discussion and answer the “how
many” and “how to deploy” questions that are the essence of police operational and personnel
resource decisions.
Our report now turns to the various elements of the FPD and an assessment of those elements in
context with prevailing industry standards and best practices.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 11

 Patrol Division
The FPD provides the community with a full range of police services, including responding to
emergencies and calls for service (CFS), performing directed activities, and solving problems. Due
to financial constraints, the FPD patrol bureau has come under considerable stress in the last
decade. Faced with reduced resources and high service demands, the patrol bureau has struggled to
maintain service levels.
Responding to emergency calls for service through 911 is one of the foundations of police patrol
across the country. In addition to this responsibility, officers on patrol should also be engaged in
proactive enforcement such as directed patrols, traffic enforcement, etc., as well as community
problem-solving and community policing activities. Police patrol operations are essentially a
balance between these competing functions; a well-managed and properly deployed operation
features the right mix of these activities. The reality in Flint is that the extremely high workload,
combined with the staffing shortage, has created an imbalance in patrol operations, and has
rendered patrol almost entirely one-dimensional. The current operational state of the FPD patrol
bureau is essentially reactive and officers have little opportunity to engage in the other equally
important roles of police uniformed patrol.
In March 2010, a resource allocation study of the Flint Police Department was conducted by Etico
Solutions, in conjunction with the Michigan State University School of Criminal Justice, Training and
Technical Support Team. The initial study covered not only the Patrol Division, but also
Investigations, Records, and Telecommunications. The results of the initial study were released in
February 2011, along with a number of recommendations for improvement.
The initial report found the officers on patrol were spending approximately 57.4 minutes out of
every hour on reactive activities, leaving an average of 2.6 minutes per hour for proactive policing.
With so little proactive time per hour, the data suggested that officers were spending an estimated
49.9 minutes of their time outside of their assigned beats handling cross-beat dispatched calls.
Conversations with officers and general observations made at the police department during the
time of the initial study provided face-to-face validity to the estimations derived from the data.
The initial study by Etico/MSU called for a three-year plan to reduce the reactive patrol time from
57.4 minutes to a targeted goal of 45 minutes. In order to achieve this goal, numerous
recommendations were made. Patrol shifts were changed to 12-hour shifts in an attempt to
increase the number of officers on patrol. Specialized units were reduced, and in certain cases
dismantled, in order to reallocate more officers to patrol. Alternative call handling procedures were
implemented to reduce the demand on patrol officers. Dispatchers were given greater authority to
screen out calls, or take reports directly. Shift commanders were given the authority to
“administratively close” calls for service from the public that did not require a police response. And
an alternative form of police reporting through a tool known as “CopLogic” was implemented to
allow members of the community to report certain incidents online. All of these recommendations
were sound and embraced by the department. The recommendations were also effective and

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 12

 reduced the reactive time from 57.4 minutes per hour in 2010 to approximately 45 minutes per
hour in August 2014 when Etico/MSU once again evaluated patrol resource allocation.
The collaboration between the FPD and Etico/MSU is extremely valuable and has resulted in
important and necessary improvements in operations in the department. All parties involved in this
effort should be commended for their dedication and commitment to the department and the
community. The product of this effort reflects the realities of police patrol operations. There must
be a balance between reactive and proactive work. A patrol function that is overly reactive is
ineffective. Excessive or unnecessary calls for service from the public contribute to the reactive
responsibilities shouldered by patrol officers, and these calls should be minimized to the greatest
extent possible. Time must be available for officers to engage in proactive patrol. In order to achieve
this balance a department needs to minimize the reactive calls either through alternative reporting
mechanisms, needs to increase the number of officers available on patrol to handle the workload,
and needs to configure the staffing schedules in order to align the supply of personnel with the
demand for service. All of these things have been undertaken by the FPD, and with the expert
advice and counsel of Etico/MSU, there has been a logical and reasonable implementation of each
one of these elements to reduce reactive time more than 20 percent in four years.
According to the latest report issued by Etico/MSU, the amount of reactive time in Flint has been
reduced to an average of 45 minutes per hour. This is a significant improvement over the 57.4
minutes on average per hour when their work began. At 45 minutes per hour, 75 percent of patrol
time is committed to workload. This is a very high number, and higher than the appropriate level
that would indicate a balanced, and therefore effective, patrol function. The study rightly recognizes
the improvements made in Flint, and the need to continue these improvements that seek an equal
balance between reactive and proactive time for officers on patrol. CPSM concurs with this goal and
contends that a 50/50 split between reactive and proactive time is an appropriate goal. Getting
there, however, will require a radical departure from conventional patrol philosophies, and will
involve many difficult decisions on the part of the Flint community.
The work over the last four years has brought tremendous improvements. But the “low hanging
fruit” has been picked, and even more difficult decisions are needed. The analysis by CPSM seeks to
build upon the work already accomplished and present the operational realities in a different
perspective. This different perspective, along with the presentation of recommendations to
redesign patrol operations, has the potential to allow the FPD to get closer to the 50/50
reactive/proactive distribution of officer time and put the patrol bureau on better footing to
address the crime and disorder conditions present in the community.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 13

 Patrol Deployment and Staffing
Uniformed patrol is considered the “backbone” of American policing. Bureau of Justice Statistics
indicate that more than 95 percent of police departments in the U.S. in the same size category as the
FPD provide uniformed patrol. Officers assigned to this important function are the most visible
members of the department and command the largest share of resources committed by the
department. Proper allocation of these resources is critical in order to have officers available to
respond to calls for service and provide law enforcement services to the public.
Although some police administrators suggest that there are national standards for the number of
officers per thousand residents that a department should employ, that is not the case. The
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) states that ready-made, universally applicable
patrol staffing standards do not exist. Furthermore, ratios such as officers-per-thousand population
are inappropriate to use as the basis for staffing decisions.
According to Public Management magazine, “A key resource is discretionary patrol time, or the time
available for officers to make self-initiated stops, advise a victim in how to prevent the next crime,
or call property owners, neighbors, or local agencies to report problems or request assistance.
Understanding discretionary time, and how it is used, is vital. Yet most police departments do not
compile such data effectively. To be sure, this is not easy to do and, in some departments may
require improvements in management information systems.”6
Essentially, “discretionary time” on patrol is the amount of time available each day where officers
are not committed to handling CFS and workload demands from the public. It is “discretionary” and
intended to be used at the discretion of the officer to address problems in the community and be
available in the event of emergencies. When there is no discretionary time, officers are entirely
committed to service demands, do not get the chance to address other community problems that do
not arise through 911, and are not available in times of serious emergency. The lack of
discretionary time indicates a department is understaffed. Conversely, when there is too much
discretionary time officers are idle. This is an indication that the department is overstaffed.
Staffing decisions, particularly for patrol, must be based on actual workload. Once the actual
workload is determined the amount of discretionary time is determined and then staffing decisions
can be made consistent with the department’s policing philosophy and the community’s ability to
fund it. With this in mind it is necessary to look at workload to understand the impact of this style
of policing in the context of community demand.
To understand actual workload (the time required to complete certain activities) it is critical to
review total reported events within the context of how the events originated, such as through
directed patrol, administrative tasks, officer-initiated activities, and citizen-initiated activities.

John Campbell, Joseph Brann, and David Williams, “Officer-per-Thousand Formulas and Other Policy Myths,”
Public Management 86 (March 2004): 2227.
6

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 14

 Doing this analysis allows identification of activities that are really “calls” from those activities that
are some other event.
Understanding the difference between the various types of police department events and the
staffing implications is critical to determining deployment needs. This portion of the study looks at
the total deployed hours of the police department with a comparison to the time being spent to
currently provide services.
As discussed above, from an organizational standpoint, it is important to have uniformed patrol
resources available at all times of the day to deal with issues such as proactive enforcement and
community policing. Patrol is generally the most visible and most available resource in policing and
the ability to harness this resource is critical for successful operations.
From an officer’s standpoint, once a certain level of CFS activity is reached, the officer’s focus shifts
to a CFS-based reactionary mode. Once a threshold is reached, the patrol officer’s mindset begins to
shift from one that looks for ways to deal with crime and quality-of-life conditions in the
community to one that continually prepares for the next call. After saturation, officers cease
proactive policing and engage in a reactionary style of policing. The outlook becomes “Why act
proactively when my actions are only going to be interrupted by a call?” Any uncommitted time is
spent waiting for the next call. Sixty percent of time spent responding to calls for service is believed
to be the saturation threshold.
The goal is to create a balance between the reactive and proactive capacity of the police
department. Structuring the department with enough officers to handle CFS demands AND conduct
proactive patrol and both proactive and reactive investigations, is in the best interests of the
community. Overemphasis on one approach over the other leads to an inefficient deployment of
resources and minimizes the department’s ability to address service demands, crime, disorder, and
other community concerns. In order to explore the balance between these competing goals, CPSM
employs the “Rule of 60.” This is a two-part benchmark that consists of balancing the allocation and
deployment of sworn officers in the department. Part one of this rule pertains to allocation, and
part two of this rule pertains to deployment.

Rule of 60 – Part 1
According to the FPD Organizational Chart at the time of the CPSM site visit (September 18, 2014),
patrol in the FPD is staffed by four lieutenants, 12 sergeants, and 50 police officers assigned to a
CFS response capacity. These 66 of the 108 sworn officers represent 61.1 percent of the sworn
officers in the FPD.
According to these statistics, the FPD does adhere to the first component of the “Rule of 60,” that is,
an appropriate number of sworn personal are allocated to patrol operations. The FPD is
appropriately invested in patrol operations. The benchmark in this area is not a “hard-and-fast” one
that demands strict interpretation. In smaller departments, patrol operations consume a greater
percentage of the overall personnel allocation, thus percentages greater than 60 are expected. At
61.1 percent, however, the FPD appears to have a balanced allocation of sworn personnel.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 15

 The balance struck in the allocation of sworn personnel between the patrol bureau and the rest of
the organization is remarkable and the department should be commended in this regard. CPSM is
not suggesting that 108 sworn officers is the appropriate size for the FPD, nor are we suggesting
that 66 sworn officers is the appropriate complement for patrol staffing. However, it is important to
point out that the agency, once staffed with more than 300 sworn officers, has been reduced by
over two-thirds and the personnel allocation has been maintained at the right balance. Other
departments in similar situations generally do not maintain this balance, and this results in
operational inefficiencies. This also indicates that the restructuring in Flint has been accomplished
with deliberate analysis and has resulted in an appropriately structured organization, given the
level of resources.

Schedule and Staffing
The Patrol Bureau has 4 squads, known as Day Shift A, Day Shift B, Night Shift A, and Night Shift B.
In a two-week pay period (beginning on Sunday and ending on the second Saturday) each squad
will work seven 12-hour shifts, with the exception of the lieutenants and sergeants who work one
8-hour shift per pay period for a total of 80 hours. The officers do not have an 8-hour shift and work
a total of 84 hours (all paid at straight time rate).
The squad lieutenant and sergeants (currently three sergeants per squad) work 0530 hours to
1730 hours on the day squads and 1730 hours to 0530 hours on the night squads. The officers on
each squad are split between two start times. Day squad start times for officers are 0600 hours and
0700 hours. Night squad start times for officers are 1800 hours and 1900 hours. The number of
personnel assigned to each day and night shift is roughly equivalent. Officers and supervisors work
steady hours and have a rotation of days on/off that occur in a pattern that provides every other
weekend off for the officers working it. Known as the “Pittman” schedule (named after Pittman, N.J.,
where the schedule is thought to originate), officers work two shifts on, two off, three on, two off,
two on, and three off.
Each shift is commanded by a lieutenant and has three sergeants assigned as patrol supervisors.
The staffing of the patrol shifts at the time of the site visit is shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3: Current Patrol Shift Staffing
Shift
1A
1B
2A
2B

Hours
0500x1700
0600x1800
0500x1700
0600x1800
1700x0500
1800x0600
1700x0500
1800x0600
TOTAL

Lt.

Sgt.

P.O.

1

3

12

1

3

13

1

3

13

1

3

12

3

12

50

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 16

 The available literature on shift length provides no definitive conclusions on an appropriate shift
length. A recent study published by the Police Foundation examined 8-hour, 10-hour, and 12-hour
shifts and found positive and negative characteristics associated with all three options.7 CPSM
contends that the length of the shift is secondary to the application of that shift to meet service
demands.
The 10-hour shift poses advantages and disadvantages to both 8- and 12-hour shifts. On the
positive side, research indicates that officers working 10-hour shifts enjoy more and better sleep,
and have greater alertness on duty. From an operational perspective, implementing a 10-hour shift
can have advantages, but also serious disadvantages if designed the wrong way. Because 10 is not a
factor of 24, there will always be a surplus of officer-hours when a 10-hour shift is deployed. The
key to efficiency is leveraging these surplus hours in a way that meets demand. Simply adding two
hours to an eight-hour day is the worst possible outcome and is extremely wasteful. Ten-hour shifts
are most efficient when four start times are used, and the start and end times are staggered, thus
staffing more officers when the demand is highest and fewer officers when the demand for services
wanes. In general, this involves two pairs of 10-hour shifts that work in conjunction with one
another. The product is two 20-hour blocks of time that can be rotated to meet service demands.
On the negative side, an inherent flaw in the 10-hour rotation, even the one that best maximizes
resources, is a fracture in the unity of command and span of control of officers and supervisors.
Unless there are a large number of officers and supervisors available to staff 10-hour shifts, there
will always be a dilution in the unity of command. In other words, supervisors and officers will not
work together every day, and officers will be supervised by different supervisors as dictated by the
rotation of the schedule. Additionally, 10-hour shifts generally require a sizeable complement of
officers on patrol to support operations. With only 50 officers, it does not seem likely that a
schedule made of 10-hour shifts can be constructed for the FPD.
The 12-hour shift also poses advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, the 12-hour shift
requires fewer work appearances for officers and supervisors. Presumably, fewer appearances
translates into a higher quality of life away from work. From an operational perspective, the 12hour shift results in a greater percentage of officers working on any given day, thus more officers to
deploy toward crime, traffic, disorder, and community issues at any one time. This shift also affords
a tight unity of command with supervisors and officers working together each shift. This promotes
better supervision and better esprit de corps among employees.
On the negative side, a 12-hour shift configuration with four equally staffed squads results in a
constant and fixed level of patrol staffing throughout the day. Service demands vary, peaking in the
evening hours and waning in the early morning hours. With a constant supply of personnel and a
variable demand for their services there will be a continual surplus and shortage of resources. Also,
with a four-squad configuration a “silo” effect is often created. The natural rotation of this shift
configuration creates four separate squads that do not interact often, this creating personnel “silos.”
Similarly, it is difficult to communicate between the “silos” and between the squads and the
Karen L. Amendola, et al, The Shift Length Experiment: What We Know about 8-, 10-, and 12-hour Shifts in
Policing (Washington, DC: Police Foundation, 2012).
7

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 17

 executive management of the department. Fortunately, the FPD is aware of the potential
breakdown in communication that can occur and has taken steps to foster communication between
and with patrol squads.
In its totality, however, the patrol shift schedule in the FPD is efficient, with four 12-hour shifts
there are essentially 25 percent of available personnel resources available at all times. As the size of
the patrol bureau shrunk, it appeared necessary to equalize the distribution of resources. This
equalization appears sound and, within the context of the overwhelming workload demand,
appropriate. In other words, supplying a fixed amount of personnel resources throughout the day
might seem, on face value, inefficient. Demand for police services from the public typically ebbs
during the overnight hours, begins to increase in the morning, and peaks around 2200 hours. In
Flint, however, the workload demands are very high throughout the 24-hour period of the day,
rendering moot the need to provide varying levels of personnel. The FPD patrol bureau is under
considerable duress all day and there is no need to stagger the working shifts of officers on patrol.
More officers are needed throughout the day (or workload demands reduced).
The recent patrol resource allocation report prepared by Etico/MSU recommends the addition of a
“power” shift. The “power” shift would be created by reassigning officers from the conventional day
and night shifts to other patrol shifts that would work during the times of greatest workload
demand. The power shift would consist of four additional shifts of officers with varying personnel
levels (either one sergeant and four officers, or one sergeant and three officers, depending on the
shift), and scheduled to work 12-hour shifts starting at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., and following the
“Pittman” rotation like the existing day and night shifts. Under ordinary circumstances, adding a
“power” shift as indicated here would greatly improve operational efficiency. The times between
11:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. are times of peak demand when officers are needed the most. However,
given the acute shortage of personnel assigned to patrol in Flint, pulling officers away from their
current assignments might pose a greater risk than the benefit of improved efficiency. Caution
should be exercised in this area and while the addition of a power shift makes sense operationally,
it should be put in abeyance until staffing levels can be increased to ensure sufficient patrol officer
coverage at all times during the day.
One area where improvements can be made with regards to patrol staffing is the appearance rate of
officers. The figures in Table 4 reflect the number of officers assigned to each patrol shift. This table
shows that the FPD patrol bureau assigns 18.5 sworn officers each shift to patrol duties. The reality
of police staffing is that there is a difference between the number of officers assigned to work and
the number of officers who actually appear for work. Oftentimes, officers are called away from their
normal duties for training, court appearances, or personal leave time (sick, vacation, etc.). On a
typical shift it is common that 25 percent or more of the officers assigned will be unavailable for
patrol because of another competing responsibility.8 One way to improve the department’s ability
to provide adequate staffing to meet workload demands is to critically examine the appearance rate
of officers assigned to patrol.
The Police Executive Research Forum recognizes 75 percent as the appropriate factor for determining
patrol availability staffing.
8

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 18

 Essentially, making the patrol bureau more efficient so as to match workload demands with
personnel supply requires three approaches: (1) reducing demand, (2) altering shift schedules to
better match demand and supply, and (3) ensuring as many officers as possible appear for work
when they are assigned. Table 4 illustrates the appearance rate for the FPD patrol bureau for the
four time periods used in our analysis.

TABLE 4: Appearance Rate for FPD Patrol Bureau
Period
Winter Weekdays
Winter Weekends
Summer Weekdays
Summer Weekends

Number of Officers
Assigned9
18.5
18.5
18.5
18.5

Number of Officers
Appeared10
9.4
9.0
8.4
7.9

Appearance Rate
50.8%
48.6%
45.4%
42.7%

Based upon the data in the table, the appearance rate in the FPD for officers on patrol ranges from
42.7 percent to 50.8 percent. This means, for example, that on the average summer weekend 7.9 out
of 18.5 officers appear for work. Almost 58 percent of the assigned personnel did not appear for
one reason or another. CPSM did not drill down into the reasons behind the rate; however, the rates
reported appear low. Undoubtedly, patrol work in Flint is challenging and produces considerable
stress on officers working in the patrol bureau. It is understandable that work-avoidance would
occur to a greater extent in Flint because of the high workload and high level of violence. However,
the department should look very closely at these data and implement management protocols to
minimize the nonappearances to the greatest extent possible. Currently, the department adjusted
the number of officers permitted leave on any shift. At the time of the site visit, the policy of
allowing one supervisor and three officers off each shift was modified to permitting one supervisor
and two officers off each shift. This is a step in the right direction and the department should be
commended for taking such measures. It is also recommended that appearance rate be a central
topic for command staff meetings and that these data be tracked to maximize officer appearance.

Desk Officer
FPD department policy requires a minimum of two supervisors be assigned to each patrol shift. In
Table 3 we saw that one lieutenant and three sergeants are assigned to each shift; only one of these
individuals is permitted time off on any given day. In general, the department has little difficulty
maintaining the two-supervisor minimum. The department seeks to have at least one supervisor on
patrol and one supervisor in the headquarters facility on each shift. The lieutenant and sergeants
are given flexibility on which person is assigned to which position, but the result is that at least one
supervisor (sergeant or lieutenant) is assigned inside the police facility at all times. Therefore,
The number of officers assigned was calculated using the average number of lieutenants, sergeants, and
officers assigned to the Flint patrol bureau based on the organization chart available during the times under
observation.
10 The number of officers appearing is the average number of officers from the patrol bureau actually
deployed for assignment during the periods under observation as reported in the data analysis section in
Appendix A and Figures D-2, D-4, D-6, and D-8.
9

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 19

 members of the Flint community can walk into the police facility 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-aweek, and be greeted by a sworn police supervisor. CPSM recommends that this policy be revisited
and the assignment of any sworn supervisors inside the police facility should be discontinued.
Due to financial constraints, police departments across the country are limiting access to
administrative services provided at their facilities. The notion of unfettered 24-hour access to
police services should be challenged, and constraints put on the availability of these services.
Access to police services inside the police facility should be restricted to normal business hours
(Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or similar days/hours). The lobby of the FPD
headquarters is a secure location and visitors are not permitted past secured doors without
approval. A phone has been placed in the lobby for visitors to call the lock-up facility to inquire
about offenders lodged therein. A similar phone can be placed in the lobby with a direct connection
to the 911 communications center. Community members can access administrative services during
normal business hours. If they respond to the facility to report a true emergency, a call can be
placed through 911 to request a police response.
With the police facility closed for routine public inquires during nonbusiness hours, the desk officer
can be reassigned to patrol operations. The additional supervisor on patrol could provide muchneeded support and supervision for officers as well as an additional resource to engage in proactive
patrol.

Part-Time Officers
Currently, the department is contemplating hiring 20 part-time officers to supplement the full-time
sworn officers on patrol. CPSM fully endorses this initiative and strongly supports adding additional
resources to patrol and other operational facets in the organization. It is recommended that the
part-time officers be deployed during the times of peak demand and be used to support patrol
operations. Adding them during the hours envisioned for the “power” shift mentioned above would
provide much-needed relief to the overwhelmed officers on patrol. Part-time personnel could be
directed toward handling CFS and thereby giving full-time officers an opportunity to engage in
proactive enforcement.

Michigan State Police
Since March 2012, a Michigan State Police detachment has been deployed in Flint under the
Michigan Secure Cities Partnership. Under this initiative the MSP detachment provides support to
local law enforcement and coordinates teams of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers to
direct patrols and provide investigative resources. In Flint, the MSP assigns six sergeants and thirtyeight troopers to proactive patrol. The mission of these forty-four sworn officers is to perform
directed patrol in crime hot-spots and enforce the law aggressively. The locations for these patrols
are driven by timely intelligence analysis under a D.D.A.C.T.S. approach to crime reduction.11 The

DDACTS refers to “Data Driven Approach to Crime and Traffic Safety.” It was developed by the University of
Maryland as a means of addressing both crime-prone locations and traffic problems in a community.
Offenders often use vehicles as a means to commit crime and the integrated approach in DDACTS is thought
11

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 20

 performance of the MSP in Flint has been outstanding and the force is providing a much-needed
service to the community.
The MSP detachment in Flint is divided into teams that work the same 12-hour shifts and “Pittman”
schedule as the FPD officers. During the day shift two teams of four to six troopers are assigned
each day. During the night shift four teams of six or more troopers are assigned each day. The
troopers do not handle CFS from 911, but do provide back-up for FPD officers assigned to serious
calls. The main priority is to provide proactive enforcement in targeted areas.
The level of activity of the MSP troopers assigned to Flint is impressive. According to the most
current figures available in 2014 (January 1 to September 14), the MSP detachment in Flint has
conducted 10,836 car stops, made 492 felony and 792 misdemeanor arrests, satisfied over 3,000
felony and misdemeanor fugitive warrants, and seized 79 firearms. This level of activity is
undoubtedly contributing to the reduction in crime in the city, and providing an added measure of
safety for the community.

Rule of 60 – Part 2
The second part of the “Rule of 60” examines workload and discretionary time and suggests that no
more than 60 percent of time should be committed to calls for service. In other words, CPSM
suggests that no more than 60 percent of available patrol officer time be spent responding to the
service demands of the community. The remaining 40 percent of the time is the “discretionary
time” for officers to be available to address community problems and be available for serious
emergencies. This Rule of 60 for patrol deployment does not mean the remaining 40 percent of time
is downtime or break time. It is simply a reflection of the point at which patrol officer time is
“saturated” by CFS.
This ratio of dedicated time compared to discretionary time is referred to as the “Saturation Index”
(SI). It is CPSM’s contention that patrol staffing is optimally deployed when the SI is in the 60
percent range. An SI greater than 60 percent indicates that the patrol manpower is largely reactive,
and overburdened with CFS and workload demands. An SI of somewhat less than 60 percent
indicates that patrol manpower is optimally staffed. SI levels much lower than 60 percent, however,
indicate patrol resources that are underutilized, and signals an opportunity for a reduction in patrol
resources or reallocation of police personnel.
The goal of a 50/50 split between reactive and proactive time would be consistent with this
benchmark. We contend that after levels of workload saturation greater than 60 percent, proactive
patrol ceases, or is largely diminished. Striking a 50/50 balance throughout the day would position
patrol operations in Flint comfortably below the 60 percent threshold.
Departments must be cautious in interpreting the SI too narrowly. For example, one should not
conclude that SI can never exceed 60 percent at any time during the day, or that in any given hour
no more than 60 percent of any officer’s time be committed to CFS. The SI at 60 percent is intended
to be an effective approach at combatting both simultaneously and thereby leveraging the visible presence of
uniformed officers on patrol.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 21

 to be a benchmark to evaluate overall service demands on patrol staffing. When SI levels exceed 60
percent for substantial periods of a given shift, or at isolated and specific times during the day, then
decisions should be made to reallocate or realign personnel to reduce the SI to levels below 60.
Lastly, this is not a hard-and-fast rule, but a benchmark to be used in evaluating staffing decisions.
Figures 3 through 10 represent workload, staffing, and the “saturation” of patrol resources in the
FPD during the two seasons on which we focused. By “saturation” we mean the amount of time
officers spend on patrol handling service demands from the community. In other words, how much
of the day is “saturated” with workload demands. This “saturation” is the comparison of workload
to available manpower over the course of an average day during the months selected.
The figures represent the manpower and demand during weekdays and weekends during the
months of August 2013 and February 2014. The Flint Police Department’s main patrol force
includes regular patrol officers, sergeants, and lieutenants. Additional units include traffic officers,
Kettering University officers, and officers assigned to a downtown beat. Examination of these
figures permits exploration of the second part of the Rule of 60. Again, the Rule of 60 examines the
relationship between total work and total patrol, and to comply with this rule, total work should be
less than 60 percent of total patrol.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 22

 FIGURE 3: Deployment and Main Workload, Weekdays, Summer
14
12

Personnel

10
8
6
4
2
0
Hour

1

3

5

7

9

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

Added patrol
Patrol
Out-of-service work
Police-initiated work
Other-initiated work

FIGURE 4: Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekdays, Summer
100

Percentage

80

60

40

20

0

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

Hour

Workload vs. Deployment – Weekdays – Summer
Avg. Workload:
Avg. % Deployed (SI):
Peak SI:
Peak SI Time:

7.3 officers per hour
67 percent
110 percent
6:15 a.m.

Figures 3 and 4 present the patrol workload demands and SI for weekdays in summer 2013. As the
figures indicate, the SI is consistently high throughout the day. The workload from CFS initiated by
the public is lowest around 7:00 a.m. and increases through the morning until around 11:00 a.m.
and it remains high until about 1:00 a.m., when it makes a steady decline.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 23

 Total workload demands on the other hand, are very high throughout the day. Demand peaks at
6:15 a.m. at 110 percent, which indicates on average during the summer there are no units
available on patrol at this time to provide police services.
The SI averages 67 percent. It spikes in the early morning, but remains at a high level, and above the
desired threshold, just about the entire day. The SI ranges from a low of approximately 45 percent
at 10:00 a.m. to a high of 110 percent at 6:15 a.m.

FIGURE 5: Deployment and Main Workload, Weekends, Summer
14
12

Personnel

10
8
6
4
2
0
Hour

1

3

5

7

9

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

Added patrol
Patrol
Out-of-service work
Police-initiated work
Other-initiated work

FIGURE 6: Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekends, Summer

100

Percentage

80

60

40

20

0

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

Hour

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 24

 Workload v. Deployment – Weekends – Summer
Avg. Workload:
Avg. % Deployed (SI):
Peak SI:
Peak SI Time:

7.1 officers per hour
69 percent
103 percent
6:30 a.m.

Figures 5 and 6 present the patrol workload demands and SI for weekends in summer 2013. As
the figures indicate, the SI exceeds the 60 percent threshold for most of the day. The SI ranges from
a low of approximately 45 percent at various times between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., and a high of
103 percent at 6:30 a.m., with a daily average of 69 percent.

FIGURE 7: Deployment and Main Workload, Weekdays, Winter
14
12

Personnel

10
8
6
4
2
0
Hour

1

3

5

7

9

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

Added patrol
Patrol
Out-of-service work
Police-initiated work
Other-initiated work

FIGURE 8: Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekdays, Winter
100

Percentage

80

60

40

20

0

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

Hour

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 25

 Workload v. Deployment – Weekdays – Winter
Avg. Workload:
Avg. % Deployed (SI):
Peak SI:
Peak SI Time:

7.0 officers per hour
65 percent
96 percent
6:00 p.m.

Figures 7 and 8 present the patrol workload demands and SI for weekdays in winter 2014. Again,
as the figures indicate, the SI exceeds the 60 percent threshold for most of the day. The SI ranges
from a low of approximately 38 percent between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., to a high of 96 percent at
6:00 p.m., with a daily average of 65 percent.

FIGURE 9: Deployment and Main Workload, Weekends, Winter
14
12

Personnel

10
8
6
4
2
0
Hour

1

3

5

7

9

11

13

15

17

19

21

23

Added patrol
Patrol
Out-of-service work
Police-initiated work
Other-initiated work

FIGURE 10: Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekends, Winter

Percentage

100

75

50

25

0

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

Hour

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 26

 Workload v. Deployment – Weekends – Winter
Avg. Workload:
Avg. % Deployed (SI):
Peak SI:
Peak SI Time:

6.6 officers per hour
68 percent
115 percent
6:15 a.m.

Figures 9 and 10 present the patrol workload demands and SI for weekends in winter 2104. Again,
the workload exceeds the 60 percent threshold almost all day. The SI ranges from a low of
approximately 45 percent at 9:45 a.m. to a high of 115 percent at 6:15 a.m., with a daily average of
68 percent.
Several observations can be made based on these figures:


Examination of the SI indicates that the FPD experiences an average SI of 68 percent over
the four periods. In other words, 68 percent of officers’ time, or approximately 40.8 minutes
of every hour, is committed to calls for service. This figure is slightly lower than the 44.5
minute average reported by the Etico/MSU study in August 2014. Considering the different
methodologies and the different reporting periods, the 3.7 minute or 6.2 percent difference
between the two studies does not appear problematic. The close approximations of
committed time by both studies indicate a greater validity to the overall conclusion that the
FPD patrol function is too reactive in nature.



An average SI of 68 percent is very high. It is the highest average daily SI observed by CSPM
in nearly 100 studies of police operations. Additional measures need to be implemented to
push this average below the 60 percent threshold, and even further to a 50 percent
threshold. At lower levels, FPD patrol operations can emerge from the burden of reactive
CFS, redeploy officers toward proactive enforcement, and leverage these resources to
reduce crime and disorder in the community.



The figures indicate a very large amount of out-of-service time. This administrative time is
particularly acute around the times when shifts change at 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Undoubtedly, officers take themselves off patrol in order to prepare reports and otherwise
finalize all of the duties and responsibilities associated with handling CFS during their shift.



Anecdotal information obtained during the study indicated that after day shift roll call there
are “always” CFS pending for the incoming patrol officers. This is illustrated in the figures
by the pronounced drop-offs and spikes of workload between 5:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. and
again between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. It is clear that as shifts come to an end officers cease
taking calls for service as they complete reports and look to end the shift. Workload spikes
after the start of the shift because CFS are pending and officers are addressing the backlog
of calls. Outside of these “artificial” gullies in the workload figure, demand for police
services is high throughout the day. This has important implications for shift configuration
(start and end times, and staffing levels). Ordinarily, peaks and valleys of workload demand
are best addressed by configuring the availability of officers to meet this demand efficiently.
It appears, however, that in Flint more resources are needed throughout the day and

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 27

 configuring shifts differently would not produce the desired results. This underscores the
appropriateness of the change to 12-hour shifts. Ordinarily, providing a fixed level of
personnel throughout the day would not be efficient because it does not account for
variable workload demands. In Flint there are variations in demand, but the workload is
still almost always greater than the patrol bureau’s ability to keep pace and provide that
essential balance of reactive and proactive time.


Police-initiated workload as indicated by the red area on the figures is very low in
comparison to other-initiated activity. This is an illustration of the overly reactive nature of
the patrol bureau and is one of the lowest levels of police-initiated work of any department
studied by CPSM.

Demand
It was reported to the CPSM team that no call is considered too minor to warrant a response and no
case is too small to warrant an investigation. The result of this policing philosophy is the delivery of
comprehensive policing services to the Flint community. This approach is not without costs,
however. Considerable resources are needed to maintain the “small-town” approach. The patrol
division must be staffed with enough officers to respond to virtually every call placed to the FPD.
When examining options for the department’s direction, the city and the department face the
choices of a) continuing to police the community in a full-service mode, or b) taking steps to
restructure demand and still promote order and safety. That is, the department must decide
whether to sustain its comprehensive level of police service or take the steps necessary to manage
public demand. Essentially, this is a political decision regarding the quantity of police services
offered to the Flint community. But quality doesn’t need to suffer. The recommendations offered
regarding operations, if implemented, will permit the FPD to continue its full-service model of
policing yet run the agency more efficiently.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 28

 TABLE 5: Calls for Service

Category
Accidents
Alarm
Animal calls
Assist other agency
Check / investigation
Crime–persons
Crime–property
Disturbance
Miscellaneous
Suspicious person /
vehicle
Traffic enforcement
Total

Calls
129
38
17
37
554
160
209
398
875
83
3,445
5,945

Police-initiated
Units per
Call
Minutes
1.5
67.3
1.4
18.4
1.3
49.9
1.2
32.4
1.2
47.4
1.7
66.4
1.8
64.3
1.5
62.6
1.2
34.7
1.6
1.2
1.3

42.3
34.2
40.1

Calls
3,296
5,030
540
562
4,179
10,617
3,479
8,986
136
2,855
1,621
41,301

Other-initiated
Units per
Call
Minutes
1.4
73.7
1.5
22.4
1.3
33.2
1.6
48.1
1.4
37.7
1.6
52.6
1.4
51.6
1.5
33.4
1.7
54.8
1.4
1.2
1.5

27.2
30.3
41.9

Note: We removed 61 calls with inaccurate busy times.

Table 5 presents the main categories of calls for service received from the public that the FPD
handled during the period July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014. In total, FPD officers were dispatched to
more than 47,000 calls during that 12-month period, or more than 129 calls per day.
To evaluate the workload demands placed on the FPD, it is useful to examine the number of CFS
received from the public in relation to the population size. As noted, the FPD handles about 47,246
calls per year. With a population estimated to be approximately 100,000, this translates to about
472 CFS per 1,000 residents. While there is no accepted standard ratio between calls for service
and population, CPSM studies of other communities show a CFS-to-population ratio ranging
between 400 and 1,000 CFS per 1,000 persons per year. Lower ratios typically suggest a wellmanaged approach to CFS. The value of 472 CFS/per thousand/year would suggest an aggressive
policy for accepting CFS. In other words, there is a strong filter between the CFS made by the public
and a response by an FPD officer. A well-managed dispatch system would include a system where
CFS are screened and nuisance calls eliminated before they are dispatched. With a ratio of 472, it
would appear that a screening system is used by call takers and dispatchers.
However, closer examination of the call categories indicate a very low level of police-initiated CFS.
With 5,945 CFS, or 12.6 percent, of all CFS initiated by FPD officers, this indicates a very reactive
approach by officers on patrol. Most notably is the low level of police-initiated traffic enforcement,
and police-initiated investigations. During the study period, FPD officers conducted approximately
3,500 traffic enforcement CFS, or less than 10 per day. This is the lowest level of police-initiated
activity in this area seen by CPSM. Similarly, FPD officers conducted less than 600 police-initiated

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 29

 investigations in the entire year, or less than two per day. This is undoubtedly a function of the very
high workload demands placed on patrol officers through other-initiated CFS.
Certain types of calls do not necessarily require the response of a sworn police officer. For example,
at motor vehicle accidents involving only property damage, the police role is largely administrative:
preparing and filing reports. Similarly, industry experience also tells us that greater than 98 percent
of all burglar alarms are false alarms. Also, the indiscriminate assignment of police officers to
nuisance calls does nothing more than appease a caller who does not have a police emergency in
the first place. The bottom line here is that a substantial number of CFS dispatches to officers in the
FPD could be eliminated.
The alarm industry is a strong advocate of developing ordinances and procedures to address police
response to false alarms and will work closely with any agency exploring this issue. The 98 percent
of alarm calls that are false are caused by user error, and this can be addressed by alarm
management programs. During the study period the FPD responded to more than 5,000 alarm calls,
or 12.2 percent of all other-initiated CFS. The response to the overwhelming majority of these calls
is undoubtedly unnecessary, and an inefficient use of police resources. An aggressive alarm
reduction program should be considered immediately. For example, a double-call verification
protocol is becoming the norm across the country. Under such a program an alarm CFS is verified
by the 911 dispatcher with the alarm company before an officer is dispatched to respond. Also, the
city should consider adopting an aggressive alarm reduction ordinance. Communities around the
country have adopted fair and balanced ordinances that reduce unnecessary alarms and make
patrol operations more efficient. Sound implementation and management of these programs has
also proved to be cost-neutral, with fees raised from fines sufficient to pay for the administrative
expenses of running the program.
The Prescott Police Department in Prescott, Ariz., is an example of where an alarm reduction
program has been implemented effectively. In September 2013, the Prescott city council approved a
PPD-proposed amendment to the alarm ordinance that requires the registration of alarms, a fee
schedule for repeated false alarms, and an administrative apparatus to manage the process. This
change was implemented by the PPD and is in force today. If an officer is dispatched to respond to
an alarm and it is discovered that the alarm is unnecessary, the homeowner/business is informed
of the false alarm and the consequences of future alarms. Upon the third (and successive) false
alarm in a “rolling” 12-month period, the homeowner/business is assessed a $100 fee. In addition,
anecdotal accounts indicate the alarm companies are active partners with the PPD in encouraging
clients to register their alarms and helping them manage their systems better to prevent false
alarms from occurring in the first place. The fees collected pay for the program, reduce the number
of false alarms, and eliminate the need for officers to respond to unnecessary CFS.
Alarm reduction needs to be addressed aggressively in Flint. Adopting an alarm callback program
has the potential to reduce calls for service by more than 5,000 calls, or roughly 12 percent of all
CFS that come from the public.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 30

 Automobile accidents are another category for which the response by a sworn officer is
questionable. Most accidents involve only property damage to vehicles and the role of an officer is
simply report preparation. When injuries occur or vehicles are inoperable and blocking traffic,
however, police response is important. Proper training of dispatchers and inquiries by dispatchers
during the initial call-taking process can easily triage vehicle accident calls to determine which ones
require a police response. Dispatching police officers to all vehicle crashes is not recommended.
Examination of Table 5 indicates that 8 percent of public CFS handled during the study period were
traffic accidents. Arguably, most of these calls were administrative in nature and did not necessarily
warrant the response of a sworn police officer.
Table 5 also indicates that FPD officers handled 8,986 “disturbance” calls. Close examination of the
types of CFS in this category indicates that almost 7,000 of “disturbance” CFS are labeled
disturbance, miscellaneous disturbance, and neighbor trouble. Without other factors present, these
types of calls are not police emergencies (other types include fights, and shots fired, which are
legitimate emergency calls). This category of CFS is generally used to label calls that are not
criminal in nature and have a limited relationship to police responsibilities. This category
essentially becomes a catch basin for calls that are dispatched to patrol units, but that are not
police-related.
Combined, three categories of CFS (3,296 auto accidents, 5,030 burglar alarms, 8,986 disturbance)
amount to 42 percent of the other-initiated CFS in the study period. These categories of CFS must be
examined carefully. Reducing, even eliminating, the need to respond to these types of CFS would
significantly free up time for officers on patrol to conduct proactive enforcement.

Recommendations:
In order to alleviate the heavy demand on the patrol function in Flint, CPSM recommends that one
of the following policies be adopted:


The FPD and community stakeholders should meet and evaluate the necessity of
responding to calls in the categories identified above. The department must reduce the
workload demands on the patrol function. It is entirely reactive and not contributing to
crime reduction and community safety. It is recommended that support and approval be
given to eliminate the FPD responsibility of responding to nonemergency calls. Under this
policy only CFS that are actual emergencies should receive an immediate police response.
THE FLINT POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD CEASE AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO ANY
CALLS RECEIVED THROUGH 911 THAT ARE NOT REPORTS OF CRIMES IN PROGRESS OR
OTHER IMMEDIATE AND CRITICAL LIFE-AND-DEATH EMERGENCIES. ALL OTHER CALLS
RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLIC THAT ARE NOT IMMINENT EMERGENCIES SHOULD BE
DEFERRED FROM AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE REQUIREMENT AND CALLERS SHOULD BE
INSTRUCTED TO RESPOND TO THE POLICE FACITLITY IN PERSON OR UTILIZE AN
ALTERNATIVE FORM OF REPORTING THE INCIDENTS, SUCH AS THROUGH “COPLOGIC.”

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 31

 Examination of the CFS data indicate that the FPD assigns a wide variety of calls to Priority
1 and Priority 2 categories. According to the CPSM data analysis the FPD has 80 call
categories identified as Priority 1, Priority 2, or Priority 3. In general, Priority 1 calls are the
most serious and mandate an immediate police response. Priority 2 calls are emergencies,
but less serious, and priority 3 are nonserious CFS. According to the CPSM data analysis, the
FPD classifies 36 categories of calls as Priority 1, and responded to more than 27,000 of
these types of calls during the study period. There are 31 categories of CFS classified as
Priority 2, with 12,147 CFS assigned. There are 13 categories classified as Priority 3, with
5,780 CFS. In the FPD, the number of calls within each priority level are the inverse of what
would be expected for CFS priorities. In general, Priority 1 CFS are serious and less
frequent, and vice versa as the priority levels decrease in seriousness. The FPD should
revisit the classification of calls designated as Priority 1. In collaboration with the
community, a distilled list of Priority 1 CFS classifications should be developed and ONLY
these CFS would be assigned an immediate police response. CFS in this category should
include crimes in progress, serious injury and accident cases, critical incidents, domestic
violence, and past reports of serious violent interpersonal crimes.
Currently, the policy with regards to nonemergency requests for police service, such as
response to a property damage only vehicle accident, are dispatched if patrol units are
available. This creates unnecessary confusion for dispatchers and also ties up police
officers’ time handling nonemergency assignments. Under this recommendation ALL
nonemergency CFS, as determined by the community, would not receive a police response
from the FPD whether patrol units were available or not.


If the above policy is not viable, then it is recommended that a “Deferred Response District”
(DRD) be created and deployed along with the conventional patrol district assignments
currently in effect. The DRD would be a one-officer car deployed in addition to the regular
district cars, and would receive all nonemergency calls reported through 911. Under this
program if a member of the public calls 911 with a nonemergency incident, the CFS will be
placed in a deferred assignment log. Calls in this log would be held and assigned periodically
to the DRD. Officers in this assignment could contact the complainant and explain there will
be a delay, resolve the incident without a response, attempt to take the report over the
phone, or request them to report the incident using one of the alternative forms already in
use.
The FPD currently deploys officers under Operation “Inside-Out.” This program requires
officers in nonenforcement roles to be reassigned one day each week to enforcement. The
department uses these officers to conduct special operations in the community. Currently
there are sixteen officers designated for this operation. Instead of conducting special
enforcement operations, the officers could take turns being assigned to the DRD. Deploying
the DRD on two shifts (7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.) seven days each
week would require fourteen officers to participate. Again, they would be responsible for
handling all of the nonemergency calls reported through 911. This would alleviate a

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 32

 substantial amount of unnecessary work placed on FPD patrol units and free them up to be
proactive and be able to respond to crime and serious emergencies promptly.
The bottom line is that the patrol units in Flint are overwhelmed with the workload demands from
the public and unable to provide timely emergency services or address crime, disorder, traffic, or
other conditions in the community. The status quo is untenable and a radical departure from
current operations is necessary. Nuisance calls and nonemergency calls must be drastically reduced
or entirely eliminated from a response requirement.

CFS Efficiency
Further examination of various elements of the CFS and patrol response data also warrants
discussion. Data from various tables and charts in the data analysis section of this report provide a
wealth of information about demand, workload, and deployment in Flint. Four key pieces of
information need to be highlighted to demonstrate the effective use of patrol resources in Flint.
These three statistics are found in the data analysis section under Figure D2, Events per Day, by
Category; Table D-5, Primary Unit’s Average Occupied Time; Table D-6, Number of Responding
Units; and Table D-14, Average Response Time Components. Taken together these statistics provide
an excellent lens through which to view the efficiency of patrol operations. Table 6 provides an
overview of these data:

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 33

 TABLE 6: FPD CFS Efficiency

Variable Description
Population
Officers per 100,000 Population
Patrol Percent
Index Crime Rate, per 100,000
VCR (Violent crime rate, per 100,000)
PCR (Property crime rate, per 100,000)
CFS Rate
Avg. Service Time Police CFS
Avg. Service Time Public CFS
Avg. # of Responding Units Police CFS
Avg. # of Responding Units Public CFS
Total Service Time Police CFS (officer min.)
Total Service Time Public CFS (officer-min.)
Workload Percent Weekdays Winter
Workload Percent Weekends Winter
Workload Percent Weekdays Summer
Workload Percent Weekends Summer
Out-of-Service Percentage
Average Response Time Winter
Average Response Time Summer
High-Priority Response Time

Mean
67,745.7
201.2
66.1
3,235.1
349.3
2,885.9
1,004.8
17.7
28.7
1.2
1.6
22.1
48.0
26.6
28.4
28.7
31.8
14.5
11.0
11.2
5.0

Minimum
5,417.0
35.3
32.4
405.0
12.5
379.7
2.2
8.1
16.0
1.0
1.2
9.7
23.6
5.0
4.0
6.0
5.0
8.9
3.1
2.4
3.2

Maximum
83,3024.0
465.1
96.8
9,418.8
2,774
8,111.6
6,894.2
47.3
42.9
1.6
2.2
75.7
84.0
65.0
68.0
67.0
69.0
44.1
28.7
33.3
21.9

Flint
99,763
120
8,328
2,774
5,554
472
40.1
41.9
1.3
1.5
52.1
62.9
65.0
68.0
67.0
69.0
NA
28.7
33.3
21.9

Flint vs.
CPSM
Comps
LOWER
HIGHER
HIGHER
HIGHEST
HIGHER
LOWER
HIGHER
HIGHER
HIGHER
LOWER
HIGHER
HIGHER
HIGHEST
HIGHEST
HIGHEST
HIGHEST
HIGHEST
HIGHEST
HIGHEST

According to the data in Table D-5, FPD patrol units on average take 41.9 minutes to handle a call
for service from the public. This figure is higher than the benchmark time of about 30 minutes for a
CFS, based on our experience. Also, the FPD, according to Table D-6, dispatches 1.5 officers per CFS.
The number of officers dispatched (like occupied time) varies by category of call, but is lower in the
FPD than policing norms of about 1.6 officers per CFS. In other words, the FPD uses fewer officers
to handle a CFS, and it takes more time than the average police response of similar size agencies.12
Similarly, according to Table D-14, response time for CFS in Flint averages around 30 minutes per
call. This is about three-times longer than the average department studied by CPSM. Also, the FPD
reports a response time to “high-priority” CFS of almost 22 minutes. It appears that these very high
response times are a function of an understaffed patrol bureau. Without enough resources, or with
resources deployed to unnecessary work, it simply takes more time to respond and process calls for
12

CPSM benchmarks are derived from data analyses of police agencies similar to the FPD.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 34

 service from the community. A more aggressive management of the demand for service will
undoubtedly free up officers on patrol and allow them to more respond promptly to true
emergencies and provide a better overall level of service to the community.
Taken together, our analysis of occupied time, number of officers per call, and response time shows
an extremely stressed patrol function in Flint. Service times are high, response times are high,
workload is very high, fewer than two officers are being assigned to critical CFS (crimes and alarms
for example), and there is a very large number of CFS that could be considered outside the
responsibility of the police.

Traffic
Traffic safety is one of the most important functions of a police department and complaints about
traffic are usually the complaints most often heard from members of the community. However,
given the scope, breadth, and severity of the workload demands placed on other operational
elements in the FPD, it is recommended that the Traffic Safety Unit be disbanded.
The current unit is staffed with one sergeant and two officers who work 8-hour shifts Monday
through Friday. One officer is assigned primarily to “hit and run” investigations and other
administrative functions related to traffic. One officer is assigned to coordinate the activities of the
Neighborhood Safety Officers, as well as providing administrative and operational support to the
unit. Although the officers assigned to this unit provide valuable services to the department, it is
our contention that there are more pressing needs in the department and these resources would be
better used elsewhere. A combination of organizational changes could be made to broaden the
mission of this unit and transform it from being focused on traffic to a unit more focused on
neighborhoods. All administrative functions currently performed by this unit could be distributed
among the existing administrative units, and all operational activities shifted to either the patrol
shifts or to the newly created Neighborhood Safety Unit (recommended below). It is also
recommended that the traffic sergeant inventory every task currently performed by the unit and
confer with the patrol bureau commander to identify the appropriate unit or person in the
department most suitable for performing that task after the unit is disbanded.
In lieu of a dedicated traffic unit, the patrol bureau should take primary responsibility for traffic
safety in Flint and the development of a traffic safety plan. The FPD should consider taking a
strategic approach to traffic safety. Adopting a strategic approach requires engaging the entire
department in this effort to make the overall traffic safety plan of the FPD more effective. The goal
of traffic enforcement is to reduce the incidents of traffic accidents, reduce traffic injuries, and
improve the movement of traffic. The goal should not be to issue tickets and make arrests. It is not
necessary to establish a distinct unit to implement traffic safety programs; however, one person
must be responsible for coordinating this effort and establishing the plan and the priorities for the
officers to work on.

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 In order to reduce traffic accidents it is necessary to determine when, where, and why they are
happening, and then use enforcement to specifically address the causes of accidents at critical
locations. In addition to enforcement, the FPD must focus on education programs targeting at-risk
drivers. Furthermore, the FPD must support engineering efforts to analyze problem locations to
determine if roadway characteristics are contributing to accidents and/or if different or new
signage might be necessary. Collectively, these efforts are known as the three “E’s” of traffic safety.
They work best via a coordinated approach that is undertaken through deliberate strategic
planning.
The enforcement efforts of the patrol officers must be focused on the times, places, and offenses
that are the greatest contributors to traffic accidents, injuries, and traffic congestion. These efforts
can then be tracked and the traffic incidents monitored to determine if these efforts are working.
Efforts can then be readjusted (or not) based upon results (an increase or decrease in accidents).
Accountability is another essential component this process. Someone in the FPD needs to be
accountable for two major parts of the traffic reduction plan: 1) ensuring that enforcement efforts
are directed properly (the right level of enforcement aimed at the right offenses, times, and
locations), and 2) ensuring that the other two E’s (engineering and education) are being addressed.
The FPD must work with the traffic department to inspect and evaluate problematic intersections.
Additionally, public education campaigns targeting at-risk drivers need to be designed and
implemented, and someone must be the “quarterback” of these efforts.
Again, the product of this strategic planning process is a written plan. In this case it would be a
“Traffic Reduction Plan” that incorporates a thorough analysis of the problem, a coordinated plan
involving the three “E’s,” identification of a coordinator, and a prescribed method of follow-up and
periodic review to ensure the plan is working. In light of reduced resources in the FPD, this
approach ensures that the efforts of the officers are targeted on problems and not left to chance.
Under this approach, it is recommended that the patrol bureau commander would become
responsible for the overall traffic safety plan of the FPD. In addition, the designated traffic officers
embedded in each patrol shift should be the primary officers responsible for implementing the
traffic safety plan. Freed up from excessive and unnecessary calls for service, the traffic officers on
each shift could use their proactive time toward traffic enforcement, the coordination of education
programs, and identifying engineering alternative at problematic intersections and roads. Instead
of a fixed assignment to a unit, officers could share the responsibility of traffic enforcement on a
day-to-day basis as conditions dictate. Armed with the right traffic intelligence, officers could be
directed each shift to focus enforcement efforts at problematic locations and report their activity to
the patrol bureau commander. Furthermore, the juvenile bureau officers could be instrumental in
delivering traffic safety education to students in the high school and middle school, as well as their
parents.

Recommendations:


Develop a traffic safety strategy integrating the three Es of traffic safety.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 36

 

Assign officers on patrol to act as traffic safety officers as needed.



Affix responsibility and accountability with execution of the traffic safety strategy with the
patrol bureau commander.

Neighborhood Safety Unit (NSU)
Currently, the FPD has six nonsworn Neighborhood Service Officers. These officers work part-time
(25 hours per week) and are assigned to neighborhoods in Flint to identify blighted properties,
abandoned vehicles, and to address a wide range of long-term community conditions. These NSOs
are funded by a generous grant from the Mott Foundation.
The FPD should consider modifying the operational philosophy of this unit and merge other
resources from inside the department to staff a unit dedicated to neighborhood safety. Given the
limited resources available, this unit would need to be small, but would be responsible for
administering crime prevention programs, act as liaisons for the organized community, and provide
long-term support for community groups throughout Flint.
Until 2003, the department had a formal community policing program. At its height, this program
utilized approximately forty uniformed officers who supplemented the department’s patrol
operations by engaging in traditional community policing practices. Due to budgetary
considerations, this program was eliminated. Currently, the department has no available patrol
units for discretionary patrols. As one member of the department indicated “we [the department]
lost our whole proactive orientation.” Due to the extraordinary level of calls for service in Flint,
there is no longer a programmatic patrol effort to address nonemergency community concerns.
Over the years, Flint has received and successfully implemented a number of weed and seed grants.
Today, one police officer is assigned as community liaison officer. Originally, this officer was
selected to assist with the department’s crime stoppers effort. Over time, her duties gradually
expanded. Today, she serves as the department’s primary liaison with the community. This officer
currently performs the crime prevention and community policing functions. Another police officer
is assigned to work with the Police Athletic League, the Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Big Brothers
Big Sisters organization. The community liaison officer interacts with and performs ongoing
training for the community’s various block clubs and crime watch groups. This officer established
Flint Neighborhoods United, an umbrella group of approximately fifty block clubs and community
groups from across the city. The community liaison officer challenged this group to identify the “top
three issues” facing them and their fellow citizens. Neighborhood blight was identified as a key
problem, so the department began efforts to partner with these groups to restore the affected
communities. Unfortunately, fiscal concerns severely limit the department’s otherwise significant
community policing efforts. Another issue that was identified by this group was a lack of
communication and interaction among civic groups. Accordingly, the liaison officer is working with
these groups to develop a stand-alone website for Flint Neighborhoods United.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 37

 A very comprehensive and extremely user-friendly website has already been developed for the
Flint Blue Badge Volunteer Corps. The website includes a link to a crime mapping website, whereby
citizens can query the system for the spatial and temporal distribution of reported crimes in real
time.
The community liaison officer also monitors the department’s civilian volunteer efforts (Flint Blue
Badge). Blue Badge is a mechanism for recruiting and engaging a corps of citizen volunteers to
“fight crime and reassert control over public space in Flint neighborhoods.” Volunteers supplement
uniformed police resources by staffing several Blue Badge service centers (at several locations
throughout the city), and assisting in traffic control and special events. It should be noted that
service center locations are not staffed by uniformed police officers, only volunteers. Blue Badge
volunteers are provided training regarding observation techniques, how to report suspicious
activities, and basic security and personal safety practices.
The Blue Badge website was reviewed and was found to be well-structured and informative. The
website includes a link to CrimeMapping.com, which displays the date, time, and street location of
reported serious crimes committed within the city.
Until recently the community liaison officer also maintained the department’s crime stoppers line.
This function no longer requires oversight by a uniformed member of the service (it is now 1-800SPEAK-UP). It should be noted that the crime stoppers program was particularly effective in the city
of Flint. This is a very effective means of gathering intelligence and apprehending suspects,
particularly for an agency that, due to dwindling resources, is challenged to engage in proactive
policing efforts.
Pursuant to the department’s Inside-Out program, the community liaison officer performs work in
the field approximately 20 percent of the time.
Of the department’s numerous community outreach efforts, one of particular note is Operation:
Fresh Start. This program was conducted for the first time in July 2014. Operation: Fresh Start
features “partners from the city of Flint, Genesee County, State of Michigan and community-based
organizations working together to offer settlement of minor civil infractions as well as help
participants apply for a driver’s license, finding assistance for health and human services,
employment opportunities and continuing education advice” (internal department memorandum).
The program was designed to focus on warrants within a particular neighborhood; therefore any
citizen with a primary residence within a particular ZIP Code was invited to attend and “seek
resolution to their legal problem.” The need for this program is quite obvious. It is estimated that
there are approximately 23,000 outstanding warrants in the city of Flint, some dating back to the
1970s. Many of these warrants stemmed from violations issued for relatively minor traffic
infractions. Failure to respond or failure to pay associated fines resulted in issuance of warrants
that often “affect an individual’s ability to become employed and their ability to seek employment
and to provide financially for their families. Given these pressures, there is a high probability that
criminal conduct can occur” (internal department memorandum). One member of the department

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 estimated that “approximately half of the drivers in the city either have no license or have a
suspended driver’s license.”
This program enables the department to work collaboratively with the county prosecutor’s office,
the Michigan Secretary of State, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Services,
the Mott Community College workforce education Center, University of Michigan – Flint
Department of Public Safety, and the Michigan State Police to resolve a citizen’s outstanding
warrants during the course of a morning or afternoon. During the July program, the department’s
community liaison officer served as a “greeter” and directed citizens towards Department of Motor
Vehicle and LIEN operators who performed records checks. Once a determination was made that no
felony warrants existed, citizens were directed to appear before a criminal court judge (on site) for
disposition of their warrant(s). Individuals who are sentenced to community service can
immediately meet with community service providers and make a specific schedule for service. It
should be noted that individuals with felony warrants are not eligible for this program. Those with
misdemeanor warrants, no matter how numerous, are eligible to have their records completely
cleared (that is, a fresh start).
During the July event, fifty-eight individuals were processed. A second event was scheduled for
September 22, 2014. It is likely that this event will continue to yield positive results.
The consultants were advised that the department is planning a community policing initiative for
October 2014. This entails establishment of a “community policing area” which will receive “special
attention” by patrol units. This initiative must be carefully monitored and evaluated. The
department should be commended for this effort.
In light of the department’s current fiscal situation and the extraordinarily high volume of calls for
service, it is likely that the department will take a “reactive” stance toward crime for quite some
time. However, it is simply not an option for the department to abandon its efforts to increase
community relations and community outreach. Much like the experiences in Camden, N.J., in recent
years, or the methods traditionally associated with “weed and seed” programs, it is clear that it is
necessary to enact effective community policing strategies along with more traditional crimefighting activities. If at all possible, community policing strategies should be developed and
implemented concurrently with the recommended strategies contained in this report or, at
minimum, as soon as possible after initial implementation. The strategic deployment of teams of
foot patrol officers can prove to be quite effective at both reducing neighborhood crime, and
building the trust and support of community members. For this reason, additional staffing must be
made available to support a well-designed, multiyear community policing strategy contained in the
department’s larger strategic plan.
The department’s juvenile bureau is staffed by one sergeant and five police officers who serve as
liaison officers. During the school year, these officers serve as school resource officers (SROs) in the
city’s high schools (two public high schools and one private high school), middle schools, and (on
occasion) elementary schools. When school is not in session, these officers backfill patrol squads.
Liaison officers begin their tours at 0700 hours. Each picks up a marked patrol vehicle and goes to

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 their assigned schools to supervise the arrival of students, etc. Liaison officers are recalled to police
headquarters at 9:00 a.m. for a briefing/roll call. They are then directed back to their respective
schools until dismissal time. During several interviews, the consultants were advised on numerous
occasions that the liaison officers are highly productive in terms of traditional crime-fighting
efforts. Liaison officers make numerous arrests and seize guns and drugs within the schools. Liaison
officers will conduct their own investigations but interact frequently with detectives concerning
gang and narcotics activity in the schools. In light of the relatively unique nature of their work (that
is, working with adolescents and teenagers in schools), the productivity of this unit and its officers
should not simply be considered in terms of traditional measures of police effectiveness such as
arrests and weapon seizures. The SRO model is generally understood and implemented as a
proactive or preventative intervention, rather than a reactive police enforcement tool. It is likely
that many serious crimes have, in fact, been prevented in the Flint schools by the mere presence
and active intervention of the liaison officers. Therefore, their relative degree of effectiveness bears
additional study.

Recommendations:


CPSM strongly recommends that the department: 1) identify, train, and support one
member of the service to serve as public information officer (PIO); and 2) convene a group
to develop a multiyear public information strategy. It is critical that this agency maintain
open and honest communications with members of the community, particularly during the
period in which the department limits its patrol response exclusively to high-priority (in
progress) calls. The public must be made to understand the need for dramatic changes to
the department’s service model. Similarly, the public must be made aware of the timeframe
and various steps that are being taken to dramatically reduce crime in the city, reduce
disorder, and restore community relations in all neighborhoods. This requires the strong
support of city government and its legal department to help develop a sophisticated and
well-planned and executed media campaign to help manage the public expectations.



This public information and community outreach strategy should build upon the
connections and many fine efforts of the Flint Blue Badge program.



The public information advisory group should consist of three to five individuals of various
ranks, as well as members of the community (such as community group organizers, clergy,
representatives from the business community, city government officials, etc.) who would
develop a clear public information strategy for the department. This group would then
periodically meet to adjust the public information plan, as necessary. The PIO should serve
as chair of the above referenced group.



This group should avail itself of outside resources and could include individuals from
outside the department (such as a member of the local press or a professor of
communications from a local college or university). CPSM suggests that the department look
to the Boca Raton, Fla., Police Department as an example of a modern police agency with a
sophisticated public information strategy and as a potential source of information and
support.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 40

 

The resulting public information strategy should be incorporated into the department’s
overall strategic plan.



The department’s public information strategy should include clear goals and objectives
including, but not limited to, the effective use of social media.



The department must continue to actively track the productivity of its liaison officers. In
addition to examining aggregate numbers such as total arrests, the number of narcotics and
weapon seizures, the department should examine and report on the relative amount of
work being performed at each location and by each officer. If it is feasible, it is
recommended that the department work with school district to develop teacher and
student surveys to explore perceptions regarding fear of crime. It is recommended that this
unit remain intact as there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the juvenile bureau
performs a vital function.



In order to provide comprehensive services under this model the following
recommendations are made:
o

Staff the NSU with one sergeant, three police officers, and nine neighborhood safety
officers.

o

Reassign the officer assigned to crime stoppers from the Criminal Investigations Bureau
to the NSU. The crime stoppers officer should share and expand her duties and
responsibilities with the other two officers assigned to the unit.

o

Each Ward in Flint would be assigned a neighborhood safety officer, and a cluster of
three Wards would be overseen by one police officer, with the entire unit supervised by
the sergeant.

o

These officers (sworn and civilian) would be responsible for a myriad of duties,
primarily focused on problem solving, community policing, and crime prevention. They
could also be assigned to close out property crime complaints, address traffic issues,
perform directed patrol, and numerous other operational and administrative tasks.

o

Limited duty officers could be assigned to this unit to assist with all operations.

The NSU in Flint should establish a three-tier system that prioritizes the services being delivered.
Tier 1 represents the unit’s “core” functions, which include the administration of crime prevention
programs, identifying blighted property, and forming liaisons with the organized community in
each Ward.
Tier 2 services include follow-up on past crime reports for property crime, along with hit and run
accident complaints. Officers and NSOs assigned to each Ward would be responsible for
complainant re-contact and investigation as necessary.
Tier 3 services would include response to CFS on patrol and providing uniformed patrol coverage
as needed and visible patrol in the various Wards in Flint.

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page 41

 Technology on Patrol
The department employs a fairly good array of technology for patrol operations. The vehicle fleet
for patrol is appropriately staffed and managed and each vehicle contains mobile computer
technology with the ability to access department systems and prepare reports remotely. From the
mobile digital in the patrol vehicles real-time information can be obtained related to daily tasks
performed by officers. FPD patrol vehicles are equipped with in-car video systems with automatic
uploads, body microphones, and access to the Michigan LEIN for motor vehicle and suspect
information.
Each vehicle is equipped with a shotgun that is checked in and out each day. Trained and qualified
officers are permitted to carry an AR-15 assault rifle in the vehicle as well. Tasers are supplied to
officers, and each vehicle is equipped with standard life-saving and safety equipment (life ring,
gloves, CPR masks, cones/flares, first aid kits, etc.)
Three pieces of widely used technology are not present in patrol units: electronic ticket readers and
printers, automatic license plate readers, and automated external defibrillators.
Grant money is generally available to acquire e-ticket readers and printers and the department
should pursue these opportunities.
Recent research has shown that license plate readers are very effective tools for apprehending auto
thieves and recovering stolen vehicles. They cost around $20,000 to $25,000 per device, and can
check license plates almost ten times faster than an officer manually checking license plates, and
can result in double the number of arrests and recoveries of stolen vehicles.13 Agencies that employ
LPR technology report that over the next five years they plan on increasing the deployment of these
devices to equip approximately 25 percent of their patrol cars. It is strongly recommended that the
FPD implement this technology and install LPR in at least one marked patrol car in the city.
Patrol vehicles are not equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs). AEDs are designed
to be simple to use for first responders, and their use is taught in many first aid, first responder, and
basic life support (BLS) level CPR classes. The deployment of AEDs in marked police vehicles would
greatly enhance the life-saving capabilities of the department. These inexpensive (less than $2,000
each unit) and easy-to-use devices would be a tremendous asset to the CPD and their purchase and
deployment is strongly recommended.
This section is not intended to be a “shopping list” for the department. It is intended to point out the
deficiencies in technology and to identify commonly used technology on patrol in U.S. law
enforcement. It is recommended that the department form a committee to identify the
technological needs for patrol, create a plan for implementation, and identify the grant funding that
potentially exists to support the acquisition, installation, and use of this equipment.

13

Police Executive Research Forum study of LPR effectiveness in the Mesa, Ariz., police department.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 42

 Recommendations:


Equip a minimum of one marked patrol car with an automated external defibrillator and an
automatic license plate reader.



Equip officers with e-ticket readers and printers.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 43

 Criminal Investigations Bureau
The Criminal Investigations Bureau (CIB) in the Flint Police Department is responsible for reactive
and proactive investigations regarding criminal activity in Flint, as well as assorted administrative
activities. The CIB is commanded by one captain and one lieutenant and consists of several
investigative subdivisions including the detective bureau, the juvenile bureau, the identification
bureau, and the special operations unit. The FPD also participates in several federal and state task
forces including the Flint Area Narcotics Group (FANG), the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and
Firearms task force, the U.S. Marshals fugitive task force, and Genesee Auto theft Identification
Network (G.A.I.N). In total, the CIB is staffed by one captain, one lieutenant, fifteen sergeants,
eighteen officers, and thirteen civilian members of the department.
Like other operational units in the FPD, the bureaus in the CIB are understaffed and have a
substantial caseload. Here too, it is believed that a radical departure from conventional
investigative management methods is warranted. The level of violence in Flint, the sheer volume of
criminal cases generated by this violence, and the acute shortage of personnel require a very
aggressive case management screening process. The posture of the CIB should change from
assigning solvable cases to detectives for investigation, to assigning ONLY solvable cases involving
interpersonal violence. An overly broad investigative focus has led to a staggering amount of work
for an inadequate number of investigators. The investigative focus needs to narrow and the limited
amount of resources should be committed to the most serious issue, and that issue is violent crime.
It is recognized that this is a difficult decision, but in the short term it is an essential decision that is
necessary in order to preserve scarce personnel resources for the most serious criminal incidents.

Detective Bureau
The Detective Bureau is responsible for follow-up investigations on reports of criminal conduct and
is staffed by two shifts of detectives. The first shift has six sergeants and two police officers
assigned. The second shift has four sergeants assigned. The midnight shift has one sergeant
assigned as an arson investigator. One sergeant is assigned to investigate “cold” cases, and one
police officer is assigned to “crime stoppers” and one to “court administration.”
The general investigative work in the FPD is performed by the twelve case detectives assigned to
the two shifts, and the two specialty detectives assigned to arson and cold cases. In 2013, the CIB
assigned 12,979 cases for investigation. Included in this total are 52 homicides, 90 forcible rapes,
935 aggravated assaults, and more than 2,500 simple assault and battery cases. Assuming that each
investigator had an equal number of cases assigned, this would result in 927 cases per year per
investigator. This is a staggering number of cases and one that is almost beyond comprehension. It
is simply not possible for an investigator to handle that many cases.
An anecdote is offered to contextualize the extremely high caseload present in the CIB. During the
time of the CPSM site visit, one investigator was assigned to investigate all cases of domestic
violence. At the time this individual assumed his role in this position there were more than 1,000

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 open domestic violence investigations on his caseload. These 1,000 cases were in addition to the
new cases assigned every day. It would require a team of about five detectives working an entire
year to appropriately handle this volume of work. Having one person assigned to this responsibility
is overwhelming. In addition to the inferior level of service this situation creates, the psychological
stress placed on this investigator attempting to manage this workload is undoubtedly damaging.
Fortunately, the CIB was able to dedicate light-duty officers to assist with the domestic violence
case backlog, but this situation illustrates the high demand and lack of resources, and the unwanted
consequences that result.
Similarly, the CIB assigns one investigator to sex crimes investigations. At the time of the CPSM site
visit, this detective had 77 open rape cases, with approximately two to three additional cases being
assigned each week. To put this in perspective, the county of Queens in New York City has
approximately 2.2 million residents and there are approximately 300 rape investigations assigned
annually to a unit of twelve investigators. In this example, the FPD sex crime detective has a
caseload that is about three times greater than his counterpart in New York City. In addition, these
types of investigations general involve an emotional attachment to the victim. Dealing with such a
large number of cases, as in the domestic violence illustration provided above, can only result in
less than optimal investigations and a heavy psychological toll on the investigator.
In order to provide much needed support for investigative operations, the Michigan State Police has
assigned a cadre of investigators to the Flint PD. Unlike the MSP detachment that is assigned to
patrol operations and works independent of the FPD, MSP investigators are embedded into the CIB
and work alongside FPD detectives on criminal cases. The protocols for MSP investigators is to
work only on cases involving homicide, shootings, and serious assaults. In general, MSP
investigators are not assigned less serious cases and the entirety of these cases fall back to the FPD.
In order to handle this heavy workload, the CIB has taken several important steps. Again, with the
assistance of Etico/MSU consultants, and through collaborative discussions with command staff, the
CIB implemented an aggressive case screening system to ensure only cases with solvability
potential get assigned for investigation.
When a criminal complaint is reported in Flint, either in the community reported to an officer at the
scene, at the police facility, or through CopLogic, it gets reviewed and finalized by a patrol
supervisor. At this point, if the incident has no witnesses, no evidence, and/or no leads, the case can
be closed and not referred to the CIB. The remaining cases that are forwarded to the CIB are
reviewed each day by the CIB lieutenant. The CIB lieutenant will then reevaluate the cases based
upon solvability factors, and cases that have potential for investigation will be assigned accordingly.
Cases involving criminal sexual conduct are assigned primarily to one investigator. Cases involving
domestic violence are assigned to another. Property crimes cases with solvability potential are
assigned to the investigators who are police officers.
The process in place for case management, under normal circumstances, is sound. The department
adheres to conventional and appropriate measures for investigative case management in assigning
cases for follow-up investigation. The circumstances in Flint, however, are not normal. Caseloads

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 are too high, and the level of violence in the community is too high to operate in the current fashion.
In order to support an efficient and effective investigative function under the current system in the
CIB, it is arguable that it would be necessary to assign three-times more investigators to handle the
workload. In 2013, 52 homicides were recorded. The twelve case detectives assigned to the CIB
would be an appropriate complement to investigate just these cases alone.
In order to appropriately respond to homicides, shootings, and critical investigations, the CIB has
established a weekly on-call rotation for detectives. This on-call rotation groups detectives into
teams of four and each day one team is designated for call-out for homicides. In addition, a team of
four investigators is assigned to arson call-outs, and another team of four assigned to robbery and
nonfatal shooting incidents. This is a judicious use of personnel and a sound process to ensure the
timely involvement of detectives at critical event.
The challenge for the CIB is not in managing the current process more efficiently. It is clear that the
CIB is doing the very best with the limited resources at its disposal and it is impossible for the
current staff to handle the sheer volume of cases assigned for investigation. The challenge is: How
does the CIB make the greatest impact on violent crime in Flint WITH the current resources
available? CPSM contends that a more aggressive process of case screening, and several
organizational modifications, are necessary to deal with violent crime.

Case Screening
CPSM recommends that only the following criminal complaints get assigned for follow-up
investigation:


Homicide.



Criminal sexual conduct.



Aggravated assault.



Armed robbery.



Domestic violence.



And attempts of the above crimes.

All other cases would be administrative closed and forwarded as follows:


One position in the CIB, the administrative case coordinator, would be responsible for
managing all other criminal complaints forwarded to the CIB. The administrative case
coordinator would work with the criminal intelligence analyst and crime analyst to identify
patterns and trends, as well as work with the special enforcement and patrol units to
coordinate proactive enforcement at identified hot spots.



All cases in this category would be referred to the Neighborhood Safety Unit for
administrative follow-up by personnel assigned to the various Wards in Flint. The NSU
sergeant would be responsible for ensuring that all complainants were contacted and

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 informed that their complaints have been administratively closed. The NSU sergeant would
also ensure that crime scenes were revisited and recanvassed and that there is an attempt
made to take enforcement and crime prevention measures if necessary.

Investigative Teams
In order to manage serious and violent crime cases more effectively, CPSM recommends that all
available investigative personnel be assembled into investigative teams. In the short term, it is
recommended that the cold case investigator position and the midnight arson investigator position
be discontinued. Similarly, because it deals with property crime, it is recommended that
participation in the Genesee Auto theft Identification Network be discontinued. CPSM recognizes
the value of these assignments and recommends reassigning personnel to them when staffing levels
increase. However, at the current time, personnel resources are needed to investigate violent crime.
By utilizing twenty-four detectives, six teams of four detectives each could be assembled. One team
made up of the most experienced and expert investigators would be the homicide response and
investigations team. This team would be relieved of general cases assignments and be deployed to
homicides and critical shootings in order to assist the case detectives. Having a cadre of top-flight
detectives available to interview witnesses, interrogate suspects, and gather and interpret evidence
will be invaluable in conducting effective investigations. The homicide team can focus on the
serious events and provide continuity in all homicide investigations. It also utilizes the best people,
putting them on the biggest problems.
The remaining twenty detectives would be assembled in five teams of four detectives each. Each
day, one team would be assigned ALL criminal cases assigned for investigation that day (again, only
the types of cases listed above). Currently, detectives are either overloaded with cases and cannot
catch up, or are only able to work the easiest of cases within a 24-hour window. Essentially, the
current investigative model seems to imply that if cases cannot be solved in one day, there are other
cases coming in the next day that require attention, therefore, only the most-solvable cases get the
attention of investigators. Most others pile up into a growing backlog of cases. This is an
oversimplification of the reality in the CIB, but the point is that current operations exist within a
very short window of opportunity and opening that window beyond a 24-hour cycle would provide
some needed relief for investigators. Ideally, there should be seven teams of four detectives each,
with each team catching cases on one day of the week, and preferably on the first day of their
workweek. Perhaps if personnel resources increase in the CIB, consideration would be given to
applying this team concept for each day of the week.

Intelligence
One detective should be assigned to work in partnership with the Michigan Department of
Corrections Officer embedded in the CIB. This detective would be responsible for developing
intelligence on violent crime in Flint. The position would work with all investigative units in the CIB
as well as patrol shifts, and all other law enforcement agencies in the area. Partnering with the
Department of Corrections would create a seamless flow of information between offenders,
whether or not they were in the community or in jail. Agencies around the country that have

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 fostered an integrated approach to intelligence in this fashion have seen very positive results. Close
collaboration with corrections allows for investigators to connect the dots with suspect affiliation.
In particular this would enhance the ability to monitor inmate calls and mail to identified suspects.
Further, the FPD should make every effort to conduct a thorough area or neighborhood canvass
when investigating a crime such as a burglary, and documenting that the canvass was completed.
Consideration should be given to distributing “canvass cards” that could be left at area homes found
unoccupied at the time of the canvass. The cards, preprinted with wording asking for the assistance
of the public in gathering information, would identify the type of crime being investigated, the date,
and the investigating officer’s contact information. The canvass cards, aside from ensuring that the
request for information is effectively distributed, also serve as a notice to the residents of Flint that
the police are investigating, and further, this technique may increase citizen vigilance in reporting
suspicious activity.

Recommendations:


Assign only violent interpersonal crimes for follow-up investigation.



Assign one sergeant investigator as administrative case coordinator to manage all other
cases forwarded to the NSU and patrol officers for follow-up. This position would also be
responsible for supervising and coordinating the efforts of the crime analysis and criminal
intelligence investigator.



Create six teams of four investigators: One homicide team and five general case teams
(ideally there should be seven general case teams, one for each day of the week).



Assign one detective as the criminal intelligence investigator.



Eliminate the arson investigator position.



Eliminate the cold case investigator position.



Eliminate the position assigned to G.A.I.N.



Through attrition, eliminate the sergeant designation for detective. In the FPD, sergeants
are assigned as criminal investigators. The sergeant position is generally a supervisory
position, but in Flint it is also used for general case detectives. This policy should be
revisited and police officers should be used for general cases detective positions, with
sergeant positions reserved for supervisory assignments. The FPD is transitioning to this
approach and should continue to do so.

Special Operations Bureau
At the time of CPSM’s initial site visit, the department had one sergeant and three officers assigned
to the special operations bureau and one officer assigned to the Flint Area Narcotics Group (FANG).
The special operations bureau targets narcotics distribution and vice—including prostitution,
illegal gambling, and liquor violations—as well as neighborhood quality-of-life issues. The unit

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 develops intelligence through patrol information, citizen tips, confidential informants, and
surveillance. Controlled purchases of narcotics are made by informants and undercover officers;
search warrants are sought, sworn, and executed when applicable. The bureau’s personnel work in
a plainclothes capacity, and often work in conjunction with county, state, and federal police
agencies. This unit is very active. A review of this unit’s monthly performance data provides clear
evidence of a highly effective and productive enforcement unit (e.g., 84 arrests; nine search
warrants executed; nine houses raided; six handguns seized, six long guns seized, etc.).
One officer is assigned to the regional FANG unit. FANG is a multijurisdictional drug team that
investigates drug and criminal activity in Genesee County. There are currently two street-level
teams assigned at FANG. Each team investigates criminal and drug activity within Genesee County
by targeting low- to mid-level dealers in an effort to identify and target source dealers and
organizations. FANG members encompass a cross section of agencies throughout Genesee County.
In addition to the FPD officer assigned, FANG is staffed with representatives from the U.S. Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Flint Township Police Department, Swartz Creek Police
Department, Burton Police Department, Grand Blanc City Police Department, Grand Blanc
Township Police Department, Davison Township Police Department, Genesee Township Police
Department, Mt. Morris Township Police Department, Flushing Police Department, and Michigan
State Police. In addition to law enforcement participants FANG has numerous governmental entities
including townships, villages, and cities throughout Genesee County that are participating
members.

Recommendations:


The one officer currently assigned to the FANG unit should be recalled from that unit and
redeployed to assist in addressing the department’s current investigative backlog for
violent crimes (for example, the investigation of forcible rapes). The consultants are well
aware of the particularly high quality and quantity of work currently being performed by
this unit. Nevertheless, the department’s current need for investigative support is so acute
that it warrants the temporary redeployment of this officer. As the FANG unit is a state-run
task force, it is comprised of officers from many other departments throughout the county.
Therefore, it is highly likely that this officer can be replaced without a significant reduction
in the unit’s overall productivity rate. Further, as a majority of this unit’s work arises within
the confines of the city of Flint, It is likely that the FANG unit will fill this officer’s position
and continue to perform the same high level and high quality of police services that it has in
the past. This officer and others can be reassigned to FANG when any or all of the following
conditions arise: in the event that the department’s current backlog of calls for service is
dramatically reduced; the department’s investigative backlog for violent crime is reduced;
or the overall rate of reported violent crime within the city of Flint is significantly reduced.



Similarly, the supervisor and officers assigned to the special operations unit should also be
refocused within the FPD to minimize their involvement in drug enforcement and maximize
their involvement in other enforcement areas that contribute to the violent crime in Flint
(gangs, vice, etc.). CPSM does not recommend disbanding the unit, but redirecting its
operation from long-term narcotics investigations to shorter-term investigations and street

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 crime enforcement that is driven by crime patterns and other criminal intelligence, working
hand-in-hand with investigative teams, FANG, MSP units assigned to Flint, and any other
law enforcement units as necessary. The consultants note that this unit need not be
abandoned. Therefore, it is recommended that these resources be repurposed to
supplement the department’s current efforts and future plans to dramatically reduce the
overall rate of reported violent crime in Flint. Until the calls for service backlog has been
significantly reduced, the violent crime investigative backlog has been reduced, and/or the
overall rate of reported violent crime drops significantly in the city of Flint, this unit should
be redirected from the investigation of mid-level narcotics offenses.

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page 50

 Administrative
Training
The department does not have a formal, multiyear training plan. As such, it does not appear that an
internal training needs analysis/assessment has been performed for many years. CPSM views this
as a deficiency that must be corrected.
A sergeant serves as POB administrative aide and training coordinator. In addition to overseeing
the payroll function and tracking overtime expenditures, this sergeant is responsible for scheduling
and recording officer training and the oversight of light-duty assignments. This position should be
understood as being that of a training coordinator. There is no sworn member of the department
who develops, plans, or delivers training to members of the service. Ideally, the department would
designate one individual to review the department’s internal documents and to participate in staff
and command meetings and daily briefings in order to identify opportunities for training or
retraining. While the sergeant previously served as a field training officer, he does not personally
provide training to department personnel. He does, however, routinely attend staff and command
meetings. This should be a continuing requirement.
The department is guided by training recommendations promulgated by the Michigan Commission
on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES). This body provides guidelines for recruitment and
hiring; recruit and in-service training; licensing; license revocation; etc. The Michigan Council on
Law Enforcement and Reinvention (CLEAR) also provides guidance regarding professional
development and recommended standards.
Individuals seeking employment as a police officer within the state of Michigan are generally
directed to obtain their own recruit training prior to appointment. In other words, individuals must
pay for their own police academy training at a properly accredited training facility such as a local
community college. However, the department has, and expects to continue to need to pay for a
recruit’s police academy training from time to time. The department operated its own police
academy until 2006 when it was decided to discontinue operations due to fiscal concerns. A police
academy program operates through the Mott Community College Police Academy. This includes a
curriculum of approximately 700 training hours. Police recruits must pass the MCOLES licensing
examination upon completion of basic training, and must obtain full-time employment with a police
department within one year.
The department has a formal field training program for newly-hired, probationary police officers.
The curriculum is a modified version of the San Diego Police Department model that calls for
several distinct phases of training; daily observation reports; extension of training for remedial
purposes; rotation among training officers; etc. The consultants reviewed the policies and practices
associated with this program and found that they comply with standard practices in American
policing. The department has a cohort of twenty-eight trained and certified field training officers
(FTOs). This includes twenty-two police officers, five sergeants, and one coordinator.
Approximately five to six of these FTOs regularly train recruits.

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 The department avails itself of “302 funding” provided by the state of Michigan. These funds are
provided to police departments throughout the state for the purposes of providing in-service
training for sworn personnel. The consultants were advised that the department receives
approximately $60,000 per year via 302 funding program. This money is forwarded to a training
consortium of approximately 50 police departments throughout the state of Michigan (known as
the Law Enforcement Officer Regional Training Consortium, or LEORTC, and which is located in
Fenton). Flint is apparently the largest contributor to this general training fund. A law enforcement
distribution report (LED) is published annually and describes all training that is provided by the
consortium. The department has also received additional funding for training via a Bureau of
Justice Assistance (BJA) grant.
The consultants were advised that the department’s budget includes a line for training. We were
advised that the internal training budget has been $10,000 for several years. The 2014 training
budget was cut to $5,000. Due to the extremely high rate of retirements and resignations that the
department has experienced recently, the training budget has been increased to $55,000 for 2015.
This was done in anticipation of having to hire several individuals and pay for their training at the
Mott Community College Police Academy.
This issue is problematic from a fiscal planning standpoint. The consultants were advised that,
“approximately 2-1/2 years ago, the department hired about six to eight people who had put
themselves through the academy.” Within the past ten to twelve months, “the department has
sponsored [i.e., paid for] approximately seven to eight individuals to go through the academy.” This
inconsistency appears to be related to budget uncertainty over the past several years, as well as the
extremely high rate of attrition that the department has experienced.
LEORTC publishes a curriculum flyer that is e-mailed to participating police departments. The
department regularly receives this flyer and distributes it to all sworn members of the department.
The courses that are offered stress high liability/low-frequency tasks. Officers who make a request
to attend a particular course must obtain permission from the training sergeant. If approved, the
officer will be scheduled to attend training during a regular workday. Schedules will be adjusted to
accommodate training during the regular workday, so as not to generate unnecessary overtime.
Police officers may also choose to attend specific courses offered by the Michigan State Police such
as the breathalyzer certification course or the laser speed enforcement course. Further specialized
training is offered by commercial vendors and other law enforcement agencies located outside of
the state.
In addition to providing guidance for recruit training in the state of Michigan, MCOLES mandates
that police officers receive firearms training each year in order to maintain certification. MCOLES
does not however mandate any additional in-service training beyond annual firearms
recertification. The consultants were advised that the department historically has offered little to
no in-house in-service training. That is, the department neither utilizes its own staff nor invites
outside instructors to deliver relevant in-service training topics such as defensive tactics, legal
updates, etc. Approximately six years ago, the department engaged in “quarterly training” for
“firearms and high-liability refreshers,” but this practice has been discontinued due to budgetary

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 constraints. CPSM was advised that most of the department’s police officers currently receive little
to no in-service training (that is training delivered by department personnel at department
headquarters) beyond that amount required by the state. One member of the department noted, “in
recent years, training has not been an emphasis” within the department.
The vast majority of continuing education occurs off site. At the time of the initial CPSM site visit,
the consultants were advised that the department did not have the capacity to provide in-service
training to its personnel. Upon further inquiry the CPSM consultants were advised that an officer
can go for many years without any training whatsoever (other than mandatory recertification
firearms training). CPSM views this as a significant liability risk to the city, the department, and its
personnel. Failure to have a robust in-service training program also represents a significant threat
to morale and limits internal communications.
This is a particularly disturbing finding. The department has traditionally made every effort to
utilize the training offered by LEORTC and provide training to officers who request particular
courses. However, it is possible that an officer who chooses not to request such training can avoid
any meaningful training opportunities for quite some time. When asked whether it was possible
that some current members of the department had not received any formal police training for many
years one member of the department indicated “yes, in fact it’s probable.”
The men and women of the Flint Police Department are currently performing high-liability police
activities at a very high frequency. In other words, the sheer volume of work being performed by
the department indicates that its officers have certainly honed their policing skills to expert levels.
Nevertheless, in the event of a fatal shooting, a serious car crash during a police vehicle pursuit, or a
fatality while handling a call of an emotionally disturbed person, the department might find itself
having to defend the actions of an officer who has not received meaningful in-service training for
several years. Clearly, the department needs to examine its policies and practices concerning inservice training.
Certain officers assigned to special duties, such as members of the department’s arson team or
special response teams, are mandated (by the BATF or the state) to undergo continuous specialized
training. These training costs are significant. In light of this, the department should carefully
examine the need for these units and engage in a detailed cost-benefit analysis. If, in fact, any of
these services could be considered to be redundant (that is, if the services are generally available to
the department and if its needs could adequately be addressed by the state, or some other law
enforcement agency), then the department could recognize a savings in training costs by
disbanding its own unit(s) and relying on outside support.
We were further advised that some informal training does regularly occur during roll calls. This
training should be characterized as being ad hoc and quite informal, as it is not formally structured,
scheduled, or documented.
Upon promotion to the rank of sergeant, sworn personnel now attend a first-line supervisor’s
course. This has apparently only become a policy under the department’s current administration.

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 CPSM was advised, however, that some supervisors within the department have not yet received
this training. Staff and command schools are offered by Michigan State University and Eastern
Michigan University.
The department does not have a formal training committee.
The department does not sponsor a citizen’s police academy.
The consultants reviewed the department’s policy for the maintenance of training records and
found them to be adequate. Comprehensive training records are not maintained in the
department’s RMS. Rather, a Microsoft Access database is used to maintain training records (i.e.,
field training records). The department has the ability to provide a breakdown by officer of how
many hours of training have been received, but it cannot presently determine how many total hours
of training have been performed or received departmentwide.

Recommendations:


The department must immediately develop an in-service training program.



The department should plan, deliver, and record brief training sessions offered during roll
call. Training topics should be recorded and all training materials distributed or used by
instructors must be properly maintained.



The department must continue to train and support one uniformed officer to serve as the
primary training officer. This officer would be chiefly responsible for the development and
delivery of in-service (internal) training and the scheduling of both in-service and external
training. The position of training officer has considerable responsibilities associated with it,
but can be filled by a sergeant, detective, or police officer who is properly trained and
supported.



The training officer should attend and participate in all command staff meetings and daily
briefings and should be chiefly responsible for identifying possible training or retraining
needs and opportunities.



The training officer should be charged with the periodic review of department records
concerning vehicle pursuits, use of force, weapons discharge, department vehicle accidents,
arrest reports, etc. to determine whether any training, retraining, or equipment issues need
to be addressed. This review should be documented.



The department should develop an annual or multiyear training plan that identifies training
needs, as well as the quantity and quality of training delivered to its officers. This plan
should have clear training goals and objectives and should be actively monitored.
Semiannual training reports should be prepared and submitted to the chief. The
department should utilize these reports to track and report the relative level of
accomplishment of stated training goals (in terms of topics, training hours performed, and
total number of personnel trained). It should also include a mechanism for incorporating
feedback from field personnel, trainers, supervisors, and perhaps the public.

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

page 54

 

The department must develop and document a formalized process for selecting, planning,
developing, and delivering in-service training. CPSM recognizes the considerable expense
associated with police training, as well as the fact that the department’s current staffing
level is quite low. Nevertheless, such training cannot be viewed as a “luxury;” it is an
essential part of police work and it is an investment. At minimum, the department should
periodically review procedures related to the proper handling of emotionally disturbed
persons, field interrogations/stop and frisks, vehicle pursuits, integrity management, and
similar situations. The topics for training should be selected in advance via the annual
department training plan/report.



CPSM recommends that the department explore training relationships with faculty of local
colleges, universities, and hospitals. This has proven to be a rich source of training
resources for many police departments in the United States. For example, when addressing
the issue of handling of emotionally disturbed persons, a properly qualified person such as a
clinical psychologist, clinical psychology professor, or psychiatric healthcare worker can be
invaluable.



The training officer should solicit potential topics from both civilian and uniformed
members of the department. It is recommended that the department establish a training
committee made up of sworn members of the department’s various ranks.



All lessons delivered on-site should utilize a lesson plan with distinct learning goals and
objectives. All lesson plans and instructional materials should be maintained permanently
by the department’s training officer.



The department should provide executive development opportunities (i.e., supervisors’
training) to personnel assigned at or above the rank of sergeant. This is particularly
necessary for newly appointed first-line supervisors. This training can be delivered via an
external police training facility (such as a regional training center or police academy) or in
conjunction with civilian supervisory training programs offered in the region.



The department should discontinue the practice of maintaining training records in a
Microsoft access database. All training records should be electronically entered into the
training module of the department’s RMS.



The department should engage in a cost–benefit analysis to determine whether training
costs could be reduced by disbanding redundant specialized units and services.



The department should encourage its supervisory personnel to apply to, and attend, the FBI
National Academy.

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page 55

 Internal Affairs
For many years, the department did not have a formal system for the evaluation of its personnel.
Failure to utilize such a system diverges greatly from common practice in American policing and
represents a significant liability risk to the city, the department, and its personnel.
The department has recently completed the development of a comprehensive performance
appraisal system for sworn personnel (police officers, sergeants, lieutenants, and captains). The
newly developed evaluation system was scheduled to “go live” on October 15, 2014. The
consultants carefully examined the performance appraisal forms, evaluation criteria and rating
scales, sample performance improvement plans, instructions for raters, and accompanying
documents and found that the overall quality of all materials policies and procedures relating to
performance evaluation meet or exceed those of most American police organizations. It is
imperative that the newly designed system be properly implemented and that all department
employees be evaluated on an annual basis.
The department is currently developing a performance appraisal system for nonsworn personnel.
A sergeant is assigned as internal affairs officer. This individual has performed this role since 1998
and also represents the department (along with a detective) on the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. He
is therefore cross-deputized through the U.S. Marshals Service and is charged with performing
federal investigations. The cross-designation of the sergeant working as both the internal affairs
investigator for the FPD and on the Safe Streets Task Force should be discontinued immediately.
The sergeant should return to the FPD and be solely responsible for internal affairs and other
professional standards responsibilities as appropriate.
The internal affairs module of the department’s RMS is not used. Hard-copy internal investigation
files are maintained in a locked cage in the bulk property room located in the subbasement. The
PatrolNet system is used to electronically manage cases. The department does not utilize any type
of electronic “early warning” system.
According to the department’s current policy, all citizens wishing to make a complaint against an
officer are referred to the bureau or section to which the personnel involved is assigned.
Complaints can be received in person or by telephone. As it is not required to appear in person, the
department would likely take a civilian complaint via email, though this is not directly addressed in
the department’s current policy. The ranking supervisor is required to take the report and file the
report on an incident report form. The incident report is then forwarded to the chief’s office for
assignment by the chief or his designee. Investigations of a routine or minor nature are investigated
within the involved officer’s bureau. Major incidents, such as major internal complaints regarding
officers; all city of Flint harassment and discrimination in the workplace policy complaints; all
instances where an officer is arrested; all instances where an officer fires his/her weapon and an
injury occurs, or where an officer is injured from being shot; all crashes involving officers where
there is a death or critical injury; all instances where there are criminal charges pending against an

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 officer; and other investigations as assigned by the chief of police, are investigated by the Division
of Inspections.
The complaint against the officer must be investigated by an officer who is superior in rank. The
investigation is recorded on an investigative synopsis form in PatrolNet.
There are four possible outcomes of an investigation:


Sustained – The allegation is supported by sufficient evidence.



Not Sustained – There is insufficient evidence to either prove or disprove the allegation.



Exonerated – The incident that triggered the complaint did occur, but it was lawful and
proper.



Unfounded – The allegation is completely false and not factual.

After the investigation is completed, the investigator sends the results through his/her chain of
command to the chief of police. The chief is responsible for approval or disproval of recommended
disciplinary actions. Disciplinary actions that have been sustained and approved by the chief are
recorded in the personnel folder of the officer(s) involved. Nonsustained complaints against officers
are filed separately.
CPSM finds that these procedures conform to those of most American police organizations. We note
however, that these procedures must be clearly recorded in the department’s current manual of
rules and procedures and that they must be effectively communicated to citizens wishing to file
complaints. The procedures for the handling of civilian complaints must be reviewed annually and
revised as necessary.
The department does not presently have a comprehensive electronic capability for tracking civilian
complaints. For example, a review of the department’s records revealed that, during the two-year
period from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2013, the department received a total of 340 civilian
complaints. During this period, 175 civilian complaints were sustained, 72 were not sustained, 36
were exonerated, and 4 were found to be unfounded. In 53 incidents, the outcome was not
documented. One might consider that these 53 cases were still being reviewed beyond December
31, 2013, but it is far more likely that the data regarding dispositions is simply missing.
The department needs the ability to track all civilian complaints more accurately. An effective RMS
can do this rather easily.
The procedures for handling internal discipline mirror the procedures for handling citizen
complaints.
The internal affairs sergeant responds to the scene of all shootings (that is, “any weapon discharge
that results in any injury to a person”).

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 The department requires its officers to prepare a hard-copy use-of-force report whenever “more
than normal force” is exercised, such as a “closed fist strike,” firearm, Taser, or OC spray discharge,
etc. Officers are required to verbally report use-of-force incidents to their supervisors before the
end of shift and self-report via a written report. Hard copies of reports are reviewed and signed by
immediate supervisors. The internal affairs sergeant and chief also review and sign off on use-offorce reports. As these reports are prepared in hard copy, not electronically, the department does
not maintain a comprehensive database and does not regularly track year-to-year totals. This varies
from standard practice in most American police departments and represents a significant liability
risk. Members of the department indicated, however, that the current multilayered review process
allows the department to identify aberrations and problematic cases.
Patrol lieutenants and sergeants have the ability to download and review data regarding Taser
discharges. A form has recently been created for recording Taser discharges. A comprehensive
analysis of this data has not yet been performed.
We were informed that the department does not have a policy regarding the operation and review
of in-car video systems.
The internal affairs sergeant is not required to regularly attend staff and command meetings.
The department does not currently use any early warning system to detect sick leave abuse.
The department does not routinely maintain aggregate statistics regarding internal discipline,
civilian complaints, or police use of force.

Recommendations:


All American police departments must actively engage in integrity management. That is,
rather than merely reacting to significant complaints after they have occurred, all police
departments must now take proactive steps to ensure that the actions of its personnel
comply with all applicable legal and professional standards. Clearly, the extremely high
volume of work currently being performed in Flint requires significant efforts to reduce the
likelihood of police misconduct. Additionally, the integrity management function must be
considered to be “mission critical.” Therefore, the department should make every effort to
design and use redundant systems to reduce the likelihood of any malfeasance or
nonfeasance of duty on the part of its officers. The consultants therefore strongly
recommend that the duties and responsibilities associated with internal discipline/affairs
be expanded and that the sergeant who is currently serving as internal affairs officer be
provided with additional support.



The department should designate one supervisor to serve as professional standards officer
(PSO). This could be the sergeant currently assigned as internal affairs officer, or another
(perhaps additional) supervisor. This supervisor would report directly to the chief and
would perform a variety of integrity control, audit, and inspections duties. Specifically, the
PSO would be responsible for receiving, reviewing, and investigating internal and external

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 complaints against members of the service. The PSO would also supervise the training,
hiring, and internal review functions. In recent years, many American police departments of
various sizes have combined traditional internal affairs functions into a comprehensive,
more proactive unit charged with ensuring that proper procedures are followed and that
professional standards are met in all phases of police work.


The PSO would personally assist in the review and revision of the department’s manual of
rules and procedures on an annual basis. This review should be documented.



The PSO should attend and actively participate in all staff and command meetings.



The PSO should be charged with reviewing all use-of-force reports that are prepared by
sworn members of the department. This review should be documented and a report of this
review should be made annually.



The PSO should engage in a series of scheduled and random audits and inspections of
equipment, department records, etc. This would include but would not be limited to a
process whereby a small number of the department’s records and forms were randomly
selected and reviewed by the PS0 for completeness, accuracy, and compliance with the
department’s rules policies and procedures. The department should develop, follow, and
document a program of systematic and random audits and inspections of critical operations
(call for service response and dispositions, property receipt and safeguarding, line of duty
and sick leave, etc.). The PSO should be directed to plan, conduct, and regularly report the
results of such audits and inspections. The PSO should develop and follow a formal system
for monitoring sick time and electronically detecting and responding to sick leave abuse.



The PSO should be electronically copied on all internal and citizen complaints as they are
recorded.



Use-of-force reports should be electronically recorded in the department’s RMS so that
summary statistics can be prepared easily. The department’s training officer should review
and sign off on all use–of-force reports.



The PSO should actively participate in the department’s efforts to address its property and
evidence storage problem (discussed at length elsewhere in this report).



All duties and responsibilities of this officer should be clearly articulated in the
department’s rules and procedures manual.



The PSO officer must prepare annual and semiannual reports that convey meaningful data.
At a minimum, these reports should actively track incidents and issues that may be related
to police misconduct, such as: the type and relative number of use-of-force reports, civilian
and internal complaints (and dispositions), department vehicle accidents, weapons
(including Taser) discharges and use, arrest and summons activity (particularly charges
relating to disorderly conduct and resisting/obstructing arrest), line-of-duty injuries, etc.
that originate within the department. Rather than simply presenting aggregate numbers of
such things as use-of-force reports or complaints, the reports should include a breakdown
of type, place of occurrence/origin, etc. These reports should utilize a standard template

Police Operations Analysis Report, Flint, Michigan

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 and be used as a primary means of establishing baseline data and tracking progress toward
stated organizational goals. The PSO should report these figures at monthly staff and
command meetings. Such a proactive analysis can also be utilized as an early warning
system to identify members of the department who might be violating department policies
or might require some other form of employee intervention.


The PSO should critically examine all policies and procedures currently pertaining to the
property and evidence function and make recommendations, as necessary.



Although the department has little likelihood of obtaining national accreditation at any time
in the foreseeable future, the PSO should nevertheless acquaint him/herself with the
standards promulgated by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
(CALEA), which can be used as a benchmark when reviewing such functions as property
and evidence, training, etc.



The PSO should be identified as the member of the service responsible for coordinating and
implementing this report’s recommendations.



The department must develop the ability to electronically track all civilian complaints, from
initial receipt until final disposition. This is a common function or module contained in most
police RMS systems.



The department must immediately publish clear guidelines for the investigation of internal
affairs complaints. These guidelines should be published in the department’s manual of
rules and procedures, must be reviewed annually, and revised as necessary.



A summary of complaint procedures must also be communicated effectively to the public
via the department’s website and via written materials provided to citizens upon the filing
of a complaint.



The department should develop a policy regarding the operation and review of in-car
videos.

Records Management
The records management function is performed by the department’s identification bureau. The
duties and responsibilities of personnel assigned to this bureau were recently realigned, in order to
“align responsibilities with job titles.” One member of the department indicated that this change has
resulted in an ability to “meet public needs more efficiently—to provide better service delivery.”
The consultants were informed that the amount of overtime expenditure within the identification
bureau has dropped significantly since this change. Several members of the department noted,
however, that the identification bureau is “still critically understaffed.”
The department’s records management system (RMS) and computer-assisted dispatch system are
NewWorld products. The system went live in 2004.

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 At the time of the initial site visit, the department had two records clerks. Due to a number of
personnel cuts and a high degree of employee turnover, duties and responsibilities have been
shared and added to the traditional role of clerk. One of these records clerks is currently assigned
as manager of the department’s property and evidence function. Those duties have proven to be
extremely time-consuming and, as discussed more fully in this report, will continue to expand in the
foreseeable future. Therefore, the department is essentially left with one full-time clerk performing
the records function. In addition to numerous other functions, this one records clerk serves as the
de facto records manager as she signs into the RMS as “administrator;” is designated as the terminal
agency coordinator (TAC) and manages certifications, re-certifications, and clearances for
department personnel; and is called upon to perform training and system troubleshooting. This
individual also performs a number of mandatory data entry and record-keeping functions such as
entering and reviewing data as part of the department’s obligation to submit reports to the FBI’s
uniform crime reports, maintaining Cleary act records, and preparing a citywide crime profile. This
profile provides the aggregate number of UCR offenses committed annually, as well as the
percentage of change from year to year. While the citywide profile report is no doubt useful,
compilation of this data by the records clerk has proven to be quite time-consuming.
While tickets/citations are electronically forwarded to the state, the records “manager” is also
called upon to manually enter ticket information into the department’s RMS. Three other nonsworn
personnel and volunteers are utilized as law enforcement intelligence network (LEIN) operators
(also known as police terminal operators, or PTOs). The consultants were advised that light-duty
officers will periodically be assigned to help out with the numerous administrative functions
associated with records management.
The Michigan State Police perform audits every three years to review the department’s records
practices, LEIN operations (e.g., to ensure that LEIN operators maintain necessary certifications), IT
security policies and practices, etc. A state audit was recently conducted and it found a number of
deficiencies and technical problems related to the department’s records management system and
related policies and procedures. There is obviously a great deal of corrective work that will need to
be done in order to comply with state requirements.
Members of the department uniformly voiced dissatisfaction with the department’s current RMS.
One individual noted “our RMS is time-consuming and archaic.”
Police officers prepare electronic reports (such as crime reports) in the field via mobile data
terminals (MDTs) located in patrol vehicles. Reports are placed in a “mobile queue” where they
await review and approval by a supervisor. Once a report has been approved, it will be forwarded
to a “merge queue.” At this point, the report will “set” until a records clerk once again reviews the
report for completeness and accuracy and approves it for merging into the department’s RMS. Once
a report is entered in the RMS it can be fully accessed by all members of the department. The
consultants were advised by several members of the department that the merge queue has been
responsible for a great deal of delay in the department’s records management function. This delay
also significantly compromises the department’s crime analysis function, as reported crimes might
not yet be entered into the RMS. Departmentwide or neighborhood-specific analyses of crime

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 patterns might fail to include specific crimes and cases that are “waiting to be entered into the
system.” Sergeants are now being trained so that they can assist the records clerk by entering the
queue and “clearing” records so that they can be merged and entered into the RMS.
Reports must ultimately be entered into the AEGIS system. Crime reports must be submitted to the
state via the data exchange gateway (DEG) and the Michigan incident crime reporting (MICR)
system. Records will not be entered until they comply with MICR reporting requirements. This
proves to be another opportunity for delay as the department simply does not have enough records
clerks to perform this function in a timely manner. Based upon the consultants review, it appears
that the department’s MICR submissions are approximately one month behind. The department is
also asked by the state to perform monthly “validations” of prior submitted MICR reports. If these
validations are not promptly addressed, the department runs the risk of having data deleted by the
state, which would necessitate reentry. The consultants were advised that other, more efficient
RMS systems have the ability to automatically check for MICR compliance. The department is also
regularly directed to perform record expungements, which have also proven to be quite timeconsuming and labor-intensive.
The department is currently using the following modules within its RMS: crime reporting; motor
vehicle accident; arrests; tickets and citations; and property management. There are a number of
useful modules available in the current RMS that are simply not being used. For example, the
department is currently not using the RMS module to manage the performance of detective
investigators, internal investigations, field training, traffic analysis, alarm management, etc. A
number of efficiencies would be realized if the department utilized its RMS (and its various
capabilities) in a more effective fashion. Additionally, the current RMS could be used to perform
useful data analyses of the department’s various operations, but it is not being utilized in this
fashion.
In addition to the RMS and CAD systems, the department is operating a number of different systems
or portals to other servers operated by the state police, the Secretary of State, and Department of
Motor Vehicles to perform such functions as performing specific queries and maintaining the sex
offender and gun registries. Several other ACCESS systems (such as the impounds registry) now
been transferred to the New World RMS.
At the time of the CPSM site visit, the department was field-testing mobile data terminals (MDTs,
both processors and computer monitors) from two different vendors. A focus group of individuals
from various ranks was selected to test and evaluate this equipment. The department should be
commended for engaging in this type of study, as many American police departments fail to take the
simple step of field-testing various types of equipment before committing to purchase.
The department does not maintain its own computer network. The department’s server is located
in the headquarters building. In the past, the server has “gone down” for several hours at a time.
During such incidents, LEIN operators cannot access data such as warrants or driver’s licenses and
cannot access or provide copies of reports. The department does not have its own IT manager.
Rather it uses IT support provided by the city.

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 The customer service window at police headquarters is staffed by records clerks, LEIN operators,
and volunteers. These personnel respond to routine requests for information and provide copies of
police reports as necessary. They also deal with sex offender registration and handle “walk-ins” by
preparing crime and vehicle accident reports as necessary, performing fingerprinting, performing
gun record checks, providing copies of police reports, releasing property, and responding to citizen
reports and requests filed via “CopLogic,” an online reporting system that is linked through the
department’s official website.
PTOs and records clerks undergo LEIN and DDACTS training in order to keep apprised of evolving
policies and updates as well as MICR training in order to maintain necessary certifications. The
records manager does not formally meet with records managers from other police departments in
the county. The records manager has occasionally attended staff and command meetings.
The department still generates a great deal of hard-copy records. At the time of the initial site visit,
the department had recently destroyed 250 Bankers Boxes of old documents. It was estimated that
at least 500 additional boxes of old records need to be destroyed. The consultants were informed
that the process of record destruction was hampered by the time required to receive permission for
destruction from necessary parties.
Sworn and nonsworn personnel of various ranks continually voiced dissatisfaction and a great deal
of frustration with the department’s current RMS. It should be noted that these individuals did not
appear to want a new system for its own sake, or simply to make their jobs easier. Instead, they all
suggested that the RMS was holding all members of the department back from “doing [their] job.”
Clearly, the consensus is that the system should be updated or replaced due primarily to “needless
inefficiencies.” Several members of the department suggested that more efficient systems currently
exist and that other departments in the region operated systems that are far more efficient. Several
individuals indicated that the state offers an efficient RMS that would in fact be quite economical.

Recommendations:


The department must immediately update or replace its current records management
system (RMS). The consultants obtained ample evidence that the current system, as utilized
by department personnel, is unnecessarily awkward and time-consuming. This department
simply does not have the resources to expend time unnecessarily in performing routine
clerical functions that can be performed automatically by a more efficient system. Records
management systems perform a vital role in all American police departments. Indeed, it can
be argued that, for the Flint Police Department, a modern and highly effective RMS is a
critical need. This agency is generating arrest, suspect, and general police data at an
unprecedented level for a department of this size. Police RMS systems are not only used for
warehousing data and “reporting out” information to the state, city officials, and other
entities. The RMS system performs a critically important function, much like the CAD
system, by providing police managers with vital performance information that can help
them to “steer the ship” in terms of providing decision support for day-to-day police
operations. It is imperative that data be quickly entered and processed so that end users

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 within the department can be assured that they are being provided with timely and
accurate information.


The department should immediately provide additional nonsworn personnel to perform the
many duties associated with the records management function. This would be a critical
need in the event that the department is unable to upgrade or purchase a more efficient
RMS.



The records unit needs to develop a strategic plan for addressing and clearing the various
backlogs and record-keeping delays that have been experienced. In addition to added
resources, such as a new RMS or more personnel, the department will need a plan for
maximizing the efficiency of the records management function.



The department should immediately empanel a technology task force. This would be a
group of sworn and nonsworn employees of various ranks who would be charged with
meeting periodically to determine the department’s current and future technology needs as
well as any necessary steps toward ensuring that the department remains current with
regard to technological advancements. It should meet on a regular schedule, and should: 1)
identify the department’s current technology needs; 2) identify any deficiencies of the
department’s current communications system (i.e., CAD) and records management system
(RMS); 3) revise and update the department’s website, as necessary; and 4) make specific
recommendations for improvement, where necessary. Such a task force would be necessary
if the Department seriously considers the purchase of a new RMS. The technology task force
would be charged with meeting with vendors, reviewing proposals, field testing software,
etc.



The technology task force should be charged with developing a detailed multiyear
technology plan for the department. This plan would include a statement of current needs,
as well as a detailed strategy for replacing old systems and equipment and acquiring new
technology and equipment (software, hardware, etc.), adequately training personnel, and
implementing a variety of advanced technologies to enhance organizational performance.

Dispatch/Communications
The consultants performed an on-site review of the department’s dispatch operations, located
adjacent to police headquarters in the fire department building. It should be noted that, at the time
of the site visit, a decision had already been made to discontinue dispatch operations and to
transfer the dispatch function to the county. This transition is scheduled to take place during 2015.
The following is a summary of the observations made at the time of the site visit.
The department employs a total of twenty-seven nonsworn dispatchers. Five of these individuals
are assigned as supervisors. These individuals provide dispatch services for police, fire, and medical
calls. Dispatcher are dual-certified for police and fire/medical dispatch. Dispatcher schedules are
matched to patrol squads, which provides for some continuity as patrol officers and dispatchers
perform similar shifts. The dispatch facility has a total of six dispatch positions (which includes the

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 position located in the CAD supervisor’s room). Minimum staffing for the department’s dispatch
operation is three dispatchers plus one supervisor per shift.
The dispatch center has eight incoming 911 lines. In the event of overflow, calls can be forwarded to
the Genesee County dispatch. The consultants were advised that the center receives approximately
four times as many police calls as fire calls.
At the time of the initial site visit, the dispatch center was “holding” twelve calls for service. That is,
dispatchers were unable to assign patrol units to these calls as patrol was operating in backlog and
had no available units for assignment. When asked how frequently such a backlog occurs, one
member of the department indicated “every day.” While a more thorough analysis of CAD data is
provided elsewhere in this report, it is important to emphasize the fact that virtually every member
of the department indicated that it was “standard operating procedure to operate in backlog.”
Several individuals indicated that “on a bad night” the number of backlogged calls could total 40 or
50. This is an extraordinary finding, as most American police departments rarely experience
backlog, except for during unusual events such as violent weather, power outages, etc. CPSM has
performed 200 studies of American police departments in more than 30 states and has never
encountered this volume of backlogged calls for service for a community the size of Flint.
This should be considered to be a critical finding. Members of the department uniformly indicated
that calls for service backlogs were “standard operating procedures” in Flint. The department and
the MSP utilize a standard process for identifying high-priority calls; however, the high volume of
such calls simply prevents these agencies from responding to all high-priority calls. Several
members of the department indicated that high-priority calls simply “disappear” from the queue as
callers no doubt become frustrated and hang up. This is a particularly disturbing finding and the
situation severely compromises public safety throughout the city.
A comprehensive strategy for the immediate reduction in the number of calls for service is
presented elsewhere in this report.
The department’s CAD system has a sophisticated ability to query certain high-profile events such
as robberies, shootings, etc. For example, during the initial site visit, the consultants inquired
whether a specific query could be made in the CAD system for shootings. The consultants asked
whether the CAD system could identify all incoming calls for service received during a one-month
period that included the word” shooting,” “shots,” or “shot.” The query was quickly performed and
returned a total of 273 such calls for the month of August 2014. An additional query returned a
total of 237 such calls for July 2014. Once again, this is an extraordinarily high number for a
jurisdiction the size of the city of Flint. Had these queries included any calls referencing the word
gun (such as a “man with the gun” call) it is likely that these numbers would be far greater.
The department’s dispatchers have apparently grown quite accustomed to dealing with
extraordinarily large volumes of calls. The consultants were advised that senior administrators in
the department and in city government are well aware of this issue but that the relative amount or

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 rate of backlog from week to week or month to month has never been recorded or accurately
measured.
The department’s dispatchers report that they are generally satisfied with the equipment and
technology being used within their division.
Patrol vehicles are equipped with a GPS system that enable dispatchers to map vehicle location and
determine which patrol unit is closest to a particular call for service.
In the event of a power failure or any interruption in service, police dispatch operations can
immediately be forwarded to the county until such condition can be corrected. The consultants
were advised that the department has the ability to “run dispatch operations on portable radios” if
necessary.
In an effort to address the continuous backlog, 911 operators have been trained to take certain
reports over the phone (for such nonviolent offenses as larceny and destruction of property calls)
or to direct citizens to file reports online via the department’s website or at police headquarters. At
the time of the initial site visit there was no alarm abatement program in effect (although there is
apparently an ordinance in place, but the city is not holding property owners accountable and it’s
not presently billing for false alarm violations).
As mentioned elsewhere in this report, the Michigan State Police are actively engaged in the city of
Flint. State police units have access to the Flint Police Department radio frequency but are not
presently being assigned calls by Flint dispatchers. At the time of the site visit, there were four state
police units on patrol in the confines of Flint. These units were assigned to “high-priority” calls such
as shootings and violent crimes in progress. MSP units also actively engage in vehicle stops in highcrime areas. As they are quite actively engaged when on patrol, MSP units are not generally
available to address the calls for service backlog of the Flint Police Department. The consultants
were advised that state police units are dispatched by their own dispatchers on a different
frequency. Lower priority calls such as a past assault will remain in the queue until a Flint PD unit
makes itself available.
Interestingly, the consultants were advised that Michigan State Police units can “pick up a job like
an assault, and write a report, but this won’t end up in the PD CAD system or in any PD records until
it shows up in the uniform crime reports.” This is problematic, as two law enforcement agencies are
seemingly performing police services and responding to calls for service separately within the city,
which prevents a real-time comprehensive analysis of all crimes occurring within city limits.

Recommendations:


In light of the scheduled transfer of operations to the county dispatch system, it is
recommended that the county dispatch supervisor periodically attend the department’s
staff and command meetings and that he/she be directed to work with the department’s
training officer to address any necessary training issues that might arise.

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 

The department and county dispatch center must actively track the department’s calls for
service backlog on a daily basis so that department officials can determine whether their
anticrime initiatives are having their desired effects.

Police Facility
The department’s headquarters was built in 1957 and is well-worn. During the site visit, the
consultants noted numerous instances of equipment that had outlived its useful life, as well as
physical conditions that require repair and remediation (such as the asbestos floor tiles that were
pointed out during the walk-through). As much as possible, physical equipment such as file cabinets
have been repurposed in order to reduce expenditures.
During the site visits the headquarters lobby was found to be properly secured. Both the records
counter and the front window where equipped with bullet resistant glass.
The headquarters building has one interview room that is equipped with microphone and video
equipment, but is not soundproofed. The building also includes two juvenile and two adult
temporary holding cells.
Video cameras are located in several locations throughout the building (such as the property intake
room, and outside the narcotics property room). The video quality is described as “poor.”
One police officer assigned to the identification bureau is designated as the department’s
quartermaster. This officer is responsible for the issuance, maintenance, and inventory of all
department property.
At the time of the initial site visit, the department had just recently (within the past two months)
introduced Tasers to patrol. There were twenty Tasers available to patrol officers. No other lessthan-lethal weapons are available, though the department is researching this issue. Shotguns and
rifles are available to patrol officers for checkout.
The consultants were informed that the department’s “equipment needs are [now] being met,
thanks to several grants.” New sidearms and holsters were issued within the past fifteen months;
new uniforms and new mobile and portable radios had been purchased within the past two years.
The department’s vehicle fleet was describes as “aging.” Patrol vehicles are equipped with cameras
that record the interior as well as the area in front of the vehicles. One member of the department
indicated, however, that “it is rare to find one working.”
The department has convened a committee to consider the purchase of the new uniforms. The
department is currently preparing the request for vendor proposals (RFP) for new in-vehicle
computers and video cameras. We were informed that a committee, made up of officers of various
ranks, will be convened for this purpose as well.

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 Recommendations:


The quartermaster should be charged with the development and oversight of a specific
schedule to phase in new police vehicles.



The quartermaster should be charged with performing or supervising an inventory of all
department property.

Property and Evidence
Property and evidence management is an essential function for all American police agencies. All
police departments must have the ability to properly safeguard and catalog items so that it can state
exactly what property is within its care and control and exactly where this property is located. The
Flint Police Department is currently unable to accurately answer these questions. This problem is
apparently not the result of faulty processing procedures, but the fact that the department: 1) has
not routinely destroyed old, unneeded items over the course of many years; and 2) has not
performed a property audit for many years. One member of the department stated, “We have never
had an audit or inventory of property or evidence.” These factors, combined with the unusually high
rate at which property and evidence comes into the possession of the department (due to the
extremely high workload), result in a property and evidence function that varies considerably with
what would otherwise be considered best practices in American policing. This situation poses a
significant ongoing liability threat to the city, the department, and its employees.
Property and evidence is secured in various locations in police headquarters. There is a separate
property intake room, equipped with a video camera. At the time of the initial site visit, all of the
department’s property rooms (for weapons, bulk property, narcotics, biological evidence, etc.) were
inspected and found to be properly secured. We note, however, that the door to the property area
in the subbasement (which contains numerous bulk storage property cages, the weapons room,
etc.) can apparently be entered using a master key. The property lockers themselves were found to
be locked. Large bags of items were observed on the basement floor, outside of the property cages.
Separate keys are required for the weapons and narcotics rooms and these keys appeared to be
properly safeguarded. Video cameras were positioned outside the narcotics and weapons rooms.
Narcotics and currency were properly secured in a large safe.
One nonsworn member of the identification bureau is assigned as property clerk/administrator.
The department’s procedures and policies for the receipt and handling of property and evidence
were changed during 2014. Previously, police officers would transmit items to the property clerk so
that they could be bagged and tagged. Paper receipts would be prepared and filed. As a result of the
recent change, police officers are now directed to perform intake (i.e., “bag and tag” items)
themselves. Once this is completed, officers will secure items in a property locker, secure the locker,
and drop the locker key into a secured box. The property clerk is charged with removing all items
from property lockers, placing bar code stickers on items and scanning information into the
property management module of the RMS, and placing items in the appropriate area. The property

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 clerk is no longer required to open packages and verify their contents. The department does not
have a policy for the double counting of currency or the weighing of narcotics.
Although a comprehensive analysis of the amount of time being expended by patrol officers and
performing this function has not yet been conducted, it clearly appears that a great deal of time is
being expended by patrol officers in packaging and typing hard-copy property receipts and forms.
When the department’s crime scene technicians are involved in a significant case (such as a
shooting), they will bag and tag. However, this is not the norm.
CPSM was advised that the department has lost/misplaced property and currency in the past.
Upon physical inspection, the consultants were astounded by the sheer volume of property and
evidence that is currently in the department’s possession. One member of the department
estimated that the number of items in the department’s possession is “well north of 300,000,
perhaps 500,000.” It goes without saying that this is an unnecessarily high number. One member of
the department stated that some items, such as evidence from old homicides, “go back fifty years.”
The biological evidence room was found to be quite large and apparently filled almost to capacity.
We were advised that the room contained many items “that should be destroyed.”
Every effort is being made to properly catalog and store incoming items. This does not, however,
address the problem of accumulated property. One member of the department described the
situation as “organized chaos.” The consultants were informed that one particular shelf in one of
the department’s property rooms contained 88 separate pieces of property and that it took one
member of the department four hours to catalog the shelf’s contents.
The consultants were informed that the department attempted to secure the services of a
commercial property and evidence management firm, to either perform an on-site audit or to
provide advice. Upon discussing the extent of the department’s problem, this firm apparently
decided not to take on the engagement. This firm estimated that it would take many years to
perform a proper audit of 300,000 items.
It is obvious that the department is retaining tens of thousands of items that should have been
returned or destroyed many years ago. Since items were not stored away chronologically, it is
virtually impossible to determine by simple physical inspection which objects are the oldest. To
determine the age of a particular item, it would be necessary to open its packaging and read the
hard-copy property voucher. This would need to be done for each of the 300,000 items.
The department obviously realizes that this is not feasible. In an effort to make some headway in
the removal/destruction process, members of the department have been called in to work on
overtime to “attempt to clear out the most cluttered areas.” This is the current strategy, to simply
“go to the most cluttered areas first.”
Another complication is the fact that it is difficult to obtain permission to destroy property that has
been classified as evidence. For example, a particular item might have been held in the
department’s possession for 25 years, well after any legitimate need for the item. In order to

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 dispose of it, however, the department would typically need the permission of the assigned
detective or prosecutor, both of whom could be retired or deceased. An item-by-item review and
decision process similarly appears to not be an option.
The current administration has recognized this problem and is currently holding detectives more
accountable (from this point forward) for releasing unneeded property in a timely fashion. This
unfortunately does not address the problem of items that are decades old.
Clearly, one assigned property clerk cannot effectively deal with the magnitude of this problem. The
consultants were informed that the clerk is now experiencing difficulty in keeping up with the
current messages from detectives to destroy property.
At the time of the site visit, the department had identified more than 400 weapons for destruction.
It had been more than a year since the department had last destroyed weapons. Department
personnel could not accurately state how many firearms were in the possession of the department,
but estimated that it was approximately ten thousand. This is a remarkable number. Not every item
is affixed with a bar code and/or entered into the electronic property management system;
therefore the department is unable to clearly state how many firearms it possesses, etc. Upon
inspection, the consultants observed approximately 100 tagged handguns in a shopping cart within
the weapons room. The department also has thousands of rounds of ammunition in its possession.
Narcotics are destroyed by department personnel (the property clerk and the internal affairs
sergeant).

Recommendations:


Despite the obvious costs, the department must immediately act to reduce the amount of
property and evidence it unnecessarily retains in its possession. The current situation
represents a significant risk to the department and the city.



A committee must be empaneled immediately to address the department’s property
management issues. This committee should include personnel from various ranks within
the department, including the chief, the professional standards officer, one or more
property managers/supervisors from other police departments within the state, and a
representative from the city attorney’s office. This committee must meet monthly and must
develop and oversee a comprehensive plan to reduce the volume of items that are being
unnecessarily retained by the department. This committee should look to the International
Association for Property and Evidence (IAPE) standards and practices for guidance.



This committee should work with the supervisor of the identification bureau to seek any
available grants or sources of funding for this important task.



A comprehensive property and evidence audit must be commenced immediately. Items that
are being unnecessarily retained must be discarded.



The department must establish a clear policy regarding the retention of property and
evidence that is no longer needed. For example, the department should consider a policy

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 such as “any item that is no longer being retained for evidence purposes, must be released
or destroyed after fifteen years.” The exact policy should be determined by the committee.
Biological evidence that might yield DNA evidence for future cold cases may be addressed
separately. Certain tangible objects such as firearms that might be needed for evidence
purposes beyond the department’s new retention period can be retained or digitally
photographed, then destroyed.


The committee should be charged with determining what resources are necessary and
exactly how the audit/destruction process should proceed. As stated above, items are not
stored chronologically. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to determine exactly how old an
item is. It is necessary for a person to literally go from shelf to shelf, reviewing hard copy
invoices, to determine the age of items. This process has already begun and has proven to
be quite time-consuming and expensive (in terms of overtime costs). Nevertheless, as it is
unlikely that a private service or vendor can be retained for this project, and as the process
is quite sensitive from an integrity standpoint, it is likely that it can only be performed by
sworn members of the department or nonsworn personnel authorized to deal with
property and evidence (i.e., the property clerk and evidence technicians).



The department must immediately act to reduce the number of firearms in its possession.
Weapons that are no longer needed for evidence or safekeeping purposes should be
destroyed or offered for sale.



Currency was found to be properly secured during the site visit. Nevertheless, for integrity
and accounting purposes, currency should be deposited in a bank account.



All property rooms should have sign-in sheets to record visits by all personnel.



The department should develop a policy requiring a supervisor to “double count” currency.



The department should consider a policy requiring a supervisor to observe the weighing of
narcotics.

Strategic Planning and Performance Assessment
It is clear that the department is currently operating pursuant to a coherent strategic plan. This
plan is understood and has been internalized by members of the department. Nevertheless, at the
time of the initial CPSM site visit the department did not have a formal written strategic plan.
At the time of the initial CPSM site visit the department’s policies and procedures manual was in the
process of being updated. The department has apparently attempted to develop a comprehensive
new set of procedures replacing the existing hard-copy manual. The department is using
commercially available model policies (i.e., Van Meter) that have been used by many police
departments in the region. Due to a lack of administrative support, the review and implementation
process has proven to be quite time-consuming. Proposed new policies are reviewed carefully,
revised as necessary, internally vetted, and forwarded to the city attorney’s office for review. New
policies are being incrementally introduced and implemented. The department wisely chose to

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 prioritize the review and implementation process by identifying “high-liability” policies such as
those related to the use of deadly physical force by police officers, high-speed police vehicle
pursuits, and the handling of domestic violence incidents. Despite the fact that considerable
progress has been made thus far, the consultants were informed that there are still a number of
outdated procedures that currently exist in hard copy in the department’s official rules and
procedures. The department has, for many years, been engaged in a process of merely “adding on”
new procedures rather than thoughtfully reviewing (on an annual basis) and removing outdated
policies and procedures. During the site visit, members of the department were repeatedly asked by
the consultants to provide evidence of the department’s official policy concerning certain functions
(such as the receipt and investigation of citizen complaints, which at the time of the initial site visit
was being reviewed and revised). On several occasions, the department member had difficulty
locating the policy and/or determining whether an older policy was still in effect. This is
problematic. It is now common practice for American police departments to make a complete set of
their policies and procedures available to personnel via the department’s RMS or Intranet. The Flint
Police Department has not done this. In the event of litigation, this department will have great
difficulty in establishing that its personnel had access to, and an understanding of, one complete set
of clear active policies and procedures. A thoughtful and comprehensive review of the prior existing
procedures, and a purge of outdated policies and procedures, has not yet been completed. The
consultants consider the department’s failure to have one comprehensive and up-to-date manual of
policies and procedures to be a clear liability risk for the city, the department, and its personnel.
The department is currently engaged in developing a comprehensive system for documenting and
evaluating organizational performance. Using data generated by the department’s crime analyst,
the department is able to quantify the effect of anticrime initiatives and interventions. For example
the “200 initiative” that was conducted in August 2014, whereby two patrol vehicles were
mandated to remain on patrol in the 200 sector, was found to be quite effective in terms of reducing
the overall rate of reported crime. A plan to create a “community policing area” in October 2014
will be similarly evaluated. This demonstrates that the department has the ability to document and
evaluate the relative degree of effectiveness of such efforts in a sophisticated manner. In light of the
extraordinary demands currently being placed upon the department’s personnel and resources,
this ability has proven to be essential.
A meeting of staff and command officers takes place every Wednesday in the department’s roll call
room. These meetings are designed to address patrol operations, special operations, and
administrative issues. A citywide profile report is prepared every Monday by the department’s
crime analyst and distributed to participants for review during staff and command meetings. These
reports provide a standard template of reported crime and performance data.
Despite the fact that the Michigan State Police (MSP) are performing patrol and investigating cases
within the city, they are not regularly represented at weekly staffing command meetings. The
consultants view this as a significant limitation to interoperability and performance effectiveness.
CPSM was advised that members of the MSP periodically attend the department’s morning roll calls.

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 Additionally, daily meetings/briefings are conducted in the chief’s office. These meetings are
scheduled each day at 9:00 a.m. and are attended by the department’s two captains, the patrol
lieutenant, the detective bureau lieutenant, the identification section sergeant, and on Fridays, the
(nonsworn) 911 director. The primary purpose of these meetings is to review significant events
during the prior 24 hours. Significant events are recorded in daily activity reports (DARs) and
which are drawn from the department’s CAD system. DARs are scanned and forwarded
electronically (via e-mail) to members of the group. In addition, attendees will discuss current “hot
topics” as they arise. Lieutenants are assigned (via rotation) to prepare agendas for upcoming
meetings. The captain’s secretary is charged with taking minutes and identifying follow-up/action
items.
During these meetings, a variety of data reports are reviewed and discussed, such as the weekly
homicide and nonfatal shooting report, and the weekly arson report. Rather than merely providing
aggregate data, these reports breakdown these events by Ward and sector. (It should be noted that
these reports do not map or indicate time of day particular crimes. This information can be
obtained upon request.)
The chief also attends CORE meetings with the other city department heads at city hall.
In an effort to maximize patrol resources, the department has recently implemented an “InsideOut” program. This program calls on sworn personnel who are assigned to administrative duties to
backfill street patrol operations by performing the patrol function or “patrol support”
approximately one time each week. Since its implementation, this program has been found to
reduce the department’s overall rate of overtime expenditures.
The department does not utilize the RMS module or any other electronic database to
comprehensively evaluate the performance of the detective bureau (as a whole) and/ or individual
detective investigators. In other words, the department does not utilize an electronic database to
examine the relative number of arrests made, the number of warrants applied for and/or executed,
the percentage of felony cases closed, etc., by each detective or by the entire unit. However, in order
to evaluate the performance of detective investigators, the department has recently begun a
process whereby the CIB captain and lieutenant periodically perform “investigative case reviews.”
This entails the random selection of three case files for each detective. Every four months, several
detectives are called in to meet with the captain and/or lieutenant for a face-to-face review of these
three case files. Feedback is immediately provided to the detectives and the results of these reviews
are recorded. This process provides for the review of all detectives assigned to the bureau. The
department should be commended for these efforts, as they provide a valuable performance
management and quality assurance function.
Detectives do not formally conduct separate “crime” meetings. However, daily roll calls are
conducted at 0815 for plainclothes officers and detectives and afternoon roll calls are conducted at
1515 for plainclothes officers, detectives, special operations, and narcotics officers. One time each
month the department will host a countywide Intel meeting. These meetings are attended by the
department’s detective bureau, Michigan State Police, and detectives from police departments

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 throughout the county. Members of the department report that these meetings have proven to be
quite effective in terms of identifying crime patterns, organized crime and gang activity, etc.
The department is not presently performing detailed analyses regarding employee overtime
expenditures. Therefore, the department is unable to determine exactly who is generating
overtime, how, and why. The consultants view this as a deficiency that restricts the department’s
performance efficiency.

Recommendations:


The department must articulate and publish a clear multiyear strategic plan that includes
specific performance goals and objectives for all units.



A written strategic plan should be considered to be a necessity in light the extreme service
demands that are currently being placed on the department, its resources, and personnel.
This document can serve as an effective mechanism for communicating and reinforcing a
strategic vision to members of the department, to city officials, to the Michigan State Police
(MSP), and to stakeholders within the community. A written strategic plan can also prove to
be quite helpful in terms of timing and evaluating the results of the various action steps and
remedial actions that are recommended in this report; and coordinating the department’s
anticrime efforts with those of the Michigan State Police and other authorities.



The department must collaborate with the MSP to coordinate its planning efforts in an
effective manner. The suggested strategies contained in this report must be shared and
coordinated with the efforts of the MSP, prior to finalization of a departmental multiyear
strategic plan.



Representatives of the MSP must attend and actively participate in all staff and command
meetings.



Clear strategic goals must be developed annually. The department can then develop specific
tactics and performance targets to measure its ability to meet these goals. These goals
should incorporate the many recommendations contained in this report. The department
must then continue to use timely and accurate data to regularly track and report on the
relative degree of progress made toward stated goals. Staff and command meetings should
be used as the primary means of monitoring performance relative to stated goals. Daily
meetings with the chief can continue if needed, but weekly staff and command meetings
must become the department’s primary forum for review of its ongoing crime-fighting
operations.



Departmental and unit goals and objectives must be revised as necessary.



The department must immediately complete the process of purging outdated policies and
procedures to update its policy manual. Failure to do so represents a significant liability
risk.



All of the department’s operational and support units should be represented at all staff and
command meetings. This would include special operations, the Flint Area Narcotics Group

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 (FANG), the juvenile bureau, the department’s community liaison officer, the training
officer, internal affairs, etc. This will ensure more open channels of communication and
foster organizational effectiveness.


Staff and command meetings should follow a standardized format. A thorough review of
patrol operations, detective division investigations, and case updates should always be
included on the agenda and should be presented in the same order at every meeting.
Support operations can be addressed as necessary.



The department should combine important crime-fighting data into a single performance
measurement system or template. If all such data (or accurate and timely recapitulations)
are readily accessible from one central database or data dashboard, the information is more
likely to be regularly consulted/retrieved by both senior managers and field supervisors
and used to actively manage daily operations. In essence, this dashboard can serve as an
activity report or performance assessment for the entire agency, and can be consulted daily
by police supervisors. A central source of key performance data is critical. Multiple sources
and locations of information can hinder the department’s ability to engage in proactive
management.



Utilizing mapping software, the crime data dashboard could include any or all of the
following:
○

The geographic location (i.e., zone), date, and time of all arrests.

○

The geographic location, date, and time of all homicides and shootings (fatal and
nonfatal).

○

The geographic location, date, and time of all serious crimes (i.e., robberies, rapes,
aggravated assaults, etc.)

○

The geographic location, date, and time of all large scale weapons and narcotics
seizures.

Nonserious property crimes need not be tracked, in light of the extremely high demand currently
being placed upon the department and its resources.


Staff and command meetings should focus primarily upon the department’s crime-fighting
efforts. Nonserious crimes and administrative issues can be addressed separately.



If staff and command meetings are utilized for the review and discussion of administrative
issues (such as budget issues, hiring needs, overtime expenditures, etc.), it is recommended
that they be addressed separately, perhaps after a brief break. MSP personnel need not
remain for this portion of the meeting, nor should field personnel who are not involved in
ongoing management issues.



Minutes should be recorded and maintained for appropriate follow-up at subsequent
meetings. Minutes can be circulated to participants via department e-mail.



As each violent crime is discussed, patrol squad supervisors and detectives should continue
to be challenged to explain what investigatory steps were taken after each incident, such as

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 debriefs of suspects and witnesses and the canvassing of neighborhoods. These discussions
should typically involve members of the department’s special operations and FANG units as
well.


In the event that resources become available at some future date, the department can
develop a data dashboard system to record and track any or all of the following
administrative performance indicators:
○

The total number of training hours performed, type and total number of personnel
trained.

○

The type and number of use-of-force reports, personnel involved, time and place of
occurrence, and general description of circumstances.

○

The geographic location and time of citations issued.

○

The type and number of civilian and internal complaints (and dispositions).

○

The type, number, location, and time of civilian vehicle accidents.

○

The type, number, location, and time of department vehicle accidents, both “at fault” and
“no fault” accidents.

○

The type, number, location, and nature of all firearm discharges.

○

The results of systematic and random audits and inspections of all police operations
(i.e., calls for service response and dispositions, property receipt and safeguarding, etc.).

○

The type, location, and number of any Terry stops (i.e., investigatory stops of suspects,
otherwise known as stop, question, and frisk) performed, as well as a description of all
individuals involved and a description of all actions taken. Data obtained in connection
with these stops should be analyzed and actively tracked. It is important for the
department to know: 1) how many stops are being made, 2) by whom, 3) who is being
stopped, 4) where, 5) when, and 6) for what reason(s).



An effective performance dashboard could also include traditional administration and
budgetary measures, such as monthly and annual totals for sick time, comp time, and
overtime.



The specific performance measures to be tracked and reported at staff and command
meetings is entirely up to the department. All police agencies have unique missions,
challenges, and demands. The resources of the Flint Police Department are currently being
challenged at unprecedented levels. Outside performance benchmarks or measures should
not be imposed upon this department; they should be derived from within.



It is imperative that baseline levels be established for all performance categories. This
entails measuring a category over a period of months, calculating percentage increases and
decreases, computing year-to-date totals, and averaging monthly totals in order to
determine seasonal variation and to obtain overall performance levels for the agency. There
is likely to be much seasonal variation in the work of the FPD. Such analysis can also include

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 sector and individual officer performance review. This performance information is
invaluable in terms of determining optimum staffing levels.


The department should be vigilant in identifying new performance indicators. The
department should review its current indicators and solicit input from all levels of the
agency. “Key” performance indicators should be identified, with an understanding that they
can always be expanded or modified at a later date. These indicators should always form the
basis of discussions at staff and command meetings.



Any substantive changes to the current performance management framework must be
communicated to, understood by, and acted upon by all members of the department.



The questioning of field supervisors during staff and command meetings must take the form
of a collaborative dialogue. In other words, there must be in an active give-and-take in
which field supervisors are challenged to explain why crime is occurring and to set out their
future plans for crime reduction. A critical aspect of these discussions is to identify lessons
learned. There is a critical distinction between holding field supervisors personally
accountable for these crimes (which they, obviously, have no responsibility for), and
holding them accountable for using best efforts to address and respond to these crimes in
an effort to reduce future occurrences.



Open discussions of this type challenge managers and enhance organizational learning
opportunities. Staff and command meetings should be used to reflect upon the following
questions: What is happening (in terms of crime in the city)? How do we know this? What
should be done? Are our efforts having any effect? How can we tell?



The discussions and issues addressed at these meetings must relate directly to the
department’s strategic plan and stated goals, for example, “a citywide reduction in the
number of shootings.”



Once again, the training officer must be represented and must actively participate at all staff
and command meetings. The training officer must be intimately involved in reviewing
current police practices and policies in order to identify future training opportunities, assist
in the selection of equipment and technology, and actively participate in the department’s
overall safety, enforcement, and risk management functions.



CPSM recognizes that nonsupervisory personnel generally should not participate in
management meetings. Nevertheless, staff and command meetings should include and
involve rank-and-file personnel (police officers) whenever possible to obtain their
perspectives concerning current patrol operations, community relations, and organizational
challenges and opportunities. Authentic and spontaneous dialogue should be encouraged at
these meetings.



Staff and command meetings should not be used primarily as a recapitulation of past events.
Rather they should be used to generate new knowledge and specific action plans. Staff and
command meetings have great potential for encouraging brainstorming and innovative
problem solving.

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 

For a more detailed discussion of recommended practices for conducting these types of
meetings see O’Connell and Straub. (2007). Performance-Based Management for Police
Organizations, (Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press), pp. 108-123.



The crime analyst should continue to be represented at all staff and command meetings and
should be utilized to measure the relative effectiveness of major initiatives such as
increased enforcement activities in designated hot spots. If directed patrols or undercover
operations are planned, police commanders should be asked in advance to define what
success looks like. In other words, if such initiatives are undertaken, the crime analyst
would be asked to determine whether or not desired results were obtained. Results would
be shared openly during staff and command meetings.



Regardless of whether the staff and command meetings will address matters beyond
traditional crime-fighting issues, the department should develop a comprehensive template
for reviewing and regularly reporting out departmentwide performance data to city
officials.



It is common practice for American police departments to issue annual reports that
describe stated performance goals and track the department’s relative degree of success in
achieving them year to year. These reports play an important role in ensuring transparency
and accountability in policing. Due to the extraordinary demands that are currently being
placed upon the department, its personnel, and its resources, it is unlikely that the
department will have an opportunity to engage in this practice in the foreseeable future.
Rather than focus upon the production of retrospective annual reports, the department
should focus on providing essential performance data to city officials on a month-to-month
basis.



A distinction must be made between performance measurement that is undertaken for
internal purposes (i.e., for the purpose of managing police operations) and performance
measurement for the primary or exclusive purpose of reporting out to city officials or other
entities. Not all internal performance data should be reported out. Therefore, the
department should carefully select those metrics that are believed to be relevant for
reporting out purposes. City officials must be engaged in selecting performance categories
that are most useful. Once this decision is made, a template or “dashboard” could easily be
developed so that all future reports that are forwarded to third parties will appear in a
standardized fashion. Performance indicators can be added or removed as necessary.
Narrative reports or memoranda should only be used to supplement information provided
in these reports. They should not be used as the primary means of transmitting this
information.



It is therefore recommended that the department utilize a standard template to convey
pertinent performance information to city officials. This would include primarily budgetary
and administrative information, such as sick time, comp time, and overtime expenditures, as
well as any other measures that the chief and city officials agree to include. Aggregate data
should be broken down and fully analyzed whenever possible. For example, the department
must continually report who is accumulating overtime, when, and why.

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 

CPSM recognizes that both the city and the department have access to this information. But
mere access is not sufficient. This information must be shared, analyzed, and used as the
basis of substantive discussions about organizational performance and effectiveness. This is
particularly necessary for a department like the FPD, which is facing such extraordinary
demands in terms of ensuring fiscal responsibility.



The exact list of performance indicators that should regularly be shared with city officials
should be determined by the chief and city officials. The important thing is that: 1) regular
(i.e., monthly) meetings take place, 2) that timely and accurate performance information be
conveyed on a regular basis to city officials, and 3) that performance discussions follow a
uniform/standardized template or format.



City officials must continue to make it a priority to meet individually with the chief and or
his senior staff (i.e., not simply at regular meetings of city department heads) to discuss the
department’s monthly performance.



CPSM recommends that the chief establish a chief’s advisory group. This group would be
made up of community stakeholders such as local clergy, business leaders, school
administrators, community advocates, etc., who would meet with the chief perhaps on a
quarterly basis to informally discuss community needs and police-community relations.
Advisory groups of this type have proven to be extremely successful in many American
police departments.

Crime Analysis
The department utilizes the services of a nonsworn crime analyst who is employed by the Michigan
State Police and is assigned to Flint’s police headquarters building. The analyst tracks Uniform
Crime Report (UCR) Part 1 crimes citywide. The reports prepared by the crime analyst are
distributed internally to all units within the department, as well as to other law enforcement
agencies within Genesee County. The department also adheres to the data driven approaches to
crime and traffic safety (DDACTS) model sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice and the
Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The crime analyst
utilizes DDACTS to identify and analyze hot spots of criminal activity. In addition to preparing and
distributing regular crime reports, the analyst continually reviews crime data in an attempt to
identify crime patterns and hot spots. Supervisors and detectives will periodically contact the crime
analyst and request that she perform a particular query or analysis. It should be noted, however,
that due to the structure of patrol schedules, the night shift lieutenant will typically only
communicate with the crime analyst by telephone or email, rather than meeting with her in person.
The crime analyst generates reports and performs analyses for both the MSP and the Flint Police
Department. Separate reports are prepared for each agency but these reports are shared. For
example, the state police DDACTS reports that identify crime hot spots are shared with the
department’s leadership. In this way, the department is also informed of the fruits of the MSP’s

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 efforts such as the number of guns and drugs recovered as a result of vehicle stops in specific
neighborhoods.
It is clear that the crime analyst is regularly accessing, analyzing, and distributing great deal of
crime data and information. The crime analyst appears to interact frequently with analysts from
other agencies and has access to necessary crime databases.
It should be noted that, due to the extremely high volume of serious crime within Flint, there is little
need for sophisticated statistical analyses of crime data. In other words, for the foreseeable future,
it is sufficient to accurately reflect where and when the violent crime is occurring. This is occurring
thanks to the efforts of the department’s crime analyst.

Recommendations:


The crime analyst must continue to attend and actively participate in all staff and command
meetings.



The crime analyst must combine the crime reports that are currently being prepared for
both the FPD and the MSP into one comprehensive report, so that violent and UCR Part 1
crimes can be accurately mapped for the entire city.

Miscellaneous
A sergeant assigned as supervisor of the identification bureau presently serves as the department’s
grant writer. The consultants were informed that the department submits approximately eighteen
grant applications per year and that its overall success rate in obtaining grants is approximately 80
percent. The sergeant who serves as grant writer performs a number of other administrative and
supervisory functions and also participates in the department’s “Inside-Out” program whereby he
is taken away from his administrative duties approximately 20 percent of the time.
Clearly, the position of grant writer is a critical function for this police department. In light of the
historical manpower reductions, as well as diminishing resources, it is imperative that the
department seek available outside sources of funding. In many respects, the position of grant writer
could be a full-time position for a sworn or nonsworn member of the department, as all available
sources of funding must be pursued aggressively.
While the consultants do not recommend the hiring of additional personnel to perform this
function, we do strongly suggest that the grant writing function be identified as a priority for the
department going forward. Accordingly, the department should make every effort to provide
administrative support to the sergeant who currently performs this role. Additionally, the
department should aggressively seek the assistance of civilian volunteers who might provide
necessary support (such as a professor or a graduate student from an area college or university, or
a member of a local social service organization).

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 The number of grants applied for and received, as well as the total amount of funding obtained,
should become an important performance metric for the department.

Recommendations:


Continue to actively pursue any and all available grants.



In light of current staffing demands, the department must continue to aggressively seek,
train, and support additional civilian volunteers to provide effective administrative support.



The department should continue to explore the appointment of part-time police officers to
support the department’s patrol operations.

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 Summary
The Flint Police Department is an agency facing many challenges in providing police services to the
community. The department’s lack of resources combined with a high crime rate are creating
conditions that make radical changes to operations necessary. The FPD must reorganize internally
and reprioritize demands made by the community. At the same time, the community must
understand the daunting challenges facing the department and must cooperate to the greatest
extent possible in helping the department meet those challenges. Eliminating response to certain
calls for service; shifting investigative responsibility; emphasizing crime prevention; and leveraging
government, business, and community partnerships will help the department meet these challenges
as well.
The priority must be on using the scarce resources that are available to prevent crimes of violence
and build the capacity to respond to those crimes when they happen. Once these organizational
elements are established the department can address violent crimes more aggressively, reduce
violent crime, and help improve public safety in the community.
The department is also underresourced on the administrative/support side in both personnel and
equipment. Additional sworn and civilian personnel are needed, as are much-needed upgrades to
the department’s technological systems (hardware and software) and physical plant. Personnel
reductions are leading to areas of concern in the management of property and other administrative
processes. In addition, there are several areas where modifying the personnel allocation could
produce better outcomes and improve the overall function of the department and allow it to
provide improved services to the community.

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