IACP Operations & Management Study Glynn County, Georgia POLICE DEPARTMENT SEPTEMBER 2018 A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE OF CONTENTS PROJECT SUMMARY 1 METHODOLOGY 1 SCOPE OF WORK 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 5 CHAPTER I. DESCRIPTION OF GLYNN COUNTY CHAPTER II: 21ST CENTURY POLICING CHAPTER III: CONDITIONS CHAPTER IV: RECOMMENDATIONS CONCLUSION 86 APPENDIX A 88 6 8 12 61 A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police ii IACP Operations and Management Study PROJECT SUMMARY In the fall of 2017, Glynn County, Georgia, contracted with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to conduct an operations and management study of the Glynn County, Georgia, Police Department (GCPD). The goal of this study is to enhance the effectiveness and productivity of police services for the residents of Glynn County, Georgia. The resulting recommendations align with the six pillars centered around 21st century policing, and nationally recognized industry standards. This report identifies how the study was conducted, establishes a framework of nine core areas of focus, describes the general conditions found during the study, and offers recommendations for consideration in each of these core areas. An exceptionally large amount of data was processed and analyzed during this study. These data are found together in a companion section for ease of review and additional consideration. METHODOLOGY This study included the analysis of information and statistical data provided by the GCPD, to include interviews, surveys, and interaction with members of the department across all ranks and citizens of Glynn County. IACP conducted an onsite visit to conduct one-on-one interviews, participate in patrol “ridealongs,” and attend community meetings. During the on-site visits, 71 interview sessions were conducted. The IACP interviewed 31.5 percent of agency employees, both sworn and non-sworn. Additionally, 31 stakeholders were interviewed individually or in a small group, including the mayor, sheriff, assistant chief of Glynn County Public Schools, and all seven county commissioners. Community and professional stakeholder small group meetings provided additional feedback on relationships between GCPD, citizens, and community stakeholders. While on site, IACP held two evening community meetings promoted by GCPD and run by IACP staff. IACP, through GCPD, distributed four surveys administered through a SurveyMonkey link. A community survey was posted on the GCPD website. IACP received 77 responses from the community through this survey, however this is an insufficient response rate for the size of the county to produce valid results. IACP suggests that GCPD conduct an annual survey to gauge the public’s perception of the agency and the caliber of police services provided. A Workforce Survey was sent to all GCPD employees resulting in thirty-three responses, representing 25.4 percent return rate based on 130 full-time, authorized personnel allocations. An additional survey was A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 1 IACP Operations and Management Study distributed to patrol officers and another to investigators/detectives. The purpose of these surveys was to track actual shift workload duties, which contribute to the determination of staffing numbers. Thirty-seven surveys were received from patrol officers, and sixteen from investigators/detectives. The responses from these surveys were considered when formulating some of the recommendations within this study. It is important to note that this study occurred during a time of significant change in the department. At the time this study was initiated, the police chief of the GCPD had recently retired. The county manager had appointed an interim police chief who was subsequently appointed to the position permanently four months later. Additionally, the IACP analysis focused on the state of the GCPD at the time the study was initiated, a fixed moment in time. During the initial on-site visit, IACP identified several operational issues that had the potential to be resolved quickly, on a timeline ahead of this report. IACP staff met with Interim Chief John Powell during the visit to brief him on these pressing issues and observations. Chief Powell had already identified some of these issues, and was working toward solutions for those items. Chief Powell initiated action to remedy the additional issues when they were raised by IACP. Despite some operational challenges and recommended policy updates, the department is moving in a very positive direction. GCPD demonstrates a visible commitment to community policing, collaborative problem-solving efforts, and already implements leading practices for policing strategies. Throughout this study, staff at all levels within the GCPD exhibited a high level of commitment and pride in their work. They communicated that they want what is best for the community and the agency. The GCPD provided IACP unfettered access to staff and all data at their disposal, without reservation. This study examined the entire department with specific focus on nine core areas of focus: 1. Culture, Leadership, and Communication 2. Operations, Staffing; Patrol, Special Operations, Investigations (including Traffic, K-9, School Police) 3. Community Policing/Crime Victim Services 4. Policy Review 5. Unbiased Policing 6. Data, Technology, and Equipment 7. Training and Education 8. Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion 9. Internal Affairs, Use of Force, Discipline A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 2 IACP Operations and Management Study The analysis of the IACP determined that several areas within the police department required adjustment to meet service demands and improve relationships and trust between the police department and the community. The approach used was informed by 21st century policing. The goal of this review, including the focus on nine core areas within the department, is to improve services to the residents of Glynn County through recommendations provided to improve and enhance operations within the GCPD. IACP posits that the analysis represented here is balanced, and that it fairly represents the conditions, expectations, and desired outcomes that prompted Glynn County to solicit outside assistance. A summary of recommendations includes, but is not limited, to: • Re-establish the mission statement of the GCPD and enhance how the department communicates through meetings with agency and community members and providing data on a regular and consistent basis • Create a new baseline for agency authorized strength for the department and minimum staffing for patrol operations • Assess K-9 operations policy and enhance standard county wide K-9 operations to allow for 24/7 coverage with consistent application • Review and revamp the traffic unit • Implement community policing through a variety of efforts to include: geographic policing, regular community meetings, a Citizen’s Police Academy, a Citizen Advisory Board, etc. • Hire a full-time crime analyst • Institute intelligence led policing • Institute formal “COMPSTAT” meetings • Merge the Criminal Investigations Division with the Special Operations Division to improve communication and coordination • Strengthen the victim services liaison program • Add two civilian positions - evidence room technician and crime scene technician • Establish a new policy manual • Revise use of force policy and training • Create a separate policy regarding unbiased, equitable treatment of all persons. • Develop and implement an Early Warning System • Implement a disciplinary matrix with application of “Douglas Factors” • Develop policies to ensure proper treatment of the LGBTQ+ community • Consider implementing a telephone reporting unit and/or online reporting and expand technical capabilities in numerous areas to improve efficiencies A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 3 IACP Operations and Management Study • • • • Revise field training and develop a formal, strategic, and comprehensive agency training plan Examine attrition and develop formal recruiting, hiring, promotional, and transfer plans with clearly codified procedures Update the performance appraisal system Ensure that all complaints are tracked by internal affairs and implement a new tracking system SCOPE OF WORK This report for the Glynn County Police Department focuses on the principles consistent with 21st century policing overlaid on critical cultural, operational, and policy elements of the GCPD. IACP has framed the study with the following nine core areas of focus: 1. Culture, Leadership, and Communication 2. Operations, Staffing; Patrol, Special Operations, Investigations (including Traffic, K-9, School Police) 3. Community Policing/Crime Victim Services 4. Policy Review 5. Unbiased Policing 6. Data, Technology, and Equipment 7. Training and Education 8. Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion 9. Internal Affairs, Use of Force, Discipline Recommendations are also provided regarding ancillary matters linked to these core areas of focus. The purpose of this report is not to tell Glynn County what is already known about their agency and operations, but to make cogent and relevant recommendations to assist in continuing to transform the department in areas critical to 21st century policing. Substantial data analysis was fundamental to this study and is found in Appendix A. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 4 IACP Operations and Management Study ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IACP would like to thank County Manager Alan Ours, Chief John Powell and his command staff, and the entire GCPD force for their assistance and cooperation in this effort. We would also like to thank the residents of Glynn County for their involvement and the information they provided in an effort to partner with and continue to improve police services in their county. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 5 IACP Operations and Management Study CHAPTER I. DESCRIPTION OF GLYNN COUNTY Glynn County is located in the southeast corner of the state of Georgia. It was one of the original eight counties created in Georgia in 1777. Glynn County has a total area of 585 square miles of which 420 square miles are land and 165 square miles are water. Glynn County has a strong recreational draw for visitors year-round with award winning golf courses, excellent fishing and beautiful coastal islands (Jekyll, St. Simons, Sea Island, and Little St. Simons) known as the Golden Isles. The Port of Brunswick is one of the most productive ports on the east coast and is the sixthbusiest automobile port in the United States. Glynn County is also home to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) which provides law enforcement training for ninety U.S. government law enforcement agencies, as well as training support for local and state law enforcement across the country. Interstate 95, the major east coast north-south route bisects Glynn County. Since the 2010 census, population growth has continued at a consistent rate, with projections for 2020 indicating an 8 percent increase over 2010 levels. Although estimates suggest a population of about 86,000 by the year 2020, it is possible that this number could be greater. Growth in FLETC, and/or new industries will drive development and move population projections upward; this will ultimately affect work volume and calls for service for the department. In addition to examining general population numbers, it is also important to consider the demographics of the community. Data provided show that the population of Glynn County is predominantly white, with African Americans making up the largest non-white segment of the population, at 26.6 percent. The data studied show the breakdown of the Hispanic or Latino population in Glynn County. Although not considered a separate race, those who identify as Hispanic or Latino make up a significant portion of the diversity of the population within Glynn County. These factors are important as police agencies work toward hiring, recruiting, and staffing police departments that are representative of the communities they serve. This is also an important consideration in terms of the number of people within the community for whom English may be a second language. The GCPD has authorization for 122 sworn positions. At the time of this study the GCPD had a total of 119 sworn officers, and eight non-sworn civilian positions, for a total of 127 employees. There are 15 officers assigned to support Patrol Operations as investigators and sixteen officers in specialty units. There are 68 officers assigned the primary responsibility of responding to Calls for Service (CFS), with an additional 17 officers assigned supervisory responsibilities within patrol. The main purpose of any police agency is to ensure public safety within the community. This objective is accomplished primarily through the function of those in the patrol division, who have A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 6 IACP Operations and Management Study the responsibility to maintain order, respond to CFS, conduct traffic enforcement, maintain high visibility to deter criminal activity, and to have positive interactions with those in the community. These public contacts are essential to help establish good rapport, build relationships, and bolster and ensure ongoing community trust. Additional patrol officer responsibilities include conducting preliminary investigations, identifying, pursuing, and arresting suspects; rendering aid to victims, including psychological, emotional, and physical care; preparation of cases for court, including testimony, and writing reports that document accurate accounts of events. In furtherance of the public safety mission, the GCPD also allocates personnel to investigations and a variety of other positions and roles- which support the patrol division and the needs of the department and the community. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 7 IACP Operations and Management Study CHAPTER II: 21ST CENTURY POLICING In 2015, the U.S. Government convened a task force to determine the best and most contemporary industry standards and practices, and “ways of fostering strong, collaborative relationships between local law enforcement and the communities they protect.” The recommendations were organized around six main topic areas, or pillars: 1. Building Trust and Legitimacy 2. Policy and Oversight 3. Technology and Social Media 4. Community Policing and Crime Reduction 5. Training and Education 6. Officer Wellness and Safety In any agency review, attention to these six areas provides a roadmap and a useful foundation for a grounded and focused approach that may identify more specific areas for improvement. This is the case here as well; these six core areas provide an effective overview of the more detailed components of this review. These areas are applicable to any department, regardless of how it may be organized, and regardless of size. BUILDING TRUST AND LEGITIMACY It is now readily accepted that building the trust and legitimacy of a police agency is perhaps the most necessary and critical endeavor of any agency as they move forward in an effort to serve their communities. Without trust, credibility, and legitimacy, crimes go unreported, information from the public is not shared, and the critical symbiotic relationship between the community and the police is lost. Lack of trust results in less effective policing and continues to build an “us against them” mentality that the best and most enlightened departments strive to eradicate. It has been repeatedly shown that departments and communities who engage in long term relationship building not only are better able to combat crime and foster a collective sense of trust and good will, but are also able to produce positive outcomes including an increase in cases solved and reduced civil discord when use of force and other incidents occur. Because of the relationships developed, communication is stronger and mutual understanding is deeper. Building trust and legitimacy with communities served is the lifeblood of good policing. It requires a high level of transparency both internally and externally so that personnel within the department know and are able to articulate how and why the department is engaging in policing efforts, and so that residents can understand and support these efforts. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 8 IACP Operations and Management Study POLICY AND OVERSIGHT How agencies operate and how they go about providing police services is a test of the professionalism of the agencies and their leaders. Critical questions relevant to all police departments help focus on key issues: Is the department organized most effectively to prevent and respond to crime, to put residents first while maximizing the best use of resources? Is the department organized so that it is most responsive to the needs and issues within the community it serves? Are areas of geography clearly defined using natural and neighborhood boundaries so that issues and concerns unique to those neighborhoods are most effectively addressed? Are officers and supervisors assigned so that ownership and responsibility is clear and accountability is effective? Does scheduling effectively maximize the personnel provided for the agency? Are there enough, or too many, specialized units and is a balance achieved which allows units to focus on critical issues while still providing the ability to serve day-to-day patrol functions? TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL MEDIA Are use of technology and social media maximized so that internal and external communication are highly functioning and satisfying to officers and residents? Can residents communicate effectively with the department, and is that communication two-way? Can officers effectively communicate internally, and are they linked with their community? Is crime information being shared in a timely manner throughout the department and with the community? Is technology being effectively used across the department to improve efficiencies and to track training, complaints, use of force, and other critical data? Is the department well linked to the city police, school police, state police, port police, and other agencies? COMMUNITY POLICING AND CRIME REDUCTION Is the department engaging in community policing to most effectively impact crime rates by making use of all available resources to identify problems and prioritize them? Is the department collectively working with the community in creating plans to address these issues? Are regular meetings held in each geographic area, and are officers and supervisors assigned so that they are responsible for specific geography? Is geography taken into consideration the same way by officers and residents alike, and are regular community meetings held where information is shared both ways; crime plans are discussed; and approaches are jointly built, measured, and celebrated? Are community resources built into these policing strategies? Do these approaches work to help reduce crime and ensure that minority communities and vulnerable populations are treated fairly? Do members of the community have access to direct contact with line officers and supervisors, and do they know which officials and officers are responsible for their neighborhoods? With whom and how do residents make contact when there is a neighborhood concern? Are the Glynn County School Police, social service agencies, mental health agencies, and other resources integrated into the GCPD strategy to reduce crime and improve quality of A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 9 IACP Operations and Management Study life? Are outside police agencies used to investigate police shootings to provide professional outside perspective and reduce perception of favoritism or lack of transparency? TRAINING AND EDUCATION Does the department send a strong message regarding the sanctity of human life and does training and policy regarding use of force reinforce this message? Do officers have clear direction regarding use of force and use of force reporting, so that minimal force, deconfliction, and safety of residents and officers remain paramount in all situations? Do members of the department understand the disciplinary policy and feel that it is fair and equitable? Likewise, do the rank and file as well as residents feel internal investigations are fair and unbiased? Does the department reflect in its makeup the community it serves? Is the department regularly providing necessary training and education to their officers so they feel confident, informed, and well equipped to serve their residents? Are members of the command staff engaging in leadership training and are all members not only meeting in-service training requirements, but also engaging in training and education to broaden their views and experience, build succession within the department, and continually view and assess best practices? Are training records electronically tracked so that they are up to date and easily retrieved and reviewed? OFFICER WELLNESS AND SAFETY Do officers not only have the necessary equipment to provide maximum safety, but do they also feel that communication is maximized within the divisions and throughout the department so that they know and understand priorities, strategies, direction, and goals? Do they feel included and heard? Are they well served during and after critical incidents and is there a regular review of critical performance matters which might indicate that training or education, and/or counseling might be appropriate and beneficial? Do they feel invested in the agency and positive about internal practices, promotions, and career opportunities? Is there a high rate of turnover, and if so, has the department assessed why this might be the case? Do officers and civilians have faith in the promotional and disciplinary processes? The six topics highlighted in 21st century policing intersect with all critical issues regarding how police departments operate and function, and more importantly, how they do these things with maximum effectiveness. Key aspects of agency operations include leadership and culture, agency organization and staffing, policies and procedures, use of technology, disciplinary policy, unbiased policing, internal investigations and discipline, use of force, selection and hiring, promotions, special operations and investigations, officer wellness, responding to calls where A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 10 IACP Operations and Management Study potentially residents are suffering from mental illness, LGBTQ polices, community policing strategy, response to victims of crime, juvenile programs and crime prevention efforts, and training and education. Moreover, these areas are inextricably linked with the philosophy, methods, and effectiveness with which police services are provided, how residents are served and treated, and how members of the agency, both sworn and civilian, are served and treated internally. Do residents of all backgrounds feel that they are heard and “seen” by the GCPD? Do they feel that the GCPD is responsive to their needs? Is the model of policing one primarily focused on arrests, or is the prevention of crime and building of trust, relationships, and communication also of primary focus, in concert with intelligence led crime fighting efforts? Do residents trust the agency to provide fair, impartial, and effective policing, as well as fair and impartial review of complaints and use of force incidents? Do officers feel informed, included, and confident in the role, direction, philosophy, and strategy of the department? Do they view all residents as customers? Is the agency accountable both internally and externally? Are officers properly cared for after traumatic events? As part of this study, IACP assessed the application of the 21st century policing core areas, as practiced by the GCPD, through an internal survey with the command staff. Results indicated that there were several areas in which continued improvement was possible. An overlay of these broader, yet critical, topics which highlight the commonly accepted 21st century best practices with a focus on the internal critical areas identified further assists in improving the direction of the department. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 11 IACP Operations and Management Study CHAPTER III: CONDITIONS This report identifies nine core areas of focus, and for each provides assessment of the current conditions within the GCPD and resultant recommendations. Core areas of focus: 1. Culture, Leadership, and Communication 2. Operations, Staffing; Patrol, Special Operations, Investigations (including Traffic, K-9, School Police) 3. Community Policing/Crime Victim Services 4. Policy Review 5. Unbiased Policing 6. Data, Technology, and Equipment 7. Training and Education 8. Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion 9. Internal Affairs, Use of Force, Discipline CULTURE, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNICATION The GCPD is comprised of dedicated members, both sworn and civilian, who take their mission seriously and take pride in their organization. Community members provided positive feedback regarding the dedication of officers and agency responsiveness. Law enforcement in Glynn County seems well respected. Communication between officers within GCPD is reported as good. There does not seem to be a current strategic plan in place for the GCPD. Such a plan would help guide the department through a number of the core issues, including helping shape the culture and focus of the department. Also, IACP found significant opportunity to update outdated polices, which will support and enhance the philosophies of the department as well as the strategic plan. The culture and mission of the organization is not uniform across the department. Compounding this challenge is that the current mission statement, “To provide the best possible law enforcement and quality of life services to our community,” is vague. The department seems to promote and follow more of an incident driven, crime control model that has been adopted by many departments for decades. Building intentional relationships with the community, reducing barriers and building trust, and solving problems do not seem to be emphasized. Converting or translating the current mission statement into actionable ways of doing business with definable outcomes appears difficult. The current mission statement does not emphasize community A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 12 IACP Operations and Management Study policing, community ownership, community involvement, or a community policing problemsolving approach. Like many police organizations, communication horizontally between divisions and vertically through the chain of command presents challenges. While communication is improving, explaining the “how and why” regarding philosophy and strategy is a challenge that is faced by agencies everywhere as new generations are hired. To build a cohesive policing strategy, which is understood and supported, employees need explanations and rationale as to how their efforts provide value to the organization and the community and why the organization operates in the current manner. This allows personnel buy-in with the greater philosophy and direction. The current approach appears to be more top down with less input from all levels. There seems to be a lack of frequency and effective use of command staff meetings, which are not inclusive. Social media use, both internally and externally, is not optimized. Internally, there is a reported lack of deconfliction between patrol, special operations, and criminal investigations. Ultimately, the goal is for each member of the agency to understand what their role is and how it fits into the overall agency approach. For officers on patrol, the key is to ensure they know exactly how they should be spending time when not on a call for service. More involvement, communication, sharing of data, and clear explanations that problem solving, community policing, service to residents, effective and smart policing and use of resources are what drives the agency are necessary. There is reportedly a lack of regular and consistent intelligence led crime meetings. Meetings in which focused and up-to-date data are juxtaposed with current crime conditions and communication across the agency can result in regularly updated strategies. Like many departments, efforts to “arrest away” the problem continue. Communication in many or most departments is a challenge and the GCPD is not an anomaly. While communication between officers is good, communication between divisions, units, and within the chain of command needs improvement. Command staff meetings are held but they are not inclusive and the mechanism for sharing any identified critical subject matter is not clear. The frequency of, purpose of, and strategy behind divisional staff meetings are also not clear. Perhaps most importantly, there seems to be a lack of a comprehensive deconfliction system between divisions that presents potential officer safety concerns. This lack of communication also potentially impacts the efficacy of crime fighting strategies in terms of overall strategy and focus. Though the department recently began using solvability factors, there does not seem to be adequate communication and coordination between Criminal Investigations Division (CID) and Patrol on its proper usage, implementation, and how the factors are assigned. This intersects with the crime analysis function and how crime information is shared. There is no agency-wide crime (COMPSTAT) meeting where crime intelligence is shared and intelligence is synthesized into useful information to craft actionable strategies for implementation. This is a core A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 13 IACP Operations and Management Study component of Intelligence Led Policing (ILP), which requires consistent communication, cooperation, and coordination among various divisions. Examples of promising practices within the department include the Crime Suppression Team which meets weekly and provides a trend report. Investigators also meet weekly to provide updates and conduct what is more of a debrief. Multi-agency teams such as parole, corrections, and other county agencies also provide information on their operations. However, clear and consistent coordination and synthesis of data and strategy seem to be lacking both internally and externally. Organized, consistent, and regular communication between police agencies and other social service agencies could be improved. Consistent and strategic communication with the residents of Glynn County also has room for improvement, especially in an organized and consistent fashion centered around geographical accountability of both the GCPD and residents themselves. In the past, some forms of community meetings were held, but their patterns, organization, and consistency/frequency are not clear. Moreover, apparently mostly senior command attended without members responsible for patrolling or investigating. Sharing crime information is lacking both internally and externally. There is no regular, formal COMPSTAT-type meeting where crime intelligence is shared and actionable strategies are discussed, evaluated, and coordinated. To implement a cohesive and articulable intelligence led policing strategy, these efforts are necessary. The long-term goal would be to move GCPD from a traditional crime control/response agency to one that highlights relationship building, communication, service (helping people even if the call is not specifically related to a crime matter), and geographical ownership by both the police and the community so that there are strong and long-term bonds being built which result in increased trust, communication, transparency, and accountability. OPERATIONS/STAFFING: PATROL OPERATIONS, SPECIAL OPERATIONS, INVESTIGATIONS (AND INCLUDING K-9, TRAFFIC, SCHOOL POLICE) Patrol is assigned using a 5-5-6, ten-hour rotation schedule, with overlapping time used for directed patrols, warrant details, or training. Overlap days are also used for training by K-9 and SWAT personnel. Island Command staffing is stable throughout the year but relies on some mandatory assignments. Alternative assignment models should be considered to minimize the negative perception often associated with mandatory assignments. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 14 IACP Operations and Management Study K-9 According to interviews with officers who work with K9 partners, Glynn County Police Department currently utilizes tracking and drug dogs but it does not utilize apprehension dogs. There was a lack of clarity regarding the type of training the police service dogs had received. K9’s can be trained to “bark and hold” or “find and bite” or as tracking dogs. Furthermore, GCPD employees note there are not adequate resources to provide PSD coverage for all shifts and officer-K9 teams are often called from home to respond to requests for service. Traffic Unit The GCPD Traffic Unit is lacking a clear mission, is potentially underutilized, and ineffectively organized. The current lieutenant does not have a traffic background and also serves as the assistant patrol commander, which distracts attention from traffic responsibilities. Consequently, the Traffic Unit’s first-level supervisor is largely responsible for unit administrative functions and spends significant portions of time engaged in paperwork rather than in the field directly supervising and mentoring traffic officers and traffic functions. Traffic Unit officers who work evening or night shifts are supervised in the field by the patrol watch commander and not directly by the Traffic Unit chain-of-command. Currently, the most common activity, and the one that consumes the most time, is reported to be crash investigations. Traffic Unit officers are the primary responders and investigators for crashes, and they work seventeen to eighteen crashes per week, per officer. Patrol officers report that as many as half of all crashes may involve some type of impairment, but data have not been provided to support this anecdotal observation. GCPD patrol officers are not certified to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST) and must request traffic DUI officers (or state patrol) to respond to cases of suspected impairment to perform SFSTs. This is inefficient as it lengthens the call of the field investigation, both officers will have to write supplements, both officers will have to appear and testify in court on a single case, and it takes traffic DUI officers away from proactively seeking DUI offenses and responding to complaint driven and data driven needs for traffic enforcement. Through the analysis of the department, it was identified that the Traffic Unit includes an officer who is a trained SFST instructor. GCPD does not have an established process to compile, analyze, and provide intelligence or data to the Traffic Unit to guide their deployment or enforcement activities. There appears to have been no recent statistical analysis of crashes, DUIs, request for traffic officers, or other trafficrelated needs to support the deployment of Traffic Unit officers. SWAT Operations GCPD has a decentralized, part-time SWAT team composed of members from across the department including a significant number from both CID and Special Operations Division (SOD). A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 15 IACP Operations and Management Study The SWAT team commander is the current SOD Director and serves as incident commander at all critical incidents. This design can potentially result in the SWAT approach being the avenue of choice instead of a comprehensive or holistic evaluation of best strategies, to include partnering with mental health professionals at each incident. The department also has negotiators but there is no central negotiation team and no integration with the SWAT team. When a negotiator is needed, the SWAT commander calls someone with whom he is most comfortable. The SWAT team does not do joint training or incorporate negotiators into SWAT training exercises. We deduce that likewise, mental health/crisis intervention professionals are also not included in these training exercises. SWAT trains two days a month and given the staffing levels, this is a challenge for most units to which the members belong. The City of Brunswick PD also has a SWAT team, but the teams are not combined in a unified team concept. Interviews indicated that deconfliction is a concern as well as the lack of regular threat analyses when conducting search warrants. Best practices would inform that a complete threat analysis, to include command level review of the warrant application, raid operational plan, along with appropriate deconfliction efforts, be conducted. Special Operations (SOD) There are 11 positions in SOD; one captain is the unit commander and serves as the SWAT commander. Three investigators are assigned to the regional FBI Safe Streets Task Force, two investigators are assigned to the Crime Suppression Team which deals with gangs, and one of those investigators collects crime information. The remainder of the positions, one lieutenant, one sergeant, and three investigators are assigned to the Glynn Brunswick Narcotics Enforcement Team (GBNET). While there appear to be differing functions among the units based on the names of the different units (GBNET, Safe Streets, Crime Suppression), the majority of the work seems to center around a nexus of drugs. Consequently, there may be room for streamlining and coordinating of effort to avoid duplication, maximize resources, and improve deconfliction. The captain provides direct supervision to two investigators on the crime suppression team and the lieutenant and sergeant provide supervision to the GBNET officers. Personnel assigned to Safe Streets are supervised by FBI personnel. This potentially creates a lack of a clear chain of command. However, while there seems to be good communication within the unit, communication with CID is reported as strained. Rarely are there joint investigations with CID, and case information appears to not be routinely shared, even though both units are housed at GCPD headquarters. Investigations There are currently 17 authorized positions in the Criminal Investigations Division. This includes: 13 investigators, one sergeant, two lieutenants, and one captain. All investigators are considered generalists. There are, however, investigators with special skills, such as crime scene and child abuse investigation, for example. The average level of experience is less than three years. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 16 IACP Operations and Management Study Recently, the work schedule was changed to a four-day, ten-hour shift work week (4/10), with half of the shift working the Monday-Thursday day shift and the other half working the TuesdayFriday day shift. One investigator covers evenings, nights, and weekends in an on-call basis. Although there are two work periods, the investigators are not divided into teams. Currently, there are no formalized procedures for case assignments. Several investigators cited that the time frame between when a case is reported and when it is assigned to an investigator may often be weeks, causing time sensitive evidence such as video or other evidence, to potentially no longer be available or lose viability. Several investigators cited concerns with case follow up and accountability. The Spillman Records Management System (RMS) currently utilized does have a case management component but it is rarely used by investigators and not used by supervisors or commanders. A real time centralized case management component would improve accountability and follow-up efficiency. The process currently used is a yearly audit conducted by the division commander. More recently, the department has started to utilize solvability factors. The system now in place has allowed patrol lieutenants to review reports and assign solvability factors and, when warranted, close the case by exception or unfounded. Improved communication and coordination between CID and Patrol on how the process should work, or more specifically, how factors are applied and how cases are assigned needs to continue, as well as review and evaluation of the system and process. The roles and responsibilities of the supervisors and leaders within this division need to be clearly defined to balance workload appropriately. The sergeant position is tasked as a part time crime scene technician (one investigator has this function as well) and the sergeant manages the evidence room (the captain serves as the backup evidence custodian). The evidence room is at capacity and evidence purging is completed twice a year. This frequency is due to workload; if a full-time evidence manager was assigned, this could be accomplished on a continued and fluid basis. Personnel interviewed suggested a need to review and revise policy and protocols regarding investigator and crime scene call out. The current policy cites specific cases or incidents which justify a call out, and the practice is that if a patrol lieutenant calls, an investigator or crime scene technician responds no matter the crime or situation. There is no level of crime scene processing done by patrol. Performance measures are not used or set for individual investigators and the current system does not provide any employee feedback over the course of the evaluation period. No training regarding evaluations has been provided to or by the department. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 17 IACP Operations and Management Study Glynn County School Police The Glynn County Schools system employs its own police department, Glynn County Schools Police Department (GCSPD). GCSPD places school resource officers in local schools. The GCSPD has many of the same needs and abilities as GCPD and other area agencies. GCSPD has the ability to train a Crisis Intervention Team, problem-oriented policing, active shooter, and other curricula that have wide relevance in law enforcement. IACP learned that GCSPD police officers are generally older and more tenured than other area agency employees and they enjoy the summers off afforded them by the school year. They are available during summer to provide scalability during the busy tourist season that taxes the GCPD. Current leadership at GCSPD appears very experienced, connected to the community, and eager to build productive relationships. There appears to be significant opportunities for GCPD and GCSPD to collaborate more productively in areas including intelligence-sharing, prevention, training, and mutual aid. COMMUNITY POLICING/CRIME VICTIM SERVICES For community policing to flourish, it must be more than a concept or philosophy. Problem identification and problem solving, sharing information, outreach and prevention efforts, geographical accountability by the police and the community, and regular and organized community meetings are all aspects of tangible and structured community policing efforts that serve to improve communication, build trust, foster relationship building, and engender ownership of neighborhoods by both the community and the police. Victim services and crime analysis, which connect to all policing functions, also apply here as well. Currently, there is no full-time crime analyst; an investigator assigned to the Safe Streets Task Force is also tasked with compiling statistics. Statistical data are readily accepted as different from crime analysis, which would take place as part of Intelligence Lead Policing efforts. As such, there seems to be little analysis done on reported crime and calls for service. The Spillman software can provide tabular information on crime but it is rarely used by anyone in the department. Occasionally an investigator may publish a crime bulletin, but its primary purpose is to identity wanted persons of a criminal investigation. There are no analytical products produced, and there is no evidence of strategic analysis used in deployment or staffing decisions. As such, there is little evidence of crime information or crime prevention information provided to the public on a regular basis. FLETC, located within the county, offers an Intelligence Led Policing course that GCPD could attend. While the GCPD is comprised of an array of highly dedicated personnel, there does not appear to be a strong focus on community policing. Some calls for service appear to be routinely labeled as “civil matters,” ostensibly obviating the need to assign an officer to respond to the call for service or how a responding officer may routinely classify such a call. While this classification may be totally correct and appropriate, efforts to reduce calls for service, address chronic calls and A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 18 IACP Operations and Management Study complaints, and continue to improve police/community relations may warrant further analysis as to how these classifications are applied as well as the attendant response. Consideration of providing additional information to the community or to the complainant, to include information about mediation, civil court process, and connection to other county resources in an effort to resolve the problem may be productive. Assisting stranded vehicles and responding to medical or mental health incidents for example, are not necessarily viewed as a priority. While each of these types of calls may be different and may technically not be classified as a priority, each presents an opportunity for the GCPD to build relationships and show the public, as well as emphasize within the agency, that the culture is changing toward a service and communityoriented agency. Likewise, appropriately handling or assisting mental health calls, especially with the assistance of mental health professionals, enhances the chances of precluding another related call and may reduce use of force events. Response to calls warrants a consistent agency policy. Related to this is the introduction of department wide crisis intervention training, which not only better equips officers with the skills and ability to handle mental health calls and deescalate, but presumably results in reduced uses of force. This also comports with another critical component of community policing; implementing geographical assignments and geographical accountability so that officers, residents, and supervisors get to know each other, and so that the level of responsiveness, ownership, and responsibility is enhanced for both the department and the community. Assigning officers to specific areas, focusing on beat integrity, overseen by an area commander(s) who is also responsible for that geography and not just assigned with temporal responsibility, is an inherent aspect of strong community policing. Use of AVL/GPD by dispatch also supports beat integrity and consistent assignment of officers to their beats. In the past, GCPD conducted periodic meetings with the community. What seems to be currently lacking is a systematic, organized strategy of assigning teams of officers with supervisors to specific geographic areas/neighborhoods, as defined by natural and neighborhood boundaries, to engage in a defined process of problem identification, problem solving, and partnering with residents through regular meetings with the community to identify concerns, prioritize those concerns, and work collaboratively with all stakeholders to formulate plans to address them. This process would include regular (monthly or bi-monthly) meetings where crime information is exchanged so that the police regularly receive information from the public and likewise provide information regarding crime trends, information, updates, case progress, etc., to the public. This approach provides numerous benefits, including the ability to share and receive information, build relationships, reduce rumors, manage expectations, and tailor policing efforts to issues and concerns which may be unique to affected areas and neighborhoods. Inherent to this process is the assignment of area supervisors to specific geography with geographical accountability. Included in this process as well is the production and dissemination of an array of crime A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 19 IACP Operations and Management Study prevention information, crime data, outreach efforts, and the translation of these documents as necessary and appropriate. Interviews with employees and a review of policy and procedures revealed that GCPD may not be collecting comprehensive demographic data on all law enforcement contacts. For example, the GCPD uses ‘warning cards’ to document warnings for traffic offenses as well as verbal (undocumented) warnings. Neither of these consistently document demographic data of the motorist. Documentation of complete and consistent demographic data by police agencies is necessary to provide complete supporting data to assess compliance with laws prohibiting biasbased profiling and to address community complaints and concerns. Currently, there are not processes in place for a Telephone Reporting Unit or on-line reporting system for routine reports which may not require the presence of an officer or crime scene examination. While this could be considered an area under technology, it relates to customer service, staffing, and effective use of resources. Processes such as these may help reduce calls for service, improve customer satisfaction, and improve patrol operations. GCPD is fortunate to have a full time Crime Victim Liaison (CVL). GCPD’s CVL program consists of a single position staffed by a non-sworn employee that is wholly grant funded through the Department of Justice’s Office of Victims of Crime. Interviews with the employee currently filling this position revealed the employee to be enthusiastic, creative, and passionate about filling this role. An effective CVL program provides for the opportunity to contact a large percentage of victims regardless of the actual criminal outcome of the complaint, thereby improving trust, building relationships, and increasing satisfaction in the police. Unfortunately, the CVL program at GCPD appears to have lacked understanding or appreciation by top leadership in recent years. The CVL program has an ambiguous chain-of-command, receives little or no formal training or direction, and leadership has contributed to developing very few, if any, internal relationships between CVL and the broader department to leverage potential contributions to the department’s mission. GCPD does not engage in any types of multi-disciplinary meetings (internally or externally) to support victims’ needs or victim case management. A review of policy and other printed agency documents indicates that support of victims is not a clearly expressed department priority. The CVL currently has significant excess capacity to support victims and help the department develop a victim-centered approach. The CVL identifies victims personally by reading every report to look for potential victims that require support. There are no automated mechanisms or formal policies to ensure victims engaged by patrol or specialized units are referred to the CVL for referrals. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 20 IACP Operations and Management Study POLICY REVIEW Policies impact operations throughout the department. They drive the direction, operations, performance, and philosophy of the department. Consequently, as they impact each unit operating within the department and therefore could each be addressed separately under each core section identified, we find it more efficient and useful to identify policy issues under one heading to better facilitate consideration of the implementation of these recommendations. In addition to reviewing the GCPD policy manual, IACP also performed a cursory review of the policy manual for Glynn County. Employees of the GCPD are accountable to both sets of policies, and the chief of police for the GCPD is empowered within the county policy manual, to adopt policies and rules related to police department operations. The county policy manual contains typical guiding policies, such as leave, pay, promotion, workplace harassment, discipline, and provisions for grievances and appeals. IACP found the county policy manual to contain the types of policies typical for a county government, that the policies were reasonable and that they appear to be current. As part of this study, IACP conducted an overall review of the Glynn County Police Department’s policy manual and mission statement. This process involved a general review of the department manual with the following objectives in mind: • • • • • • • Ensure the manual is well-organized Ensure it contains appropriate and typical guiding policies Determine if there are any redundant policies Determine if there are any conflicting policies Identify policies related to external review boards Identify policies related to internal review committees Determine if the manual has policies related to 15 specific categories listed below in the critical policies section, and whether those policies are consistent with industry best practices. Due to the criticality of the need for appropriate guiding policies, IACP team discussed concerns over policy issues during the course of this study. IACP was informed that the agency was already working on rectifying a number of these concerns. We presume that by the time this report is published, the GCPD will have addressed many of the issues enumerated. The current mission statement of the GCPD consists of a general statement. It should be revamped to highlight crime prevention, partnerships, building relationships, and service to the community in addition to crime fighting. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 21 IACP Operations and Management Study From an overall standpoint, IACP staff found the manual to be outdated, poorly organized, and upon general review, not reflective of contemporary police best practices in the field. The Glynn County Police Department issues four kinds of written directives: • General Orders: Written directives, issued by the chief of police in the forms of policies, rules, and procedures issued to police personnel as guidelines for operation of the police department. Each individual member of the department shall receive and sign for all General Orders and shall place them in the Police Operations Manual. • Special Orders: Written directives (Memos), issued by the chief of police specifying assignment, specific authority, promotion, demotion, or position within the police department. Special Orders shall be hand delivered to all affected parties and posted on the department bulletin board. • Division/Section Directive: Written directives (Memos), issued by the chief of police or division commanders for the purpose of administratively directing the behaviors of the personnel assigned to a particular division and not in conflict with any General Order or Special Order. Directives shall be posted on the department bulletin board and issued to persons affected by the directive. • Memorandum: An informational correspondence in the form of a memo can be written and issued by any supervisory level employee and used to provide knowledge, administrative direction, and general awareness to the targeted population of personnel. May be used to verify or record verbal orders given by any supervisor. Memorandum must not be in conflict with any Directives. Memoranda shall be dispersed by routine office distribution procedures and/or posting on the department bulletin board. Each policy in the Glynn County Police Department Manual has a title, section/policy number, date of issue and effective date, subject, distribution, and amended and rescinded sections. The GCPD manual is organized into eight sections: • Section I- Law Enforcement Roles and Responsibilities • Section II – Organization, Management and Administration • Section III – The Personnel Structure • Section IV– Law Enforcement Operations • Section V- Operations Support • Section VI – Traffic Operations • Section VII – Prisoner-Related Activities • Section VIII – Auxiliary and Technical Services While the Glynn County manual contains a table of contents, it’s structured more as a nonsearchable index. The table of contents encompasses thirty-one pages. Some topics have a policy number associated with them, while others are simply listed. The document was presented with A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 22 IACP Operations and Management Study a few policies as separate PDF files and the majority as Word files. This format did not allow for searches of topics or words. IACP recommends that the manual be placed in a searchable format such as one complete PDF file. In general, IACP found the manual to be lacking a coherent organizational structure. While some of the sub-topics are organized and grouped homogenously under the eight major sections, others are organized in a non-discernable fashion. As an example, chapter sixteen is titled the Disciplinary Process, yet the chapter contains the following sub-chapters/policies: • Ceremonial Protocols o Standard of Conduct-Appearance o Funeral Escorts o Funeral Attendance Protocol • Rules of Conduct o Standards of Conduct o Accountability for Manuals o Uniform and Equipment Regulations • Disciplinary System Components o Policy o Authority to Discipline o Corrective Discipline o Description of Employee Awards o Wearing of Awards There are forty-five subchapters, some with multiple policies and others with one or two. Critical Policies: There are fifteen categories listed below which are described as critical policy areas. This list emanates from Gallagher and Westfall’s work on the twelve policy areas that result in the highest number of liability areas for police agencies 1. IACP has appended this list to include additional policy areas that have the potential for significant liability risk for agencies. Although this list is not all-inclusive, the presence of these policies is suggestive of contemporary best practices in policing and policy development. Of the documents reviewed, IACP found policies that were either directly titled similar to twelve of the categories or had sections that contained policies specific to the identified critical policies. The IACP was unable to find policies that specifically discussed Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) issues, unbiased policing and responding to calls for service involving individuals affected by mental illness. The IACP recommends that these important topics are addressed in a 21st century policing agency. In general, the IACP found the 1 http://gallagher-westfall.com/7layers.html A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 23 IACP Operations and Management Study policy manual to contain critical policies that were dated and need to be evaluated and updated to address current issues in law enforcement. These are listed under the specific topical areas below and are identified through specific recommendations. Critical Policy Areas: A. Off-Duty Conduct B. Sexual Harassment-Discrimination C. Selection/Hiring D. Internal Affairs E. Special Operations F. Responding to the Mentally Ill G. Use of Force H. Pursuit/EVOC I. Search/Seizure-Arrest J. Care, Custody, Control/Restraint of Prisoners K. Domestic Violence L. Property-Evidence M. Officer Wellness N. Impartial Policing (Biased Policing) O. LGBTQ Policies Off-Duty Conduct There are several policies in the manual that touch on off-duty conduct. Most deal with reporting requirements if an off-duty officer is involved in an incident, discharges a weapon, or is injured. Chapter 22 covers the topic of off-duty use of police vehicles in detail. There are several policies (Chapter 16) that govern off duty employment such as appropriate off-duty employment, consumption of alcohol beverages off duty, and unbecoming conduct. Others deal with the call back procedures for off-duty personnel. IACP was not able to identify a specific policy or sections of specific policies that delineate the authority, conduct or duties and responsibilities of off duty officers. IACP recommends that such a policy be developed and incorporate topics such as ones that delineate the authority, conduct, and duties and responsibilities for off-duty officers. It is also critical to track off-duty employment and, if policed related, enter it into the CAD system for officer safety purposes as well as to potentially buttress patrol operations and reduce calls for service. Sexual Harassment-Discrimination The GCPD Manual has a specific policy dealing with issues of harassment, it spells out a department policy against harassment. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 24 IACP Operations and Management Study 13.7.1 NO-HARASSMENT POLICY “The Glynn County Police Department will not tolerate harassment of County employees which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment, or otherwise interferes with an employee's work performance.” Rule 16.2.1 #31 prohibits sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination. The policy provides guidance for reporting within the department but does not provide a vehicle for potential victims to report instances to appropriate offices/persons outside of the department such as the county human resources office. IACP recommends that persons who feel victimized by harassment and are not comfortable reporting within the department have the ability to report to appropriate non-department resources. Selection/Hiring IACP was able to identify a number of policies concerning the selection and hiring of personnel in the Glynn County Police Department Manual. Chapter 17, Recruitment outlines the department’s approach to: • Recruitment Program • Community Outreach • Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity • Job Announcements and Publicity • Application Process While comprehensive, many of these policies are outdated and contain policies that do not match legal requirements and/or best practices such as: 17.4.2 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PLAN • To maintain parity in minority hiring, the Glynn County Police Department will replace a minority with a minority as a matter of policy. Chapter 18, Selection, covers the following topics in the policies within this chapter: • Selection: Professional and Legal Requirements • Selection: Practices and Procedures • Background Investigation • Occupational Qualifications • Probationary Training Periods As with Chapter 17, this chapter is comprehensive, but IACP found that many of these policies are outdated and do not match best practices. There is no mention of any strategy to a have a department that is reflective of its community, or one that promotes gender equity throughout. IACP understands that, in practice, the department aspires toward these objectives. However, they are not outlined in policy, and the GCPD should consider modifying the policy to reflect these goals. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 25 IACP Operations and Management Study Internal Affairs GCPD manual has a series of policies located in Chapter 30 that spells out the process used for receiving and investigating complaints. The policy outlines the investigative and hearing processes in detail, including when the department provides feedback to the complainant and public information release. Glynn County does not use any type of tracking software but rather uses manual systems to track complaint forms issued and received, and complaints investigated. The GCPD does not have a policy concerning the use of an early warning system (EWS). Special Operations The GCPD Policy Manual contains a number of separate policies dealing with both special units and special situations. These policies appear to be done in accordance with best practices. The Special Operations policies are: Chapter 27 Unusual Occurrences • Unusual Occurrences • Unusual Occurrences Operations • Hurricane Evacuation Plan Chapter 28 Special Operations • Special Operations • Bomb Threats • VIP Security • Special Events • Selection of SORT Officers and Negotiators Responding to individuals affected by mental illness: The IACP was not able to identify a specific policy dealing with responding to persons affected by mental illness. The IACP believes that a specific policy outlining the proper response to calls involving the mentally ill must be developed and incorporated both into the manual and into practice. Use of Force The Glynn County PD has a lengthy Use of Force policy, revised in 2010. The policy statement is: 1.3.1 NECESSARY USE OF FORCE In a complex urban society, officers are confronted daily with situations where control must be exercised to effect arrests and to protect the public safety. Control may be achieved through advice, warnings, and persuasion or by the use of physical force. While the use of reasonable physical force to accomplish lawful objectives may be necessary in A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 26 IACP Operations and Management Study situations that cannot be otherwise controlled, force may not be resorted to unless other reasonable alternatives have been exhausted or would clearly be ineffective under the particular circumstances. Officers are permitted to use whatever force is reasonable and necessary to protect others or themselves from bodily harm. IACP found this policy to be poorly constructed and filled with items that should not be in a policy establishing use of force policy for the department. As an example, more information is provided on the qualification course of fire than appropriate policies outlining proper response to various levels of resistance encountered. There is a simplified use of force continuum in the last pages of the document, but there is no connection to the actual policy statement. IACP did not find anything in the policy that discussed the sanctity of life and recommends that this and deescalation techniques should be incorporated into the Use of Force Policy. These topics are critically important given the public judgement that is used in police force situations. Pursuit/EVOC The Glynn County PD has a very comprehensive policy, 22.3.1, Vehicle Pursuit. The policy provides the factors that are to be used in making the decision to initiate a pursuit as well as those that should be considered when terminating a pursuit. The policy outlines the specific duties and responsibilities of all involved in the pursuit, such as the supervisor and the communication center. The policy incorporates Georgia law governing police pursuits and appears to incorporate best practices. Search/Seizure/Arrest The Glynn County Police manual does have a specific policy concerning Search and Seizure, 22.9. Although dated, issued in 2005, it contains a comprehensive description of the legal requirements and procedures for the different types of searches and seizures that officers may encounter, ranging from search warrants to exigent circumstances. The importance of officers constantly staying abreast of legal findings and cases cannot be overemphasized, as search and seizure is both vital to successful law enforcement and is constantly changing. IACP recommends that GCPD regularly review this policy to ensure legal compliance. Care, Custody, Control, Restraint of Prisoners There is a series of policies in Chapter 39, Transport of Persons in Custody, that provides a detailed series of policies and information outlining officers’ responsibilities in dealing with arrested persons. This policy was issued in 2005, so while it appears to cover a wide range of issues, it is dated. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 27 IACP Operations and Management Study Domestic Violence Glynn County PD has a very comprehensive policy 22.4, Domestic Violence Response The policy establishes the following as GCPD’s policy: 22.4. 2 POLICY STATEMENT When violence has occurred or been threatened, the primary responsibility of the responding police officers is to investigate a crime, and take the necessary action dictated by the circumstances. If probable cause can be established that a crime has been committed, the officers are expected to make an arrest. Failure to take necessary action in a case of domestic violence can lead to civil liability for failure to protect on the part of police officers and the Department. The Glynn County Police Department maintains a pro-arrest policy in domestic violence issues. The goals of this Department’s family violence policy are as follows: • To reduce family homicides • To reduce family assaults • To reduce police call-backs • To reduce liability risks for the department • To reduce injuries to officers. While GCPD does have a comprehensive policy, there is no mention of the use of a lethality assessment as a part of the domestic violence investigation process. IACP encourages the GCPD to include this within their policy and in operational practices. Property/Evidence There are two policies dealing with property and evidence, that cover the collection, handling, documentation, storage, accountability, disposal, etc., of recovered property for evidentiary purposes. The relevant policies include: • Chapter 44 Collection and Preservation of Evidence • Chapter 45 Property Management IACP found these policies appear to be following best practices. Officer Wellness GCPD has two policies that deal with officer wellness, specifically dealing with physical fitness. GCPD uses the Denver/Standard Model of physical fitness as the test to evaluate officers’ fitness. IACP could not identify policies that address wellness of officers who face trauma. • 13.9 Employee Wellness Facility • 13.8 Employee Physical Fitness A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 28 IACP Operations and Management Study Impartial Policing (Unbiased Policing) IACP was not able to identify a specific policy dealing with Unbiased policing. The only section identified by IACP is in policy 1.2, Limits of Authority. The primary purpose of the identified section is to explain officers’ discretion. 1.2.2 USE OF DISCRETION BY POLICE OFFICERS While the diverse nature of police work gives police discretionary powers, officers should employ the doctrine of “Fundamental Fairness” (is the action fair to all concerned?). Uniformity in application of laws is necessary to gain and maintain public support. The GCPD does not use the term unbiased policing, but the department policy manual specifically references Racial and Ethnic Profiling Policy 22.17. It states that no law enforcement agency should condone or promote the use of any racial or ethnic profiling system in its enforcement programs. Criminal elements exist in every segment of our society. An officer whose enforcement stops are based on race or ethnicity is engaged in a practice that undermines legitimate law enforcement and may face claims in federal courts of civil rights violations. To focus on a single segment of society is not only illegal and limits the effectiveness of our enforcement efforts, it de-legitimizes the police. GCPD policy strictly prohibits the practice of racial or ethnic profiling by officers as well as the use of stereotypes or attitudes and beliefs that a person's race or ethnicity increases the probability that the person will act unlawfully. It does allow officers to consider race and ethnicity in deciding to take law enforcement action only when the employee possesses specific suspect information that is reliable and is likely to lead to the discovery of that individual. The policy states that the agency shall develop and deliver training to all officers to provide guidance regarding the consideration of race and ethnicity in the agency’s law enforcement activities. The GCPD training division is to ensure that all police department members receive diversity training at least once per year. Proof of this training shall be maintained in the individual member’s training and personnel file. IACP was unable to verify that this training has occurred on a regular basis and that accurate records are being maintained. IACP recommends that GCPD ensure that such training is conducted on a yearly basis and that proper documentation is maintained. Although this policy appears effective, it does not specifically address implicit bias or the components of procedural justice. The GCPD policy infers or references some of these aspects for which the department may wish to consider providing some clarity and specificity within stated policy. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 29 IACP Operations and Management Study LGBTQ Policies No policies were found using the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, queer/questioning) acronym or any variation, nor were policies found using specific words that make up these acronyms. IACP recommends that GCPD develop policies to address this topic. Policy Advisory Committee Most policies within the GCPD are developed by the command staff with input from applicable specific operational units. When needed, the department will involve external policy review (e.g. county attorney). IACP did not find policies specifically relating to external review boards. IACP does not take a position regarding the use of external review boards; however, there is evidence to suggest that when these types of boards are used properly, and when they are objective and consistent, they can help to build and maintain public trust for police agencies. To improve community relations, perception and organizational transparency, IACP recommends that GCPD evaluate creating review committees that provide policy and department oversight beyond just advisory roles, and that incorporate community members. Although staff at the GCPD have indicated that policies are created collaboratively with input from the department, IACP was unable to find a policy within the GCPD policy manual that spells out this process. IACP was able to find one policy that established or described Internal Police Review Committees within the Glynn County Police Department. Specifically, it is the Training Committee established in policy 19.1.5. “Its purpose is to assist in developing and evaluating training needs and to serve as a focal point for input from all agency components. A member of each section of the department will be selected to serve on the committee.” IACP believes that those who will be held responsible for doing the work and conforming to agency policy should have a voice in the process of developing or modifying those policies which apply to them. Redundant, Outdated, or Conflicting Policies In general, the GCPD manual does not contain redundant policies. While there is some repetition, it appears that it occurs because of similarity of function among multiple units or policies. The review did not reveal any conflicting policies, however during the onsite visit staff advised IACP that the previous administration had issued policy statements, emails and other directives that conflicted with established policies. IACP did find many of the policies to be outdated. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 30 IACP Operations and Management Study Risk Management In general, except as otherwise noted, the policies in place by the police department do not meet national standards. Many of these policies are dated, provide conflicting guidance, and do not appropriately target high-risk areas, and they are not constructed to mitigate these issues. From the on-site visit, IACP is aware that there are memoranda, emails, etc. that have been issued by the prior administration that may create conflict within the department concerning departmental polices. IACP recommends that Glynn County use best practice policies such as IACP model policies to establish a new written directive manual, starting with the fifteen most critical policies as identified in section II. Once the new manual is established, the chief should issue a policy voiding all previous policies. The department should use a more organized format for its policy manual. Training and Policy Dissemination New officers are trained on GCPD policies and they are given access to the policy manual. Revisions, deletions, or additions to policies are typically distributed in electronic format and training on new policies is done at the shift/unit level. Additional policy training also occurs in relation to certain topical areas, such as use of force and firearms. Although the documentation of policy dissemination and review appears sufficient, the IACP did not find any information concerning ongoing training on department policies. UNBIASED POLICING “Biased policing and the perceptions of it threaten the relationship between police agencies and the diverse communities that they serve.” Issues regarding fair and unbiased treatment of all individuals have been a concern for law enforcement agencies across the U.S. for many years. However, these issues have been heightened in the U.S. recently in the wake of the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014, and several subsequent high-profile incidents that have followed. Accordingly, police practices have come under great scrutiny, and in some cases, for good reasons. IACP recognizes that community trust is imperative and that effective policing relies upon this base principle. Actions by the police that are biased, or those that the public perceives as biased or unfair, work against this concept and serve to undermine the ability of the police department to effectively carry out its mission. Therefore, it is incumbent upon every police agency and leader to ensure that all people are equally protected and treated fairly and properly in their encounters with the police. In this section, IACP examines the efforts of GCPD to meet this critical standard. During the course of the study, IACP team learned that although race and gender data are collected on citations, collection of these data is not a requirement, nor is it a consistent practice A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 31 IACP Operations and Management Study in all encounters. Collecting these data is important and that the GCPD should do this consistently in all of their contacts with those in the community. However, it is also important that GCPD take the added step of tracking what occurs as a result of contacts with persons in the community. This means, for example, tracking whether a contact resulted in a warning, citation, arrest, patdown or other personal search, a search of the person’s vehicle or other property, or whether the person was detained and/or handcuffed. It also requires collection of police deployment strategies and tracking the outcomes of those involvements. Collection of data in this regard will allow police leaders to monitor policing practices to ensure their efforts and those of their officers are not discriminatory. Like many police agencies in the United States, the GCPD endeavors to deploy resources into areas and neighborhoods where they believe crime is or will be occurring. GCPD does not use formal data-driven policing strategies to deploy police resources; however, IACP’s previous recommendation to engage ILP will expand this practice. Using this approach, the GCPD would more intentionally deploy personnel disparately throughout the county. The purpose of this type of deployment relates to preventing crime and arresting those responsible for it. These types of personnel deployments are indeed disparate, but that does not necessarily mean that they are discriminatory. Deploying personnel where the crimes or criminals are, or where analytic data suggest they will be, is an important aspect of resource management and crime suppression. What is more important than where the personnel are deployed, is how personnel conduct themselves and how they treat each community contact or encounter. Data-driven policing practices are appropriate, but law enforcement agencies must make sure that the personnel deployed do not engage in biased policing. The GCPD collects race and gender data in certain cases. However, there is a lack of sufficient data available to conduct any meaningful analysis of any patterns within the data. IACP recommends that the GCPD move toward a system of consistently collecting race, gender, and outcome data so that these data can be reviewed an analyzed to ensure that enforcement strategies are not resulting in discriminatory policing practices. The policy states that the agency shall develop and deliver training to all officers to provide guidance regarding the consideration of race and ethnicity in the agency’s law enforcement activities. The GCPD training division is to ensure that all police department members receive diversity training at least once per year. Proof of this training shall be maintained in the individual member’s training and personnel file. IACP was unable to verify that this training had occurred on a regular basis and that accurate records are being maintained. IACP recommends that GCPD ensure this training is conducted on a yearly basis and that proper documentation is maintained. Although this policy appears effective, it does not specifically address implicit bias or the components of procedural justice. The GCPD policy infers or references some of these aspects A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 32 IACP Operations and Management Study for which the department may wish to consider providing some clarity and specificity within the policy. As mentioned above, GCPD policy 22.17 provides provisions for the investigation of biased policing complaints. The use of bias-based profiling by any member of the department shall be reported to the immediate supervisor for investigation. Supervisors are responsible for examining the overall activity of their personnel to discover and eliminate any pattern of conduct that violates this policy. All findings shall be documented and forwarded to the chief of police for disciplinary action if needed. Data provided by the GCPD for the years 2014, 2015, and 2016 indicated that there were zero complaints in all three years of biased policing complaints received and investigated by the GCPD. While IACP has no reason to doubt the data from GCPD, considering the concern regarding biasbased policing, IACP recommends that GCPD carefully evaluate all citizen complaints to ensure that any incident of even possible bias be fully and objectively tracked and investigated. IACP review of the policy manual did not find any specific reference to procedural justice. procedural justice is an interdepartmental process that operates on the premise of four pillars: impartiality (in decision making), transparency (in actions), voice (opportunities for voice), and fairness (In the process). The elements of procedural justice are typically conveyed as follows: • Treating people with dignity and respect • Giving individuals voice during encounters • Being neutral and transparent in decision-making • Conveying trustworthy motives It is important to point out here that procedural justice is a philosophy that relates to both internal and external dynamics and encounters. Embracing the pillars has been shown internally to increase adherence to internal rules and processes, increase morale, and to decrease grievances by officers over new rules, procedures, and promotions. It has also been shown to contribute to the generation of new ideas and innovation, as it allows all stakeholders affected by departmental decisions to give insight, opinion, and perspective. From an external perspective, procedural justice improves relationships with the public, and contributes to community trust in the police department. IACP sees this as a critical element of contemporary policing, and IACP encourages the GCPD to promote a procedural justice philosophy, both internally and externally. The GCPD policy states that the agency shall develop and deliver training to all officers to provide guidance regarding the consideration of race and ethnicity in the agency’s law enforcement activities. The policy further states that the training division shall ensure all police department A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 33 IACP Operations and Management Study members receive diversity training at least once per year and that proof of the training shall be maintained in the individual member’s training and personnel file. IACP was not able to determine if this training is being conducted and that accurate records are being maintained. IACP recommends that GCPD conduct yearly training to bias-based policing to include implicit bias and all aspects of procedural justice. While the GCPD has a policy relating to biased policing, the policy could be strengthened with the addition of information on implicit bias and procedural justice. IACP notes that the biased policing policy of the GCPD includes a provision for the investigation of biased-policing complaints. The GCPD would benefit from a more proactive policy on the gathering of data on citizen contacts. Processes of this nature provide organizational and individual accountability, and they also contribute to public trust. DATA, TECHNOLOGY, AND EQUIPMENT During the course of this study, IACP had the opportunity to observe officers working in the field as well as in the office setting, and staff were also asked about the availability and use of technology within their work processes. IACP found that although officers embraced the technology available to them, and in fact they hoped for system enhancements that could improve their capacity to perform their jobs, the current technology in use by the department is not meeting the needs of staff or the department. The backbone of all effective police data functions is a robust Records Management System (RMS). GCPD uses Spillman as their RMS. IACP is aware of the RMS system by Spillman and the product has been used and integrated successfully within many law enforcement agencies. In some departments, the use of technology is constrained by a poor RMS; that is not necessarily the case in Glynn County. Based on the review by the IACP, the constraints in the use of technology are related to a lack of hardware, and software, in some cases, but if the correct products were purchased, these should integrate well with the Spillman RMS system. Moreover, in some cases, the capability within the RMS already exists, but GCPD has yet to maximize that functionality. IACP makes no product recommendations but bases our findings and recommendations on the effective use and integration of products currently used or available to the agency. One of the operational aspects of using the RMS that IACP explored involves the use of report routing and report reviews within the records system. According to staff, when a CAD event is created, and an officer is dispatched, a RMS record is generated. The actions of the officer at that point will then dictate what happens next and whether the incident will be placed into a secondary workflow process. If the officer manually changes the status of the report, it will be A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 34 IACP Operations and Management Study placed into the patrol supervisors group queue. Following review, the patrol supervisor can either reject the report, approve (close) the report, or they can forward it on to CID. Based on discussions with staff, there are no apparent automated triggers established within the RMS to route cases for review and approval. Essentially, all of the routing is done manually, with no apparent checks and balance system in place. This type of process is not advisable because there is a significant potential for cases to be misrouted at various points in the review process. This can result in a failure point for service delivery and appropriate investigation of incidents. IACP recommends that the GCPD work directly with Spillman to better understand the case routing protocols that can be established within the system, and to ensure that there are required review points and queues, which cannot be bypassed, either intentionally, or by accident. In addition to the above, IACP learned that the Spillman system in use by the GCPD does not have protocols set up to require certain fields to be filled in before a report can be forwarded through the review process. By not having required fields set, the result is that many incidents are submitted without the required information filled in and this forces case reviewers to either reject the report or fill in the information themselves. Both of these options are time-consuming and less than desirable. As technology has permeated the law enforcement profession, more and more agencies have been finding ways to leverage the use of technology to improve efficiency, and the effective delivery of police services. The development and implementation of various technologies can significantly improve overall functionality of the department, particularly the patrol units. Although a technology-focused approach to policing is important and relevant in any setting, it is perhaps even more critical in Glynn County, due to the vast size of the patrol zones, and the inefficiency in having to be in a centralized location in order to accomplish certain work. IACP was advised that some officers do not have laptops in their cars, some do not have access to Mobile-CAD, and officers are required to return to the station in order to write their reports. In addition, IACP was told that although the traffic unit has e-citation available to them in their cars, the majority of the patrol units do not have this capability. As indicated above, there are significant gaps in the ability of officers to engage the use of technology in the field. These include lack of computers in the squad cars and a lack of Internet access. Cost and Implementation It is important at this point to mention two additional factors relating to technology: the acquisition of technology, including the cost to obtain and maintain it, and the implementation A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 35 IACP Operations and Management Study of technology within the work operation, to include integration with and modification of existing systems. There are numerous technologies available that can contribute greatly to the effective and efficient delivery of police services, and IACP has identified several of these in this section. Many of these technologies have the benefit of helping the department address and solve crime, while also providing a substantive return on investment. Unfortunately, many of these systems are costly, both for acquisition and maintenance, and funding for these products is always difficult, particularly given the reduction of availability of grants and other subsidized funding mechanisms. Despite the financial impediments, professional policing demands that agencies keep up with technological advances in the field, and this requires capital investment. The second component of this equation relates to the implementation of these new processes. Like any change, implementation is a critical part of the process. In many cases when new technology is deployed in the field, there are various complications, and if not managed properly, this can result in end-users losing confidence in the new tool. Proper implementation of new technologies should involve significant monitoring during the rollout period, as well as robust training and mentoring for staff as they learn the new systems and how these integrate with existing processes. As with the cost of acquisition, implementation processes are expensive, but the success of new technologies is highly dependent upon proper implementation, and IACP strongly encourages leaders to factor this into the deployment strategy. Crime Analysis During the course of this study, IACP examined the capture, analysis, and use of crime and response data within GCPD. Data driven strategies for policing and personnel deployments have become a standard throughout the policing industry, and these processes have proved to contribute to the effective and efficient use of organizational resources. The use of data in the deployment of police resources and personnel is referred to as data-driven or data-influenced approach. This consists of gathering data, converting via analysis by trained professionals, and then using that analysis to guide decision-making by executives and commanders to positively influence public safety objectives that support the mission of the department and the needs of the community. Although the GCPD uses some data effectively in this regard, several staff members indicated that the department is well behind on its analysis of data and in the use of technology. It is important that the department utilizes its available technology appropriately and uses data and intelligence in decisions and deployment strategies. The department also needs to develop a culture of data driven decisions/ intelligence led policing at all levels. IACP is aware that the GCPD does not currently use any formal crime or COMPSTAT-type meeting, and the department should consider some form of this going forward. (More specific recommendations regarding A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 36 IACP Operations and Management Study COMPSTAT are provided in the Appendices.) Properly developed intelligence and data can be used to provide directed activities during available proactive time, a shortfall that a number of interviewees identified. Asset Management Although it was not a main focal point, during this study, IACP had an opportunity to review the equipment available and in use by the department, and to discuss facilities, space utilization, and fleet issues with officers. This section provides a brief overview of those observations. Department Equipment Numerous officers and staff commented to IACP positively about the equipment available to them. This included vehicles, personal equipment, department equipment, and technology. Although some commented that certain equipment could be improved, particularly with regard to technology (as outlined above), most indicated that they had sufficient equipment to do their jobs, even if they felt an upgrade would be helpful. Facilities and Space Utilization The GCPD operates nearly exclusively out of a single headquarters building. The building is modern looking and is in a good location. Although the building appears to have adequate space, it seems that the space has not been strategically utilized. GCPD staff mentioned that there are areas within the building that leak along with other infrastructure issues. In addition, staff told IACP that there were some conflicts over the use of the garage between the investigations staff and vehicle maintenance. Lastly, some suggested the GBNET should have its own space and move out of the headquarters building. It was rationalized that this would be a positive move, in that it would free up space for other uses. Based on the limited review, there are not significant space concerns at this time. However, it would be beneficial for the GCPD to conduct an analysis of their building, to identify any repairs or improvements needed, and to consider a more strategic approach to where staff and other spaces are allocated within the facility. This analysis should examine and consider current space needs, as well as any need for additional space, or expansion. It is important to discuss the request to move GBNET to another facility. As explained, communication between CID and SOD could be better. Moving the GBNET operation to another location would work against improving communications between and among the investigative units at GCPD and, given the communication challenges outlined, IACP does not recommend such a move. Moreover, IACP has recommended merging the CID and SOD units, to include a reorganization of the Investigations Division. Given that recommendation, maintaining these units in the same building is preferable. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 37 IACP Operations and Management Study There are numerous opportunities to improve the use of technology within the GCPD as outlined in this section. These include maximizing the functionality of the current RMS and expanding upon the use of the system by integrating new technology solutions. IACP notes that the GCPD needs to adopt a virtual office philosophy for the patrol officers and this requires equipping them with the appropriate software, hardware, and Internet access required to perform their duties effectively and efficiently. Although the building that houses the police department seems to be serving the needs of department at the present time, the building is at its capacity, and adding personnel that require office space may be problematic. In addition, there are some areas of the building that require repair, and based on the observations of IACP, it is likely that engaging a more strategic approach to the use of the facility may improve space needs. Again, IACP recommends conducting a thorough facility use study and developing a strategic plan for use of the existing space. That plan should also include an analysis of future space needs and possible solutions for addressing any concerns. TRAINING AND EDUCATION Training is housed organizationally in Support Services and is commanded by a lieutenant who reports directly to the chief. It is the only division with no captain. Training also handles the complete hiring process. The personnel assigned to training are passionate, dedicated, and talented. Due to staffing and structure, however, training is prioritized with other tasks. As such, their priorities are 1. hiring, 2. training, 3. engagement/community relations, and 4. armorer, quartermaster, fleet. They work closely with the County Human Resources Department. Additionally, there is a SPOC for Police and Fire at the county human resources level. The GCPD faces significant challenges in ensuring that its officers received essential training. There are insufficient budgetary funds to support all of the training costs associated with inservice training for the patrol force. As a counter to sending officers to the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) in Forsyth, Georgia, the department does have significant access to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) which is located in Glynn County. This facility offers a wide range of top law enforcement training courses and we are informed that it has essentially opened its doors to the GCPD. The GCPD has not fully maximized this training opportunity offer. There may be several reasons for this including staffing shortages which can routinely impact non-mandatory training. Several members interviewed cited supervisor training as an issue as well; they stated that supervisors not only lack the needed supervisory and management skills, but that they also lack knowledge in legal issues and fundamental police procedures. Records indicate that GCPD sworn A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 38 IACP Operations and Management Study supervisory staffing is comprised of twenty-seven members (sergeants and above) and that nine have completed their Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) supervisory certification and six have completed their POST managerial certification. There is not a formal training program for Field Training Officers (FTO), which is critical to the future professionalism and performance of individual officers and the department as a whole. We were informed that the chief has recognized this and made revamping the FTO program a priority. Training appears minimal for FTO personnel, consisting of a four-hour block of instruction. Not all FTO personnel have been through that four-hour course. This has resulted in a wide disparity in the quality of the FTO personnel. There have been instances of an FTO paid less than rookie officers if that new officer happens to be a lateral transfer. There have been instances where officers on probation are serving as an FTO. Obvious consideration of special remuneration for those officers selected as an FTO along with considerably increased training from a formal course seems warranted. IACP was informed that the Training Division is also assigned to handle recruiting and hiring. There is not an adequate budget for the recruiting and hiring process, so much of the resultant efforts are via word of mouth. No formal hiring/recruiting plan exists, and no funding is provided for recruiting efforts or material. The sergeant assigned to Training and Recruiting has been developing recruiting material and video on his own. Likewise, the challenge of building, fostering, and maintaining a diverse department has been a challenge. According to Department Policy, section 17.4.2., of the Equal Opportunity Employment Plan, it is stated that, “the Glynn County Police Department will replace a minority with a minority as a matter of policy.” The lack of diversity within the department is recognized as an issue by the community. Academy The GCPD does not have their own police academy for recruits, but instead uses one of the six state regional academies available to them, with the main academy located in Forsyth, Georgia. With the number of available academies, a new Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) course begins monthly throughout the calendar year. The program is eleven weeks long and consists of 408 hours of training. All police officers in the state of Georgia must complete this training to earn certification through the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST). Staff advised that due to the standardization at the state level, they have little say over the curriculum and training that is offered there. However, staff also explained that after cadets finish the academy program, they receive full orientation to all areas and items specific to the GCPD as a part of their field training. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 39 IACP Operations and Management Study Field Training The Field Training and Evaluation Program (FTEP) is designed to augment education and training received during the basic academy as well as familiarize the new officer with policies, procedures, rules and regulations specific to this department. Upon graduation from the BLET course, the new recruit will enter the FTEP. Newly hired officers, regardless of previous police experience or certification, will still have to successfully complete the Glynn County FTEP before being released for regular patrol duties. The field training program involves instruction from the patrol commander, watch commanders, sergeants, and selected patrol/training officers. In reviewing policy, it appears that GCPD utilizes a format of the San Jose model for field training and that they use a one to five rating scale. The minimum training period under this model is twelve weeks; however, staff was not able to provide information concerning the average length a recruit officer is in the program in Glynn County. They also have structured their program to focus on helping new officers be successful, as opposed to looking for a way to find fault in what they do and failing them out of the program. There was some inconsistent information regarding the field training program. While staff input was generally complimentary, there was feedback regarding the level of standard quality of some field trainers and some inconsistencies between how the different trainers rate probationary officers. IACP notes that this is a common challenge with field training programs and that the best way to minimize these variances is through ongoing training for the field training instructors and continued internal discussion and dialogue about these issues. Higher Education Incentives According to GCPD policy 13.1.4, Educational Incentive Pay, the Glynn County Commissioners have initiated an educational bonus program for members of the GCPD who have earned college degrees. An employee who obtains an associate, bachelors, or master’s degree will be paid a one-time educational incentive bonus, twelve months after the degree is conferred by the educational institution, provided that the employee obtained approval from the chief of police for enrollment, prior to budget approval. Bonuses are paid as follows: • For an Associate Degree, the sum of four hundred fifty dollars ($450.00); • For a Bachelor’s Degree, the sum of nine hundred dollars ($900.00); or • For a Master’s Degree, the sum of twelve hundred dollars ($1,200.00). Additionally, the county encourages employees who qualify to apply for a HOPE scholarship that covers tuition, HOPE-approved mandatory fees, and a book allowance of up to $100 per quarter. As referenced in the Glynn County Personnel Manual, an employee may be paid for the cost of tuition and books for any job-related courses completed, and with prior approval by the chief of police or assistant chief. These types of educational incentives are valuable tools in recruiting and workforce development, and the department and county for the program are to be commended for doing such. This provision should be included in the GCPD policy 13.1.4, to ensure consistency between County and PD policies. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 40 IACP Operations and Management Study Partnerships According to GGCPD Policy 19.2.9, College Affiliation, The GCPD is affiliated with Armstrong State College, a unit of the University System of Georgia (now known as Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus), and Savannah Regional Police Academy, for all POST mandated training and in-service training. The Savannah Regional Police Academy provides administrative coordination with POST for the awarding of training credit and certification of personnel. The GCPD is also affiliated with Brunswick College, where advanced and in-service training is provided through agreements with Savannah Regional Police Academy using POST-certified Instructors. IACP suggests improving and expanding these relationships, and informing department staff of their existence and the benefits of engaging these partnerships. Officer Development In theory and policy, GCPD recognizes the importance of leadership training for those who advance to supervisory and management roles within the organization. GCPD policy 14.2.5, Management Training specifically states: Employees who are promoted to a supervisory position shall receive supervisory on-the-job training from the next immediate supervisor. Training shall include: • Communication of objectives. • Planning. • Monitoring results. • Decision making. • Problem identification, prevention and solution. • Information systems. However, there is an operational gap at the GCPD regarding practice and policy in this area. Staff reported at the time of the onsite visit that the GCPD had twenty-seven sergeants and above. Of that number, only nine had attended and received POST certification for supervisory training, and only six had attended and received POST certification for management training. While the GCPD policy is clear, staff interviewed by IACP indicated that many of the GCPD supervisors and leaders have not been afforded the opportunity for leadership training, which is vital for 21st century policing. When high-potential, highly-motivated employees are presented with the chance to learn, lead, and/or advance, they will take advantage of those opportunities. With this in mind, it is critical for agencies to cultivate and guide these quality employees, or the agency runs the risk of said employees becoming disenchanted, or even seeking to leave the agency for other career opportunities. The GCPD does not have a formal system in place to identify these employees, or a training program to cultivate them once identified. In order to prepare those within the department for promotion to supervisory and command-level positions, the department must create an A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 41 IACP Operations and Management Study atmosphere that not only encourages personnel development, but one that specifically prepares staff for those opportunities through an intentional process. Accordingly, IACP recommends that the GCPD establish a program that identifies and develops potential leaders, as well as those who have already been promoted; this should be an element of the mentoring program recommendation. GCPD has identified by policy a number of well recognized, highly effective leadership training programs such as: • Institute of Police Traffic Management, Jacksonville, Fl. • International Association of Chiefs of Police, Alexandria, VA and various locations around the country. • Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Brunswick, Ga. • FBI National Police Academy, Quantico, Va. • Southern Police Institute, Louisville, Ky. • Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) IACP recognizes the value in each of these training areas and recommends their continued use. However, because these opportunities typically occur as a short-term event, as opposed to an ongoing process, we also recommend on-going training as well. Personnel development requires a long-term focus, and IACP encourages the GCPD to consider taking additional steps to formalize the process of leadership and talent development within the department. Because of its location, FLETC can also be an ideal partner in helping the GCPD train its current and future leaders. FLETC offers an eight-day training program titled, Law Enforcement Supervisors Leadership Training Program, that focuses heavily on human capital development disciplines, and their interaction with the law enforcement mission and culture. Records Currently, the GCPD tracks training records through the training section, or by what is submitted by the officers. Once this information is received by the training unit, these documents are maintained in a paper file system. Although a record of the training is maintained, it is very difficult to retrieve information. Further, when IACP requested and received data from the GCPD on officer training hours, the records reflected an average number of training hours of 68.13 for each patrol officer. In discussions with officers, many described their annual training hours as exceeding state minimums by many hours. This discrepancy may result in the summary of the training hours as inaccurately low, which is likely the result of record keeping, and the ability to retrieve these data for each officer, or in aggregate. There are several software systems that address the training record needs of a modern police agency. IACP recommends that GCPD explore the various systems in use and consult with Georgia A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 42 IACP Operations and Management Study POST in order to ensure a similar or compliant system. IACP recommends that the GCPD move away from using paper files as the primary means to manage training records. Retrieval of records from this type of system is cumbersome, at best, and this method is not designed to act as an interactive training records repository. There may be fiscal limitations; however, training records software would help eliminate redundancy, reduce liability, create a place to more accurately track records and documents, ensure compliance with training requirements, and make it easier to find information when needed. Required and In-Service Training Like all States, Georgia requires pre- and in-service training for all peace officers. In Georgia, officers are required to receive a minimum of twenty hours of annual training, in addition to firearms requalification and use of force training. The GCPD ensures that each officer receives this training, but also includes annual training for officers on: • Firearms • Legal updates • Vehicle pursuit policy • Ethics • Domestic violence • Use of force policy • Any other training prescribed by law Based on feedback from staff, policy review, and the data provided, officer training is a priority for the GCPD. IACP agrees with this philosophy and recognizes that training is a critical element in ensuring officers are well equipped to perform their jobs, in reducing liability for the department, and as part of overall personnel development. At the same time, it is also important for agencies to balance the amount of time dedicated to training against operational objectives. Many officers interviewed by IACP reported that their annual training well exceeded the minimum standard of training as required by Georgia POST. These statements raise three issues. First, if these statements are accurate, then the average annual training hours of 68.13 as reported to IACP by the GCPD, is understated. Second, it would affirm the concerns noted above that the current training records system is not appropriate, or adequately collecting the full number of training hours for officers (or the system cannot accurately produce these data). Third, if annual training hours are averaging four to five times what POST requires, the department needs to consider whether a more intentional and directed training plan should be in place, to ensure that there is a better balance between training time provided, and operational needs for the department. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 43 IACP Operations and Management Study In addition to the number of training hours officers receive, another area that draws upon officer time involves the ancillary duties of officers, and the associated time commitments. Several of those interviewed by IACP stated that they have a number of supplemental jobs that are outside of their primary job function. During interviews, some officers indicated that they have ancillary duties such as SWAT, range instructors, self-defense instructors, and other various duties. To maintain proper training with these ancillary duties, some employees train two to four times a month. As indicated above, ongoing training of officers is of critical importance. However, as important as training is to maintaining excellence, efficiency, reducing liability, developing personnel, and increasing morale, it is also important to ensure that it does not dilute the availability of officers to perform their primary job function. GCPD needs to gain a complete understanding of what ancillary duties officers engage in and the time commitment involved that takes them away from their primary job function. There is no apparent method in use to track the type, number, and hours associated with the ancillary duties in which officers are engaged. If it is determined that the number of hours is excessive, the GCPD may need to consider reallocating certain ancillary functions or moving some officers into different roles. In addition to the records issue, there is no apparent formalized training plan for the department, outside of the mandatory training offered to officers. This means that training for officers is not focused or oriented toward any particular direction or category of work. Further, this limits the ability of department leaders to examine the time commitments, and to make informed decisions about how to best manage resources, and how to balance training needs against operational requirements. IACP requested information concerning the number of training requests submitted by staff and the number that were approved. GCPD was not able to provide this information as it was not currently tracked. Use of Force IACP recommends that the GCPD review and revise its use of force policy to ensure that it is in compliance with law and reflects the best practices in the police industry; a key focus of this should include training. While the GCPD policy states that officers receive use of force training every year, there is no documentation as to the subjects covered, the length of the training, etc. Using the guidance 21st century policing, IACP recommends that the yearly use of force training for the GCPD include scenarios requiring officers to make critical judgements. Perhaps the most critical element to include in this training involves de-escalation tactics and training. Police agencies that have emphasized de-escalation over assertive policing have seen a substantial decrease in officer uses of force, including lethal force, without seeing an increase in officer injuries or fatalities. More comprehensive tactical training also helps prevent unnecessary uses A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 44 IACP Operations and Management Study of force. Instead of rushing in to confront someone, officers need to understand that it is often preferable to take an approach that protects them as they gather information, develop plans and make contact from a safe distance. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, PROMOTIONS/ASSIGNMENTS A consistent theme expressed by employees in a wide variety of ranks and assignments was frustration with the system – or perceived lack of effective systems – for fairly selecting employees to fill specialized and investigative assignments. This is not an uncommon observation in many departments and included comments that the current process favors non-patrol assignments and the most promising employees are often selected for these assignments (frequently very early in their tenure), which makes patrol officers feel unappreciated, void of talent, and creates challenges to maintain motivation. It is a common mantra that patrol is the backbone of the agency, but ensuring that officers feel that way as supported by practice is an equally common challenge. There does not seem to be a standardized or structured seniority system. Other observations included that some officers are leaving or considering leaving the department for similar pay and benefits but for more opportunity in specialized assignments in other agencies. Employees expressed that they believe selection is not fair or objective and, instead, the existing processes frequently include predetermined results. Again, not an uncommon feeling in many police agencies and, often, the perception is not reflective of the reality. Department leadership should, however, be cognizant that these feelings are pervasive at GCPD and may merit a formal response. As the law enforcement profession currently faces great challenges, one critical element for improvement is garnering and maintaining public trust, which includes, in part, staffing policing agencies with officers that are representative of the communities they serve. Law enforcement departments across the United States have struggled with these issues traditionally, but there is mounting evidence that departments are facing even greater difficulty in their hiring practices today.2 As the 21st Century Policing Task Force Report noted: To build a police force capable of dealing with the complexity of the 21st century, it is imperative that agencies place value on both educational achievements and socialization skills when making hiring decisions. Hiring officers who reflect the community they serve is also important not only to external relations but also to increasing understanding within http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21713898-stronger-economy-partly-blame-police-departmentsstruggle-recruit-enough (Posted: January 7, 2017) 2 A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 45 IACP Operations and Management Study the agency. Agencies should look for character traits that support fairness, compassion, and cultural sensitivity. 3 Because of the importance of attracting and hiring quality personnel, IACP has engaged considerable resources in analyzing and evaluating recruiting and hiring processes used by agencies. This section outlines the processes in use by the GCPD and IACP offers insights and recommendations from some of the more recent work done by IACP on this subject. As a part of this study, IACP asked staff at the GCPD to complete a recruiting survey designed to capture relevant data regarding recruiting, retention, selection, and hiring strategies. IACP has used this same study to collect data from several agencies around the country who are demonstrating best practices in hiring. Throughout this section, IACP will reference data from this survey and, in particular, how this data relates to the practices of the GCPD. This study revealed the following key components of the GCPD recruitment process. The GCPD provides a competitive benefits package and has a positive reputation that enhances its lateral recruiting. The current recruiting method most used by the GCPD is word of mouth, which has resulted in the current staffing configuration within the department and one that is not necessarily representative of the community being served. No funding is allocated for any recruit efforts or recruiting materials, and there is no department member fully dedicated to recruiting. However, the sergeant tasked with recruiting, as an additional duty, is currently developing recruiting material and a video, on his own. Despite these efforts, there is no formal recruiting or hiring plan, other than the policy that pertains to equitable hiring, 17.4.2 Equal Opportunity Plan. The GCPD needs to improve its recruiting; the department needs a coordinated centralized effort. In the competitive hiring market in law enforcement today, quality officer candidates have many choices. Unless the department is willing to invest in hiring, the department will fail in meeting its hiring needs. While every agency wants the highest quality candidates, effective agencies that are committed to community policing and the principles of 21st century policing, want the highest quality candidates who are reflective of their community. To achieve this, GCPD needs a clear recruiting strategy. In February 2017, IACP published a best practices report titled, Recruiting for Diversity in the 21st Century: Lessons Learned from 10 Cities. In analyzing the best practices from the study agencies, the following common core themes emerged as critical to their success in recruiting and hiring 3 Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; Published 2015; page 52 A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 46 IACP Operations and Management Study the most qualified personnel as sworn police officers, who are both reflective of their communities, and possess the skills and abilities needed for 21st century policing. • Efficient and effective hiring process • Significant police department involvement in all phases of hiring process • Extensive use of social media and electronic recruiting • Tracking applicant sources of interest Traditional police hiring practices tend to disqualify candidates with negative issues discovered through the hiring process. In order to hire 21st century officers, departments need to change their orientation and focus hiring on those candidates that model the values and vision of the community and the police department. This new focus requires police departments to establish and publish their visions and values. More importantly, these visions and values need to become the core of their daily operations, as well as their recruiting and hiring programs. IACP notes that many police agencies engage in a variety of active and passive recruiting methods, including advertising on their webpage and through social media, publishing job openings in trade publications, distribution of hiring brochures, and visits to other police academies, colleges, and job fairs. Although attendance at job fairs, colleges, and police academies are important, particularly from a public relations standpoint, the data from IACP recruitment surveys indicates that the most successful strategies for recruiting occur through electronic media (e.g., website, social media) and word of mouth. IACP also notes that the GCPD does not have a specific recruitment plan. A good recruiting plan can establish priorities and it also helps everyone within the department understand how the recruiting by all can help toward attaining organizational goals. The recruitment plan should identify the areas where the department will advertise and recruit candidates to include multiple traditional and web-based methods, and it should also outline the relationships between GCPD and various educational and law enforcement training institutions. The plan should also describe the commitment of the department to establishing a workforce with an ethnic, racial, and gender balance that is also representative of the community it serves. Further, the plan should include specific steps and strategies that will be used in order to accomplish these goals. Workforce Diversity Building a diverse workforce is an important aspect of contemporary policing. Based on discussions with staff, and in examining data for the GCPD, there is a need to work to build diversity within the department to be more reflective of the community. IACP acknowledges that the GCPD is aware of this issue. Based on feedback received by IACP, the lack of diversity within the department is also recognized as a concern by the community. The department has a policy statement in its directives that is likely contrary to current law; the policy 17.4.2, Equal A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 47 IACP Operations and Management Study Opportunity Employment Plan says, “The Glynn County Police Department will replace a minority with a minority as a matter of policy.” This issue was brought to the attention of the county manager prior to the replacement of the previous chief; this is not an approach or strategy that IACP recommends or supports. Based on provided data, the composition of the GCPD is primarily white, at 86 percent of the total number of officers; the department has 16 officers who are persons of color. The racial make-up of the Glynn County is primarily white, at 69.3 percent of the population (see Table 2). Other significant race percentages include African Americans at 26.6 percent, and Asian Americans at 1.5 percent. Based on the data shown in Table 10, the GCPD is not reflective of the diversity of the population in Glynn County. However, in many cases, increasing this number by one or two officers would bring the department much closer to parity with the community percentages. Another area of disparity in the diversity profile for the GCPD relates to the representation of the Hispanic population. The percentage of the population in Glynn County that identifies as Hispanic is 6.9 percent. As shown in Table 10, the percentage of Hispanic officers in the GCPD is 0.84 percent. Again, this is an area that requires some additional focus and attention, and the development of a recruiting plan, as recommended in this section, should aid the department in making progress in this area. Given the fact that the GCPD only has sixteen female officers within its ranks, it is very positive that the department has four female officers in supervisory positions. However, the GCPD only has three persons of color within its supervisory ranks. Again, the low numbers of persons of color within the agency are likely a contributing factor. As indicated throughout this section, the GCPD needs to do a better job of targeted recruiting, with a focus on building racial, ethnic, and gender equity throughout the agency. The department also needs to ensure that they are encouraging personnel development for women and minorities; this may require a focused mentoring strategy, in addition to enhanced recruitment efforts. Selection The hiring process outlined in policy for the GCPD is similar to many police agencies in the United States. The chief of police has the authority and responsibility for the selection process for the GCPD. Coordination of various preliminary tasks associated with selection of candidates for employment will be handled by the personnel department and/or the training coordinator and/ or private vendors; however, final approval of all elements of the selection process and recommendation for employment shall be made by the chief of police. The selection process consists of fifteen elements, each designed to perform a singular function which will give an overall description of a candidate’s qualifications and aptitude for police work. According to Policy 18.1 Selection: Professional and Legal Requirements, they are: A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 48 IACP Operations and Management Study • • • • • • • • • • • The application is submitted to the GCPD A written pre-employment aptitude test will be administered to each new applicant The physical fitness test identified as the "DENVER STANARD MODEL” will be used A psychological evaluation is conducted A background investigation is conducted by the training coordinator or internal affairs investigator An oral interview is conducted by staff personnel selected by the chief of police Use of a computer voice stress analyzer (CVSA) or polygraph examination A process assessment is conducted of all applicants who complete the selection process and are found to be suitable for employment. The chief of police conducts this assessment and from it selects personnel most suitable for employment. A medical examination is required by Glynn County A drug screening test is also administered The county manager grants authorization to fill the vacant position with the individual selected. While the policy spells out a comprehensive process for determining a candidate’s qualifications, the information provided by GCPD in the IACP Recruiting Survey and on their web-page, indicates the selection is based on a much less comprehensive list, which is identified below. • Pre-background Investigation (Criminal History Screening) • Oral Interview • Psychological Examination • Successful Completion of a Background Exam This is a further example of the issues mentioned regarding the policy manual, where the written policy does not match the current department practices. IACP recommends that GCPD clearly identify the tools that it will utilize in evaluating candidates and insure that recruiting materials, policies and practices all match. The average timeline reported for applicants to move through this process at the GCPD is about four months. This timeline is shorter than many agencies IACP has studied, and the GCPD reports that they have not noted a loss of applicants as a result of the hiring timeline. Many agencies with much longer hiring timelines have expressed this as a concern, so it is a positive sign to note that the GCPD has not experienced this issue. In the recruiting survey, IACP asked the GCPD to provide data regarding the number of officer applications they have received over the past three years; the GCPD did not provide these data. However, discussions with staff indicate that the number of applicants has declined in recent A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 49 IACP Operations and Management Study years. These comments reflect a stated pattern, which is similar to the experiences of many other agencies around the U.S., who are noticing a decline in overall applicants. The GCPD is unable to draw conclusions as to why they have seen a decline in the number of applicants, or whether this is part of the national trend or more unique to Glynn County. The minimum hiring standards for police officer for the GCPD are as follows: • Graduation from high school or GED is required, supplemented by one of the following: o Three years of accountable work history o Two years of military experience (Requires honorable discharge) o Two years’ experience as a police officer in another jurisdiction o Associates degree in Criminal Justice o P.O.S.T. Pre-Service Graduate Certification o P.O.S.T. Certified law enforcement officer in the State of Georgia • In addition, applicants must meet the following requirements: o 21 years of age o Be a US Citizen o Valid Georgia driver’s license o Must become Georgia POST certified within 12 months of employment if not certified when hired. o Pass the Denver Standard Physical Agility Test o Pass a psychological examination o Pass a physical examination o Successfully complete the Department Field Training Program o Have no felony convictions or misdemeanors involving moral turpitude or convictions of domestic violence or domestic violence related offenses. As part of the hiring process, many agencies have identified various disqualification factors, which will cause an applicant to be immediately removed from further consideration. Some of these are based on law (such as having a felony conviction), and others are based on department preference, such as a poor driving record, or other concerning conduct. IACP is not aware of a prescribed list of disqualifying factors that is in use by the GCPD. IACP favors a process that looks for character traits that support fairness, compassion, and cultural sensitivity, and one that points to a spirit of service in the applicant. To that end, departments need to change their orientation and focus hiring on those candidates that model the values and vision of the community and the police department. In some cases, this may require that agencies re-evaluate prior disqualification factors, which may not be as applicable in today’s society. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 50 IACP Operations and Management Study Attrition For many U.S. police departments, and for the GCPD, attrition presents an ongoing challenge in terms of maintaining adequate staffing. Based purely on statistics, the average separation rate for officers should be about 3.33 percent, assuming departments only lose people through retirement. However, as a practical matter, IACP recognizes that the distribution of hiring is often not equal; not everyone stays for thirty years in the profession (or in one place), and some areas are more conducive to lateral transfers among officers. Accordingly, in most agencies, annual retirements usually fall below the average calculation rate. Some officers in the department will leave for other reasons, which invariably increases the overall separation rate. Taken as a whole, the voluntary separation rates for the GCPD are excessive. They are significantly higher than the comparative data collected by IACP. Unfortunately, the high percentages of attrition in GCPD are not an anomaly but rather a pattern of steady increases since 2012. However, preliminary data provided to IACP for 2017 indicated that the attrition rate may have stabilized. IACP is aware that to address attrition issues, the GCPD has worked to improve the overall quality of the work environment, and that they have made improvements to the pay scale, and they have hired a new chief of police. These are good steps in terms of working to avoid attrition. Based on data provided in the recruitment survey, the GCPD hired twenty-one officers in 2014, twenty officers in 2015, and twenty-six officers in 2016. Many of these hires were lateral entrees from other agencies, not requiring attendance at one of the regional academies. The department has had only one officer candidate fail the academy during this period. Once these officers complete the training academy, they are then sent through a field training program at the GCPD. The GCPD reported to IACP that there were two officers who did not complete the field training program in the years 2015, and 2016, for a total of four officers over the two-year period. The reasons cited for these failures was not tracked by the Glynn County Police. Again, the overall separation rates are concerning, as the loss of officers is costly both from a fiscal and an operational perspective. Law enforcement attrition is a complex and difficult issue to manage. In many instances, the turnover occurs in trends. To identify these trends, agencies must track when officers resign from the department. As departments seek to find the causes for attrition, officers must have an integral role in the process. One of the most important areas to clarify in this phase is to ask employees what is important to them and their opinion of why employees are leaving. It was reported to IACP that the county human resources department is apparently doing exit interviews. While this is appropriate, it is important that the data are shared with GCPD for inclusion in its overall retention plan. Gaining a full understanding of these issues can equip leaders with the information they need to reduce these rates, which ultimately benefits everyone. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 51 IACP Operations and Management Study Virtually every staff member of the GCPD interviewed by the IACP reported that pay is the largest morale issue. While the recent across the board raises were very well received, employees have no confidence in future raises. While the officers have a career track available to them, which can result in a 50 percent pay increase, officers apparently have no confidence that funding will be in place to support the career track raises. While compensation plays an important role in the overall retention plan of an agency, it is not the sole reason why people stay or go. The overarching goal of the retention efforts for any department should be to maximize factors keeping employees in an organization, while limiting the factors causing employees to leave the department. Beyond just establishing a career track that employees have confidence in, IACP recommends that GCPD develop a comprehensive retention plan. IACP Best Practices Guide for Recruitment, Retention, and Turnover of Law Enforcement Personnel by W. Dwayne Orrick, Public Safety Director, Cordele, Georgia, is an excellent resource for developing a retention plan. Promotion In addition to recruiting and hiring, IACP also examined the promotional process for the GCPD, including discussions with officers about this process. Staff explained that promotional processes involve a testing and evaluation process that is done in accordance with the promotional guidelines established by the Glynn County human resources department. Staff explained that the process may be different for each rank, and for each hiring process offered. The process to be used is generally approved by the professional services commander, and the chief of police. IACP examined the department policies to look for clarity on the processes used for promotion within the GCPD. The reference that IACP could find was in chapter 20.1 of the manual, titled Promotion: Professional and Legal Requirements. which relates to promotions. The policy appears very comprehensive and seems to utilize industry best practices in constructing and implementing promotional processes. For example: The Department utilizes written examinations which were developed through a job task analysis of the particular position being tested for and were reviewed to ensure that the content was fair and job-related. Although IACP did not receive any complaints about the specific promotional processes at the GCPD, there was the underlying thread that the policy had not always been followed and that department members often felt that promotions were based upon who you know, not what you know. IACP would recommend that the GCPD define a process to be used in promotions, whether separated by rank, or one that is consistent for all promotions, and that process should be outlined and included within the department policies. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 52 IACP Operations and Management Study Building and maintaining diversity and gender balance is an ongoing process, and one that the GCPD should continue to monitor and strive to achieve. In analyzing the best practices from the survey agencies, and recent projects completed by IACP, the following common core themes emerged as critical to their success in recruiting and hiring the most qualified personnel as sworn police officers who are both reflective of their communities, and possess the skills and abilities needed for 21st century policing. • Efficient and effective hiring process • Significant police department involvement in all phases of hiring process • Extensive use of social media and electronic recruiting • Tracking applicant sources of interest Although these concepts may not be new, their importance is affirmed by the findings of IACP, and the data in this section. As a reference, IACP also recommends that the GCPD review the recently released joint report by the U.S. Department of Justice and EEOC titled, Advancing Diversity in Law Enforcement.4 IACP also has additional data from a recent hiring and recruiting project, which can be provided to the GCPD to support this review and analysis process. INTERNAL AFFAIRS, USE OF FORCE, DISCIPLINE Internal Affairs (IA) is a critical and necessary function of any police organization. Quality internal investigations protect the integrity of the Department and individual members and build trust and credibility with the public. The debate as to whether or not police can police themselves is arguably obviated by a well-organized, professional, and transparent internal investigations process trusted by both the community and the police. Some interviewees and community members expressed some distrust with the fairness and thoroughness of IA investigations conducted by the GCPD. The existing process calls for the chief of police to determine whether or not a case is investigated and there do not appear to be strict investigative protocols regarding which serious events or offenses trigger an IA investigation. In 2016, there were nine cases. Clarity is needed to identify which complaints are investigated at the unit level and which matters are investigated by Internal Affairs. Regardless, all complaints, both internal and external, should be tracked. The use of some form of early warning system (EWS) is marginal and it is seemingly left up to individual supervisors for tracking and implementation. There is not annual report published which could be shared with the community. Clear policies regarding all internal investigations are necessary to build public and internal trust, and would include how the complaint process works, which matters are handled by field supervisors and which are investigated by IA, and when an outside agency should be used in 4 https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/interagency/police-diversity-report.cfm A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 53 IACP Operations and Management Study cases of police shootings, for example. Citizens and officers must be confident that the process is professional, transparent, and fair. Multiple interviews with employees of all ranks and assignments revealed a consistent theme concerning accountability and discipline. The GCPD should be heartened by the fact that employees consistently expressed strong feelings in support of transparent and equitable accountability. Unfortunately, these same employees noted that discipline and accountability have been inconsistent and feel that they often varied unpredictably in recent years. Their accounts report this inconsistency appears to be typically based on personal relationships with other employees. Employees reported that the perceived inconsistent discipline appeared to have no inappropriate relation to the employees’ race or gender, but rather on personal relationships. A specific area of inconsistent discipline frequently noted was for on duty vehicular crashes. There is a pervasive feeling that the discipline imposed depends on who you are and that accountability and discipline are uneven and unpredictable. It should be noted that this perception is not uncommon among police agencies and that effective tools exist to counteract and address both the perception and reality attached to discipline. Discipline is a personnel matter and often confidential which adds to the mystique and rumor mill. And because often only those cases where members discuss their own punishment are known, valid data for the sake of comparison for the regular officer generally are not shared. This may add to the perception of unfairness, as is not unique and the case with many departments. Likewise, ensuring that members of the department understand the disciplinary process and how sanctions are meted out is important for morale. Most importantly, since the purpose of discipline is to change behavior, understanding the process is critical to continuing to improve the department and reduce repeated issues. Differentiating between performance issues and disciplinary issues is also critical. An effective Employee Assistance Program is a critical tandem partner to an effective and well-articulated disciplinary system. Part of that disciplinary system, at the adjudication stage, should include consideration of critical factors, also known as “Douglas Factors.” 5 The Professional Standards unit is responsible for conducting internal affairs investigations, as well as overseeing the department’s accreditation process through the Georgia Chiefs Association. This section has one full-time captain. The purpose of the internal affairs function is 5 https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/employee-relations/reference-materials/douglas-factors.pdf A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 54 IACP Operations and Management Study to ensure that the department's integrity is maintained through a system that provides an objective and fair investigation and review of complaints against department employees. This position reports to the assistant chief; however, IACP has found that it is commonplace in law enforcement agencies to have the head of the IA function reporting directly to the chief of police. This is done in part, to ensure the integrity of the IA process, to minimize gaps in communication, and to remove any suggestion of interference by anyone of a rank in the middle. IACP does not have a formal position on this structure but believes that the GCPD may wish to examine this issue to determine whether this is the structure they want to maintain. Complaint Processing Complaints against department personnel can originate either internally or externally. Citizens wishing to file a complaint must typically come to the police department to obtain a complaint packet; however, depending upon the circumstances, citizens can also file the complaint over the phone. If a staff member wishes to file an internal complaint, the typical method would be to make the report to their direct supervisor. However, staff can also make a complaint directly to the commander of Professional Standards. Most initial complaints are routed to the watch commander or shift/unit supervisor. The policy (30.2.4) states that: It is the responsibility of all police department employees to ensure that any citizen desiring to make a formal complaint (written or verbal complaint of a major violation) against police personnel or procedures is placed in contact with appropriate personnel. Employees shall immediately notify their supervisor of the citizen's desire to make a formal complaint. The watch commander or any supervisor notified shall be responsible for taking and recording the complaint and forwarding it as soon as possible to the office of the chief. GCPD utilizes citizen complaint forms which are kept in the patrol division supply room and are logged out by a supervisor in the citizen complaint form log book when issued to a complaining citizen. The log will include the date; last and first name, address, and phone number of the complainant or person requesting a copy of the form, and a legible signature and date of the supervisor giving issuing the form. All completed complaint forms will be received by an on-duty supervisor, who will sign and date the receipt of the form. The supervisor will provide a copy of the form to the complainant and then forward it to the chief of police. The policy of the GCPD is to investigate all complaints against departmental personnel. The department policy establishes general categories that are used in determining the severity of offenses and appropriate investigating authority response. The categories are: • Minor Violations: (investigated by appropriate supervisor) o Complaint such as inappropriate driving, rudeness, untidiness, tardiness, or failure to follow procedures or legitimate orders. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 55 IACP Operations and Management Study • Serious Violation: (may be investigated by supervisor) o Complaint such as disrespect toward supervisor, drunkenness on duty, sleeping on duty, neglect of duty, false statements or malingering. Watch commanders and shift supervisors conduct investigations into minor violations against subordinate personnel and, if appropriate, conclude with a disciplinary conference with the employee which shall be documented and forwarded to the appropriate division commander. Watch commanders and shift supervisors have the authority to administer discipline for minor violations and to dispense written reprimands and conduct corrective discipline conferences with subordinates. All complaints considered as major violations are referred to the office of the chief who will, at his or her discretion, route them to the office of professional standards for investigation and/or review. Classifications of complaints investigated by professional standards are: • • Harassment: o Complaint about a department member's bearing, gestures, language or other actions which reflect discredit upon the officer and or department. o Sexual harassment between employees.  All allegations of sexual harassment will be fully documented and sent directly to the office of the chief with the appropriate management response documented on date of occurrence or notification. Major Violation: o Search: Complaint that the search of a person or their property was improper, in violation of established police procedure or unjustified. o Entry: Complaint that entry into a building or onto property was improper and/or that excessive force was used against property to gain entry. o Arrest: Complaint that the restraining of a person's liberty was improper or unjustified. o Excessive Force: Complaint regarding the use or threatened use of force against a person. o Crime: Complaint regarding the involvement in illegal behavior, such as bribery, theft perjury, or drug violations. All complaints recorded on the citizen complaint form of the department, and all complaints of an alleged major or serious violation received by the department are, by policy, filed and maintained by the office of professional standards in accordance with General Order 30.3. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 56 IACP Operations and Management Study For complaints of a minor violation that are investigated by the immediate supervisor, it is the supervisor’s discretion to keep a record of a minor complaint based on a case-by-case basis, e.g., history of the officer, etc. Generally, per policy, IA investigations data are confidential, and will only be available or released to the officer or officers involved, or upon a court order or direction of the county attorney. In cases involving formal discipline, a copy of the disciplinary action will be placed in the personnel file of the employee. Statistical Data As part of this analysis, IACP reviewed complaints against the department, and the disposition of those complaints. The information provided only included data regarding cases that were forwarded to IA for investigation. Currently, supervisors categorize complaints based on a preliminary investigation and review, but those that are not routed to IA are not recorded in any centralized location. IACP favors complaint processes that allow for resolution at the supervisor level. In many instances, when minor cases are managed at the supervisor level, officers have less stress about the process, and are they are more likely to be comfortable with the outcome. However, the lack of centralized documentation of these cases makes it impossible for the department to know how many complaints have been filed against the department, or even against any individual officer. Because of the narrow scope of individuals involved, this process also has the potential to have different standards applied by different supervisors, which can lead to unequal or unfair practices, or at least the perception of this by officers. There was some difference regarding dispositions of the complaints in years 2012 to 2015, as opposed to 2016. In prior years, the maximum number of complaints that were founded, or which involved a finding of poor judgment or a policy violation, was two. However, for 2016, there were four such findings. Between 2013 and 2016, there were no more than two IA cases that originated based on an external complaint. In 2012 however, there were seven. Thus, when analyzed with the total number of complaints, the increase in the total number of complaints in 2016 was driven by internal complaints. IACP also notes here that the number of IA investigations is relatively low. This is could be the result of several factors, including a strong set of professional and ethical principles, recognition by staff that accountability within the agency is robust and desired, and the management of minor complaints at the supervisor level. However, since complaints managed at the supervisor level are not tracked in a central location, IACP has no way of knowing whether some complaints should have been forwarded to IA, or even how many complaints have been generated. Although no evidence was adduced or indicated that complaints have been improperly routed, A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 57 IACP Operations and Management Study implementation of a strong tracking system will obviate these concerns. In the absence of any information to the contrary, the low complaint numbers are a good thing, as they suggest that officers are doing their jobs properly, even in a particularly contentious period in the history of this country. Oversight One of the areas that IACP looks at when studying complaint processes within police agencies is the type and level of oversight that is involved. The routing of IA complaints that involve several steps and multiple layers of internal review by supervisors, while time consuming, is commendable, as it helps ensure that multiple perspectives have been considered, and that the final disposition is consistent with policy, departmental philosophies, and legal standards. IACP believes that multi-step review is a best practice that GCPD should explore adopting. The GCPD advised IACP that it does not have any external (citizen) or internal (command staff) review of complaints, findings or policies. IACP does not have a formal position as it relates to internal or external review boards of this nature. Instead, IACP considers the individual needs of the agency and the community, and the extent to which the use of such boards is functional, accepted, and whether they contribute to transparency and public trust. IACP believes that GCPD should explore these factors in determining if review panels would be beneficial for the agency. Discipline Glynn County Police Department utilizes a number of alternative dispositions (education-based discipline) to correct inappropriate behavior. A scale of progressive penalties permitted by law and the Glynn County Personnel Policy is used. The seriousness of the offense will determine the appropriate action taken such as: • • • • • • • • Counseling Written Reprimand Probationary Period Suspension without Pay Pay Reduction Demotion Discharge from Employment Criminal Prosecution Currently, the GCPD does not utilize any form of a disciplinary matrix. These allow a department to clearly set expectations to the force regarding discipline, and to provide an understanding and A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 58 IACP Operations and Management Study perspective to personnel regarding behavioral issues. Many departments have crafted a matrix to provide guidance and clarity to supervisors regarding disciplinary dispositions. We believe that any such matrix should be used in context with those critical factors identified as “Douglas Factors,” to help ensure that while discipline is consistent and fair, it also takes into consideration critical factors which differentiate the conduct and the employee’s record. There is a complete GCPD policy related to internal affairs, accountability, discipline, and review. This policy includes, but is not limited to the following areas: • 30.1 Internal Affairs Administration • 30.2 Internal Affairs Operations • 30.3 Internal Investigations Records Early Warning Systems (EWS) Many of the interviewees and community members expressed distrust with the fairness and thoroughness of IA investigations conducted by the GCPD. There is widespread belief that the process (under the prior chief) was based upon who you were or knew, as opposed to the facts of the case. The existing process establishes the chief of police as the sole deciding factor if an internal affairs investigation is to be conducted. There are no specific guidelines regarding serious events such as brutality, prisoner abuse, or criminal acts, that serve as immediate triggers for IA investigations. The GCPD needs to put a system in place that can more accurately track early warning system information and all complaint data that do not rise to the level of an IA investigation. Centralizing this information with this system would not be exclusively dependent on the current or specific supervisor, and therefore, tracked data would follow the employee, even if they change supervisors during a rating or evaluation period. This type of a system would also make it easier to identify serious issues or patterns that may not happen frequently, but those which might occur over a greater period of time. The GCPD does not have a formal EWS. The current early warning system is dependent on patrol supervisors to keep track of their own personnel and monitor uses of force and other relevant early warning factors. This system has numerous variables for monitoring possible concerns, but there is no prescribed threshold for determining when or if an intervention is necessary. Moreover, it is also up to the discretion of the individual supervisor as to what information is put into the system, and what that supervisor feels would require intervention. This type of system does not ensure consistency between and among supervisors, and there is ample opportunity for issues of concern to go unnoticed. EWS are important tools in the police disciplinary process and recommends that GCPD institute an EWS policy and incorporate the practice into operations. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 59 IACP Operations and Management Study In attempts to enhance transparency and community trust many agencies are now adopting policies and practices to have outside agencies investigate police shootings and cases where individuals are severely injured by police action. For example, the Savannah Police Department has all police shootings investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). This action does not negate or lessen the importance of the IA function. Rather it strengthens the department’s transparency and the community’s trust. IACP recommends that the GCPD consider such a policy. In general, based on an overall review, the GCPD has an effective internal affairs system, which includes appropriate policies. There are however some major deficiencies. It is evident that there is a culture of accountability within the organization, and that staff members in the organization value the professional and ethical environment of the GCPD. Despite the positive aspects of the policies at the GCPD, the lack of reporting and tracking of complaints that are managed at the supervisor level limit organizational knowledge of officer actions, and works against the functional use of an early warning system. Additionally, the lack of oversight, including both internal and external systems that support transparency, often adds to a level of officer and public distrust of the disciplinary system. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 60 IACP Operations and Management Study CHAPTER IV: RECOMMENDATIONS As the conditions outlined suggest, an array of opportunities exist to enhance, improve, or create new policies and procedures to continue to improve effectiveness, accountability, relationship building, communication, building trust internally and externally, officer wellness and safety, and police operations within the GCPD. This section provides a listing of recommendations for consideration. Some recommendations cross category lines in terms of the nine core areas, so in the interest of reducing redundancy, they are listed in what was deemed the appropriate area. There may be instances, however, where the respective relevance in several areas creates mention in more than one category. Recommendations are based on data analyzed and information gleaned from this study, to include contact with members of the Department and residents alike, and they are based on best practices, 21st century policing recommended approaches, as well as what may best fit for the GCPD. It is recognized that one size does not fit all and that these recommendations must be tailored to the GDPD. Some recommendations essentially speak for themselves while others are buttressed by additional explanation provided. CULTURE, LEADERSHIP, AND COMMUNICATION IACP suggests the following recommendations to establish a change process to evolve the Glynn County Police Department into a 21st century police department. Rebuild Mission, Vision, and Values and develop a Contemporary Leadership Strategy • • • • • • • Develop a robust inter and intra communication system Improve communication systems (including Social Media) to include performance measurement and accountability management meetings, routine patrol visits, department ‘forums,’ and require regular command and unit meetings Re-establish the community forums and increase their structure, predictability, inclusiveness, and formality, as well as participation by all levels of the department Consider things like virtual suggestion boxes to solicit employee input Establish employee working groups, Establish employee-community working groups Use social media to expand department’s community outreach, branding, and two-way information flow Revamp the Mission Statement for the GCPD to highlight crime prevention, building relationships, as well as effective crime fighting. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 61 IACP Operations and Management Study Establish a Process of Providing Data to the Community on a Consistent Basis. Sharing data with the public on a consistent basis is a key factor in establishing, building, and/or maintaining public trust. Moreover, the public should have the opportunity to ask questions about the data so that they can feel confident in understanding what is being presented, and in the actions and behaviors of their police department relative to performing their public safety role. Establish a Deconfliction System Within the Glynn County Police Department. IACP found a significant shortfall in intra-division communication to such a degree that a deconfliction system is needed within the Glynn County Police Department. Using a deconfliction system enables officers to identify operational conflicts and collaborate with other law enforcement agencies and officers. Without deconfliction, officers may unintentionally interfere with another law enforcement operation or action, potentially resulting in injury or death to officers or a negative impact on investigations. IACP recommends that the GCPD implement a deconfliction system. This could involve adopting the federal system currently being used by SOD members or establishing a standalone system for GCPD. Improve Organizational Communication, both Internally, and Externally. Communication, both internal and external, is vital for a modern successful law enforcement agency. IACP recommends that GCPD command staff begin a series of community dialogues across Glynn County. This can involve ideas such as coffee with the chief and/or assigning command officers as direct liaisons to various community groups. Internal communication can be enhanced through roll call visits, newsletters, emails, and police department family functions. This recommendation would include assigning patrol supervisors and officers to geographic areas to improve and provide ownership and accountability. IACP also found a consistent theme of fear of retribution within the staff regarding intra agency communication. While this was clearly identified as a problem prior to the current chief, IACP recommends that GCPD command staff strive to overcome this fear. This can involve real opendoor policies, open forums, and suggestion boxes. Conduct a series of internal discussions to determine how best to improve communications within GCPD. These discussions should focus on current gaps in practice and establishing ongoing, formal mechanisms to overcome any identified gaps. Establish a Program that Identifies and Develops Future Leaders Establish and develop a formal mentoring program for staff, both civilian and sworn, which is implemented both in policy and practice. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 62 IACP Operations and Management Study Review and Revise the Performance Evaluation System Develop a working group of appropriate stakeholders to revise the current performance appraisal system so that it has value, and so that it confirms and contributes to the primary purpose of such systems. OPERATIONS, STAFFING: PATROL, SPECIAL OPERATIONS, INVESTIGATIONS IACP recommends GCPD work with its employees and their employee groups to develop a revamped formal process for selecting employees for non-patrol assignments that is supported by both labor and management and incorporates formal, structured, transparent, and welldocumented processes that are predictable and repeatable. Such selection processes should include clear and consistent announcement of minimum standards for consideration, wellcommunicated evaluation and scoring systems, an acceptable level of objectivity in evaluation and scoring, and a requirement to provide feedback to participants so they can improve their performance in future efforts. There are many ways to structure such selection processes and IACP is agnostic as to specific form or function. IACP strongly supports and recommends any such process be developed with input from those who will participate, supported by both labor and management, memorialized in policy, and subject to periodic audit and review. Specific recommendations include: • Review and Revise Work Schedule for Patrol Operations to maximize use of personnel • Adjust Work Zones as necessary and appropriate • Move to an intentional geographic policing approach • Foster beat integrity and accountability • Establish Minimal Staffing for Patrol Operations • Establish a new baseline for Agency Authorized Strength so that Patrol can be increased by eight officers. This analysis may also include how sworn personnel in other units may be reduced or replaced by civilian personnel to allow for increased staffing in Patrol • CIT training for all officers in the Department A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 63 IACP Operations and Management Study K-9 IACP recommends an analysis of the K-9 programs to clarify the K-9 policy regarding “bark and hold” versus “find and bite for its Patrol Service Dog (PSD) program. Additional recommendations include: • Ensuring that regional K-9 programs engage in similar policy review to standardize one policy for the county • Consideration of a regional K-9 approach through partnerships and mutual aid to provide 24/7 K-9 coverage with the procedure and policy being consistent regardless of agency response There is significant debate in the law enforcement community about the ‘bark and hold’ method versus ‘find and bite’ procedures. IACP does not take a position on whether a department should use a ‘bark and hold’ or a ‘find and bite’ approach for its PSD program. Regardless of which type of philosophy and method a department ultimately supports it is important to realize that PSDs represent low-frequency, high-risk activities and, as such, pose significant liability exposure to a department. IACP recommends GCPD carefully review its written policy, documented procedures, and actual practice regarding the deployment of PSDs while paying careful attention to what types of calls should allow for the use – and release from the handler – of a PSD. GCPD leadership should examine the history of its PSD program and determine if the choices in methodology were deliberately made and trained or a response to an incident or incidents. GCPD should ensure it has strong policy that does not allow a dog to be released from the physical control of the handler unless there is probable cause the suspect has committed a violent felony, a felony and is resisting arrest or detention, or is currently a danger to the officer or others. The lack of such a strong and clear policy is a frequent criticism of ‘bark and hold’ methods because, since the dog is expected not to bite in most instances, departments often allow deployments on less serious offenses and even misdemeanors. All ‘bark and hold’ dogs will bite if the suspect threatens certain behavior and, in fact, it is the dog, once released from the handler, who makes this decision and not the human partner. Consequently, deployments should be strictly controlled by policy, training, and practice. GCPD should also perform an analytical review of the results of PSD utilization to include number of requests (filled and unfulfilled) for PSDs by patrol and specialized units, number of successful apprehensions, ratio of apprehensions to deployment, total number of employee hours spent on training relative to successful apprehension, ratio of deployments to injuries, and ratio of apprehensions to injuries. Such a detailed review of policy, procedures, practice, and outcomes is outside the scope of this study but will provide meaningful feedback to leadership as they assess utilization and deployment of PSDs. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 64 IACP Operations and Management Study It appears neighboring and concurrent law enforcement jurisdictions employ different types of PSDs than GCPD. All jurisdictions appear to be limited in ability to provide consistent, round-the clock, multi-disciplinary PSD support to their jurisdictions by themselves. There are overlapping jurisdictions between Brunswick PD, Glynn County Sheriff’s Office, GCPD, and other agencies all of whom have a need for PSD support in law enforcement but limited ability to provide it. There exists an opportunity to develop mutually supportive PSD programs that provide multidisciplinary coverage more broadly and consistently across multiple jurisdictions by collaborating to build a reginal PSD network. This may be accomplished via mutual aid agreements, memoranda of understanding, or other legal tools as allowed by the State of Georgia. IACP recommends GCPD work collaboratively with its regional law enforcement partners to build an area-wide network of PDS support programs that meet the needs of countywide residents. This also provides an opportunity to contribute productively to a common theme in this study: building and maintaining productive working relationships with other area law enforcement agencies. A regional PSD network would also produce more consistent training, tactics, and policy, and provide efficiencies of scale and cost savings in training and certification. • Review the Written Policy and Practices Governing Police Service Dog (PD/K-9) Operations to ensure that the program is comprehensive and incorporates and clarifies the policy regarding “bark and hold” versus “find and bite.” • Craft a clear policy which also provides for codified reporting processes for all searches, apprehension, bites, and any use of the K-9 • Formalize a process to liaison with and cooperate with other agencies’ K-9 programs to see how they may incorporate and standardize a regional policy and, through cooperative agreements, consider providing 24/7 coverage in the form of a regional approach to K-9 services. Traffic IACP recommends GCPD consider re-organizing the Traffic Unit’s structure and chain-ofcommand such that it reports to a commander whose responsibilities allow more time, energy, and focus to support and leverage the Traffic Unit’s core mission. IACP also recommends GCPD consider – when staffing allows - adding a working traffic sergeant to deploy during evening hours to supervise Traffic Unit officers during those times and to provide mission-specific support and development. GCPD should endeavor to train all officers to perform SFSTs and empower them to do so to maximize the department’s ability to address DUIs, free up Traffic Unit officers for proactive, data driven enforcement, and reduce inefficiencies in field investigations, reporting, and court testimony. While training all officers is likely a long-term project, GCPD could reasonably train two officers per shift preliminarily while building a plan to train all patrol officers. Similarly, GCPD should consider a shift in policy that requires patrol officers to take the majority of crashes and reserve Traffic Unit officers for injury or incapacitating crashes. Consistent with A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 65 IACP Operations and Management Study broader department recommendations, GCPD should pursue utilization of intelligence-led and data-driven strategies to support the most efficient and effective deployment and utilization of Traffic Unit resources. Employing utilization of DDACTS would serve as a solid foundation to build towards a comprehensive intelligence-led approach department wide. Advantages to exploring intelligence-led policing with DDACTS are the availability of data, tools, and training widely available, and the fact that it combines responses to both crime and traffic problems. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety in Georgia supports DDACTs and offers significant resources for learning how to utilize this strategy and obtain necessary data. Neighboring states offer training and resources as well. Evaluate and Reprioritize the Mission of the Traffic Unit and the GCPD approach to Managing Traffic Concerns • • • • Train all GCPD patrol officers in the use of SFSTs, so that they are equipped to manage impaired driving incidents without engaging additional resources Redirect local traffic complaints to patrol staff Assign non-serious motor vehicle crashes to patrol staff Engage a DDACTS process for traffic enforcement by both the Traffic Unit and Patrol officers who are engaging in general patrol duties SWAT Re-examine the SWAT policy and organization • Diffuse the number of SWAT personnel among all departmental units so that certain units are not overburdened with training hours which may impact unit functionality • Liaison with other SWAT operations in Glynn County to standardize policies, procedures, and training • Consider implementation of a joint regional team to improve and enhance 24/7 coverage with less impact on agency operations • Partner with the Glynn County School Police to strengthen communication and collaboration, ensure maximum sharing of intelligence, resources, training, and personnel, and focus on safety, relationships, and mentoring Investigations Implement formal program for Case Screening and Assignment, which includes factors such as staff availability, severity and seriousness of case, and formal Solvability Factors • Institute formal solvability factor program and formal case assignment process • Ensure that Patrol is also using the exact same solvability factor process A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 66 IACP Operations and Management Study • • • • Ensure that maximum communication and coordination exists with CID, Patrol, and Special Operations Consider implementing case assignment based on training and experience of investigators so that the most experienced and most highly trained investigators are assigned the most serious and complex cases, and formalize an internal training process so that investigators can enhance their skills Implement the Case Management Component of the RMS system so that all cases are appropriately tracked and assigned and that supervisors are held accountable for use of this system Develop practices and procedures for timely case assignments, and timely and regular case review Consider merging the Criminal Investigations Division and the Special Operations Division into one Investigations Division to maximize communication and coordination between divisions • • • • Eliminate one captain and one lieutenant and add two sergeants (this maintains authorized staffing at twenty-eight) Add two civilian positions, to include the evidence technician already mentioned and one forensic specialist Create specific teams supervised by sergeants and sections supervised by lieutenants Utilize appropriate FLETC training programs and consider regional technical support capabilities Glynn County School Police IACP recommends GCPD collaborate more closely and deliberately with GCSPD and the school system. Specifically, GCPD should explore opportunities to: • Employ GCSPD officers during summer break to assist GCPD during high demand tourist season • Establish regular meetings and exchange intelligence and crime information which supports community youth, and facilitates improved communication between agencies • Collaborate on training needs, to include formalized and standardized active shooter training and problem oriented policing training • Institute CIT county wide training for all school police and GCPD officers and other agency officers • Forge partnership and agreements for consideration of use of Glynn County School Police to assist with: o Island Patrol during summer months A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 67 IACP Operations and Management Study o Background investigation during GCPD hiring periods o Special events where additional resources are needed, especially during summer months o Prevention and outreach activities for Glynn County youth such as mentoring programs COMMUNITY POLICING/CRIME VICTIM SERVICES Re-establish and re-emphasize Community Policing as the Operational Strategy for the GCPD. • Adopt practices that promote establishing community relationships and building trust, and problem solving • Establish direct partnerships, communication, and meetings with community groups • Implement regular, formalized meetings and communication by geographic area during which: information is shared and received; concerns and issues are identified, tracked, and prioritized in partnership with all stakeholders; and plans are created to address any issues. Provide regular updates on progress for each matter. • Implement a Citizen’s Police Academy • Create a Police Advisory Board comprised of residents from across the County • Assign officers and supervisors to geographic area to increase ownership and accountability and assign lieutenants to larger geographical areas with geographical versus temporal oversight and accountability • To help establish these efforts, ensure that Community Policing is included in all Field Training and is an important element of the Department Performance Appraisal System • Translate brochures into Spanish Develop and Implement an Intelligence Led Strategy at All Levels of the Agency which Supports Performance Measure and Accountability Management • • Establish a functioning crime analysis program in accordance with industry best practices. Take specific steps to integrate ILP philosophies and strategies throughout the organization and the operational culture Add a section on ILP to the Field Training process for new officers A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 68 IACP Operations and Management Study Establish a non-sworn position as the Evidence Room Custodian • IACP recognizes that this unit will have an occasional need for additional resources, but believes that adding one full-time civilian person to this unit, buttressed by training additional personnel for times of need, may be the most efficient use of resources Conduct an Analysis and Review of the Crime Victim Unit • There seems to be a lack of understanding and appreciation of the CVL program by the command staff in recent years. The CVL program has great potential to enhance the community policing efforts of the GCPD by interacting with hundreds if not thousands of victims. A review of the program will allow for revamping, rebranding, and re-organizing the program Create a new policy with applicable procedures for the CVL program which outlines the caseload and notification process, the process for outreach to complainants and identifies by type of offense which victims will be contacted and by what mechanism, and outline a process which includes the interaction with the CVL with command staff, officers, and outside stakeholders. Establish Specific Programs to Engage the Youth of Glynn County • Identify and/or create specific youth programs to engage youth, build relationships enhance juvenile crime prevention, and work with stakeholders to see how the GDPD might partner with them o Police Activities League o Explorer Program o Cadet Program o Boys and Girls Club o Youth Police Academy o Internship programs CRIME VICTIM SERVICES IACP recommends GCPD review its CVL program to ensure top leadership has a thorough understanding of the grant requirements and, furthermore, to develop a coherent vision for how CVL can contribute to the department mission and its commitment to Community-Oriented Policing. Such a review should include a deliberate reformation of the CVL program’s policy/procedures and job description. Such a policy should include requirements that other employees make direct referrals to the CVL in identified circumstances. GCPD should provide the A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 69 IACP Operations and Management Study CVL with a clear line of supervision that includes command authority. GCPD should work with the granting agencies, the state, and local organizations to identify and obtain function-specific training and professional development for the CVL. Leadership should review department-wide policy to ensure it includes values that support victims and the CVL program. The CVL and CVL supervision should be tasked with educating the entire department about the CVL’s purpose, functions, and needs. The CVL should be directly involved in community (external) and department (internal) engagement regarding victim support. The CVL represents a tremendous opportunity to leverage this program in support of Community Policing, relationship building, and problem solving. It is likely the broader community has very little awareness of the work CVL does to refer crime victims to access to compensation and support services. An example of how the CVL can contribute to Community-Oriented Policing would be to coordinate with patrol to have patrol make follow-up visits and referrals to victims and to identify opportunities to create solutions for prolific or high-need victims. This provides the opportunity for police and community to interact in a problem-oriented, supportive environment reflective of the highest ideals of Community-Oriented Policing. There are significant resources available to support victim-centered policing through organizations like DOJ, IACP, OVC, state crime victim compensation programs, local organizations, and others. The IACP, for example, is currently developing a program to provide mentoring to agencies that want to improve their victim support capacity. Revamped CVL policies should outline in which cases there will be CVL contact, with data collection of cases, referrals, and actions taken so that the yearly workload and impact of the CVL can be assessed. We believe the position of the CVL to be invaluable as the CVL can have an impact on a victim or their family regardless of whether or not a case is actually solved or resolve in court. This effort helps build trust in the agency. POLICY REVIEW Establish an entirely new Mission Statement and policy manual for the Glynn County PD to obviate any conflict with previous issues, directives, policies, emails, memoranda, etc. IACP recommends that GCPD use best practices policies such as IACP model policies to establish a new written directive manual, starting with the fifteen most critical policies identified. Once the new manual is established, codified, and implemented, a new policy should be issued rescinding all previous policies and related emails and memoranda. The department should use a more organized format for its policy manual. There are many good best practices examples including IACP Model Policy format and the formats used in the manuals of various accreditation agencies. Specific recommendations are provided throughout this section, and as expressed below. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 70 IACP Operations and Management Study Specific considerations would include: • Craft and implement a new Use of Force Policy which incorporates and complies with best practices and includes critical aspects to include: o discussion of the sanctity of human life o focus on de-escalation and assessment of all options o a higher operational standard for internal review than Graham v. Connor in terms of informing desirable officer performance/response o investigation by an outside entity in the case of police shootings where serious injury or death has occurred o clarity of policies regarding Lethal and Less Lethal Force use and definitions o creation of a Use of Force review board so that Use of Force incidents can also be reviewed in context with training, equipment, and policy • A separate Impartial Policing policy • Standards of Conduct for Off-duty personnel • Process for Victims of Harassment to report to agency outside of Department chain of command • Early Warning System as part of the Disciplinary System • Proper Response and Protocol for calls involving people suffering from mental illness should be developed and incorporated into the manual and into practice • A Disciplinary Matrix which outlines and provides guidelines for disciplinary sanctions for first, second, third, etc., offenses, in context with “Douglas Factors,” as enumerated in Merit Systems Case, Douglas v. Veteran’s Administration • In both policy and practice, implementation of a Lethality Assessment as part of the Domestic Violence response and investigation • Programs and procedures designed to improve wellness of officers and civilians who face trauma • A policy which appropriately addresses specific issues regarding the LGBTQ community • Development of a Policy Advisory Committee and Process • Policy manual and Personnel manual should align IMPARTIAL POLICING (UNBIASED POLICING) Interviews with employees and a review of policy and procedures revealed GCPD may not be collecting comprehensive demographic data on all law enforcement contacts. In particular, it appears data documented on GCPD “warning cards” and certainly on verbal warnings are not documented and aggregated consistently. Documentation of complete and consistent demographic data by police agencies is necessary to provide complete supporting data to assess A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 71 IACP Operations and Management Study compliance with laws prohibiting bias-based profiling and address community complaints and concerns. IACP recommends GCPD develop policy and procedures which require employees to obtain and document complete demographic data on every law enforcement encounter and such data to be aggregated periodically then analyzed by the department to ensure compliance with biasedbased profiling laws. Many departments do not capture such data on warning-only law enforcement encounters. One commonly expressed reason is that doing so would be labor intensive and costly. A possible technological solution is to explore an electronic citation writing system which would automate the process and contribute to additional department wide efficiencies. IACP recommends that GCPD consider additional training in the area of implicit bias to help continue to raise the consciousness of the force in this regard. Such training is not in lieu of what is often identified as “diversity training,” which the GCPD does provide, but rather centers around raising the awareness level of each employee regarding implicit biases held by all human beings. Once recognized, it is suggested that these may be better understood and managed. DATA, TECHNOLOGY, AND EQUIPMENT Improve CAD Data Capture and Extraction Capabilities so that call for service response times, call priorities, in vs. out of beat responses, and unit designations can all be dissected to better evaluate use of resources, and to obviate supplanting of workload. Patrol Unit designations currently do not correlate to beat assignments which limits overall analysis. • Revise system of personnel assignments and unit designations so that these elements are aligned with geographical area assignments and so that this information can be captured by CAD for future analysis • Work with Communication Center and vendor to standardize processes for all agencies using the CAD and County Communications and ensure that all relevant data are captured and extractable for future analysis • Add Patrol Assist Disposition Code in CAD to better track use of resources and officer availability • Implement use of AVL in all units Explore Implementation of an On-line Reporting System • • Explore available products compatible with the current RMS Assess the efficacy and capability of an On-Line Reporting unit capacity within the GCPD which may reduce obligated patrol workload and provide additional time for ILP and Community Policing efforts A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 72 IACP Operations and Management Study • Consider implementation to maximize use of resources, mitigate use of field personnel, and facilitate reporting by the public of certain reports, while ensuring a system is in place for appropriate tracking, follow-up, and response to residents who may use this system Explore Implementation of a Telephone Reporting Unit (TRU) • • Assess the efficacy and capability of a TRU unit capacity within the GCPD which may reduce obligated patrol workload and provide additional time for ILP and Community Policing efforts Consider which lower level reports may be facilitated through implementation of a TRU and consider implementation to maximize use of resources, mitigate use of field personnel, and facilitate reporting by the public of certain reports, while ensuring a system is in place for appropriate tracking, follow-up, and response to residents who may use this system IACP is recommending that the GCPD add and/or expand the following technologies and capabilities as reflected below: FIELD REPORTING TECHNOLOGY RECOMMENDATIONS Mobile Computer Internet Access Driver’s License Swipe Printers e-Citation Each squad car should have a mobile computer or laptop. In today’s technology-rich environment, these devices are an essential and critical element in the work process for officers. Each squad car should have persistent access to the Internet, and each should be equipped with digital cellular access. Ideally, this would involve air cards in each unit, as opposed to hot-spots, which are not as reliable, and which also often have throughput speed limitations. Each squad car should have a D/L swipe. These devices provide for easy data capture in the field, and they help ensure the integrity of the data that migrates into RMS. All patrol vehicles should be equipped with printers, which are capable of producing e-citations, and the printing of other custom forms (see below). All patrol vehicles should have the e-Citation system installed. Some key elements of those systems include: • Auto-importing of data from D/L readers, and from State DMV and Driver’s License files • Ability to select from citation, written warning, verbal warning, or fix-it ticket, as appropriate, and the ability to print associated fine or other warning information, unique and specific to the type of action the officer chooses (e.g. citation or warning). • Embedded location addresses from CAD or other data repository • Embedded statutes and ordinance numbers A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 73 IACP Operations and Management Study Ability to export the citation and all associated data directly into RMS when printed, to include DMV and Driver’s License files • Auto-generation of case/citation file upon creation of the citation • Ability to integrate officer notes into the e-Citation at the time of issuance. • Ability to log all citizen contacts, including the collection of gender, race, and outcome data from the incident. The GCPD should acquire a program that is capable of using custom formatting in the field. These would include, at a minimum: • Crash Information Exchange: The ability to use imported data from DMV and Driver’s License files, to create, print, and export driver and vehicle owner data for motor vehicle crashes • Towing Form: The ability to use imported data from DMV and Driver’s License files, to create and print a vehicle impound form • In all custom forms cases, we would expect the system to push these forms to the associated case file, to include creating or appending the Master Name Index file. A copy of the file should also push to the RMS for storage. • Custom Forms State Crash Report Integration Note: There are likely many other forms that would be helpful for this type of process, which could be identified through different sections of the department. In short, we recommend a system that can generate and map these custom forms to your data system. GCPD should explore integration of the Custom Crash Information Form, with the State Crash Reporting System. This system should autopopulate appropriate fields, and have the capability of pushing to the State System, as well as saving a copy of the State Crash Report to the local RMS. The GCPD could significantly improve the efficiency of the patrol units by adding a robust ecitation and customized form generation program, and by providing additional equipment and software that will allow each patrol unit to become a virtual office that has the same functionality as the systems available within the police headquarters building. This requires a philosophical shift in prioritizing technology as an essential element in the service-delivery model. Accordingly, IACP recommends that the GCPD significantly improve the available hardware and software available for field use, including persistent connection to the Internet so that critical resources can be accessed at all times. In addition to these recommendations, IACP also recommends that the GCPD work with the RMS vendor to develop and engage, or expand the following functionalities, as indicated. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 74 IACP Operations and Management Study RECORDS MANAGEMENT AND DATA INTEGRATION CAPACITIES e-Citation Push Criminal Complaint Push Case Generation Field Reporting Media Storage Solvability Factors Case Management The RMS should have the capacity to push citation data directly to the State/Municipal court system. This should include a review queue for the department prior to submission. The RMS should have the capacity to interface with local or state prosecutors, so that data can be pushed directly into their systems for review and/or the development of a criminal complaint. Officers (sworn or non-sworn) should be able to generate a new record within RMS, either through populating/generating one of the custom forms, through e-Citation, or through just starting a record on their own. They should have the ability to fully populate the record from data collected in the mobile environment Officers in the field should have full access to the RMS from the field. This includes query capability, the ability to create, review, and print any police report, and the capacity to review any aspect of any case file, or documents or media stored within that file. The RMS should have the capacity to store and hold any media files within the case record, to include: PDF or other Office documents (Word, Excel), digital photographs, and digital recordings. (This is not intended for body camera or surveillance footage). The RMS should have the capability of using Solvability Factors (and/or weighted Solvability Factors) for each case, and these should be a useraccessible function. The RMS should have a robust case management system, which includes, at a minimum: • A customizable routing system • Case management queues for each user • Case management views for appropriate supervisors • Tracking capabilities for time/effort on each case • Routing triggers associated with varied stages of the case review process IACP recommends GCPD perform a detailed inventory and analysis of all available space resources and departmental space needs. IACP further recommends GCPD incorporate the results of this analysis in a strategic facilities plan included in the larger departmental strategic plan. Such a long-term facilities plan should include projected space and maintenance needs along with plans for addressing those needs, including funding. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 75 IACP Operations and Management Study TRAINING AND EDUCATION Revise Training Records Storage and Tracking IACP recommends disbanding use of the paper records system in training and implementation of a training records system which tracks and stores all training records. Track Ancillary Duties and Responsibilities A number of officers within the GCPD engage in ancillary duties that are outside the scope of their primary job duty. These can include various instructional roles, such as use of force, firearms, or SWAT. IACP recommends that the time associated with all of these efforts should be tracked. Field Training The IACP recommends GCPD build a FTO program that is consistent with established best practices and standards. A typical standard for a FT program is the “San Jose Model” FT program. San Jose, CA developed the nation’s first formal FT program in the 1960’s. Its success led to the foundation of myriad 21st century FTO programs that exist today. We believe that GCPD ostensibly uses a form of the San Jose model, but we recommend review and revamping of the program. Such successful programs acknowledge there are predictable phases in a police officer’s early professional development and organize training to reflect that reality. They also incorporate key adult learning concepts and practices to provide an environment that prepares and supports all learning types for success. It is not within the scope of this study to outline an entire FTO program, nor would that be advised, as the most effective program will be one custom designed by and for GCPD that incorporates established best practices while acknowledging the resources and limitations of the agency. However, a brief introduction to FTO programs in general is appropriate here. Field training and observation and evaluation should be built upon and based around identified performance categories which include detailed evaluation scoring rubrics. Those categories are well-established in the industry and can be customized to fit a particular agency’s values and specific mission. A typical FTO program requires twelve to sixteen weeks of field training. Field training is typically broken down into required training days. For example, a 16-week program for employees working eight-hour, day-day weeks would entail a total of eighty possible training days (16 weeks x 5 days = 80 training days). Few successful programs require fewer than seventy training days regardless of the length of individual shifts. A typical FTO structure might include five phases (but can be designed in a variety of other formats): • Phase I: Introduction and Orientation (five working days with no written evaluation) • Phase II: Initial training (twenty working days and DORs) A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 76 IACP Operations and Management Study • • • Phase III: Ongoing Training (forty working days and DORs; ideally this training occurs with a different FTO) Phase IV: Final Observation (twenty working days and DORs with original FTO; trainee operates largely autonomously) Phase V (remainder of probationary period). Training should be deliberately progressive beginning with the most basic skills then building up to and supporting complex and compound activities. Each training day in Phases II-IV should include a written Daily Observation Reports (DOR) prepared by the FTO and reviewed by the FTO Supervisor which should then be summarized into weekly evaluations and an end of phase report for each phase along with recommendations by both FTO and supervisor regarding performance and future training. In this example there are eighty possible DORs and the program might allow for missed training days by requiring a minimum of seventy-five completed DORs. Phase V training should include at least monthly observations reports. There should be a formal process at an established time landmark in close proximity to the end of Phase IV to determine if the trainee has successfully completed field training or needs additional training days and, perhaps, another before the end of the probationary period. Field training officers should receive regular training (at least every other year) that includes – at a minimum - fundamentals in adult learning concepts, updates in policy and law, and department values. There are numerous successful models and significant resources to develop a customized FTO program available in the broader law enforcement community. The size, mission, and resources of an agency often dictate how a program will customized. IACP recommends GCPD customize a field training program that meets the basic requirements of modern field training to include selection and training of FTOs, performance categories, formal documentation of training and observations, minimum number of required training days, organization into logical and progressive phases, weekly and monthly review by supervision and command, and formal standards with a supporting process or processes to determine if trainee has successfully complete field training. Furthermore, IACP recommends that after developing such a program the field training program require re-application and re-certification of all current FTOs. Those FTOs accepted into the new FT program should receive supplemental pay to reflect their additional work load and responsibilities. IACP also encourages utilizing field training as an opportunity to contribute to a broader recommendation in this report of building productive relationships with other city departments and area agencies. One way to do that would be to require FTOs and trainees to ride along with departments like fire and EMS, as well as other area law enforcement agencies and invite those departments and agencies to do similarly. This could not only build a better understanding of the mission of those departments and organizations but also improve and build productive personal and organizational relationships. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 77 IACP Operations and Management Study Develop a Strategic and Comprehensive Training Plan One of the most significant challenges facing modern police agencies is ensuring all officers receive sufficient and current training on a regular basis. The Glynn County Police Department is no different and acknowledges it needs to improve its ability to provide such necessary training. The failure of an agency to train adequately represents a potentially devastating risk exposure. The Training Division is currently the only division with no captain in its chain-of-command and instead reports to a lieutenant who reports directly to the chief of police. Employees report (and have formally documented to department leadership) that there are insufficient budgetary funds to support the training costs associated with required annual in-service training. There are also inadequate funds to support specialized and developmental training. Staffing shortages, particularly in patrol, contribute to an inability for officers to participate in no-cost training that would require missed patrols shifts. Several interviewees cited supervisor training as a major problem. Established priorities for Training are, in order: (1) hiring, (2) training, (3) engagement/public relations, and (4) armorer/quartermaster/fleet. Current training personnel appear to be very talented and highly motivated. Their ability to develop and provide training is routinely subjugated to their responsibilities in other areas, in particular their significant responsibilities in the recruiting and hiring process. Training is responsible for the entirety of the department’s participation in the hiring process for new officers. There is a human resource specialist at the Glynn County Human Resources Department who serves as a single point of contact and support for both the Police and Fire Departments. IACP recommends GCPD review the Training Unit’s mission, priorities, and organization to ensure all of its current responsibilities are adequately supported and performed. Specifically, GCPD should consider separating the recruiting and hiring functions completely from the training functions both organizationally and operationally. Both recruiting/hiring and training are vital fundamental functions to a law enforcement agency. The current recruiting and hiring difficulties being experienced nationwide contribute to the difficulty of that important task. It is difficult for a single unit to prioritize such important basic but largely unrelated functions in an effective manner. GCPD should work with the county to have a human resource specialist assigned to and co-located with the police department on a full-time basis to organize and support the hiring process. GCPD should explore hiring retired officers on a part-time contract basis to perform background investigations. Such an approach is highly scalable based on evolving hiring needs and will cost significantly less per employee hour than full time employees. The organizational names “Special Services” and “Support Services” are so similar as to be confusing to employees not intimately familiar with their operations and should be renamed to more clearly reflect function. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 78 IACP Operations and Management Study Community policing and engagement efforts should be re-assigned primarily to patrol and other units. It should be every officer’s responsibility to support community policing. Community policing and engagement efforts should not be relegated to a centralized, specialized unit. GCPD should consider hiring a civilian employee to perform the armorer, quartermaster, and fleet functions. These roles do not need the arrest authorities of a sworn officer. Civilian employees often bring specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities at a fraction of the cost of developing a sworn officer’s knowledge, skills, and abilities and routinely provide longer tenure for such positions. GCPD needs to ensure its supervisors receive Georgia POST-required training immediately and all employees receive basic and annual POST-required training as well as specific training on any weapon they are authorized to carry, to include impact weapon training. Additionally, IACP recommends GCPD develop a comprehensive strategic training plan and program for the department. Such a plan should include high-level value statements about training, address new employee practical training needs through a formal Field Training Program (see detailed recommendation elsewhere in this report), establish training tracks for supervisors and managers using POST requirements as a minimum, establish strategy for POST-required regular annual training, establish strategy for departmentally mandated annual training (such as all weapons authorized for carry), and prepare for additional training needs and opportunities. RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND PROMOTION Develop a Recruiting and Retention Plan Staffing a police department workforce that is representative of the community it serves is a critical element in building and maintaining public trust, and it is a staple of best practices strategies in recruiting and hiring. Given the challenges of the current hiring environment, recruiting high quality applicants and building race, ethnic, and gender balance within police agencies, require specific efforts. For the GCPD, there is a need for a more active and intentional recruiting strategy. Accordingly, IACP recommends that the GCPD develop a recruiting and retention plan that establishes departmental priorities and goals in recruiting and retaining personnel, including the specific steps that the department will take in furtherance of those objectives. IACP recommends consideration of the following in the development of this plan: • Ensure that data from county human resources that are obtained from exit interviews are shared with GCPD for inclusion in its overall retention plan • Secure sufficient funding for the career track program as part of a formalized personnel development plan, and the appraisal system. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 79 IACP Operations and Management Study • • Coordinate with Glynn County human resources to develop new hiring and selection polices Ensure department policies match operational practices Examine Disqualification Factors for Possible Revision The IACP is aware that many agencies have policies and disqualification factors in place, which are prohibiting otherwise qualified candidates from successfully navigating the hiring process. The IACP promotes a hiring process that looks for character traits that support fairness, compassion, and cultural sensitivity, and one that points to a spirit of service in the applicant. To that end, IACP believes that to hire 21st century officers, departments need to change their orientation and focus hiring on those candidates that model the values and vision of the community and police department. It is important to note that this recommendation should not be construed as being supportive of reducing hiring standards. The recommendation is that the GCPD thoughtfully consider the important attributes they are seeking in qualified applicants, and if current policies or practices exist which are in conflict with these goals, IACP would recommend revising them. Examine Core Attrition Causes Although the GCPD tracks the stated reason for attrition (e.g., retirement, resignation, discharge), the department does not engage in a process that thoroughly examines the core factors which contribute to separations. Given the costs associated with hiring, we recommend implantation of a process to study this issue. Establish a Formal Process for Selecting Employees for Non-Patrol Assignments Literally the challenge for almost every department is fulfilling the mantra that “patrol is the backbone of the department.” Associated with that is ensuring that there is a fair, formal, and transparent process for officers who desire to work in specialized units. Consideration as to how this process occurs greatly impacts morale. Likewise, consideration of some form of regular rotation policy, to maximize both the experience gained and the ability to build that experience in all units is important. Establish and Outline Promotional Processes IACP recommends that the GCPD define a process to be used in promotions, whether differentiated by rank, or one that is consistent for all promotions. This process should be outlined and included within department policies. Once established, it should be followed for all promotional processes. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 80 IACP Operations and Management Study Increase social media presence In addition to improving outreach to candidates through the use of the website and social media, the GCPD also needs to reach out to community groups directly for specific recruiting help. There is evidence that within specific groups such as the African American, Hispanic, and Asian communities, there is a level of distrust toward the police which cannot be overcome through the use of passive recruiting strategies. In other words, many possible candidates within these groups require a more direct approach or contact, and in some cases, they require encouragement from formal and informal leaders of their communities in order to pursue a career in law enforcement. In order to find and recruit these candidates, the department needs to form a trusting liaison relationship with these groups, and specialty group leaders need to be persuaded to actively encourage members of their communities to apply to the police department. Specialty group leaders can also help the police department in recruiting members from their communities by linking their websites to the police recruiting website, by including hiring information in their publications, and through direct contacts with community members they feel would be a good fit for the police department. This type of recruiting requires a genuine effort on the part of the police department to build relationships with specialty groups and their leaders, and it also requires that police officials value the candidates that come forward from these contacts. In some cases, candidates may not be ready or suitable for immediate employment as a full-time officer. Make everyone a Recruiter In addition to improving these areas, the GCPD would benefit from adopting a philosophy that everyone within the department is a recruiter. Data collected by IACP suggest that word-ofmouth recruiting is second only to online sources, as the primary method of generating good candidates. Agencies have used various processes to encourage staff to actively recruit good applicants, including offering a cash bonus or a floating holiday, for officers who recommend a candidate that is later hired. Other departments have used business cards that can be redeemed for a ride along with the recruiting officer of the department, or with another officer. Regardless of the methodology, the GCPD should create an atmosphere in which all employees recognize their role as a recruiter for the department. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 81 IACP Operations and Management Study INTERNAL AFFAIRS/DISCIPLINE/USE OF FORCE Internal Affairs IACP, in partnership with the COPS office, published Standards and Guidelines for Internal Affairs: Recommendations from a Community Practice in 2009. This work involved a number of agencies who; shared and developed standards and best practices in internal affairs work, discussed differences and similarities in practice, and looked at various approaches to improving their individual and collective agencies’ internal affairs practices. The project reaffirmed that internal affairs serves two communities—law enforcement and the general public—and internal affairs is essential in building and maintaining mutual trust and respect between agencies and the public. This publication provides a description of many practices that IACP recommends that the GCPD adopt. These include the following: • • • • • Every complaint should be received and evaluated. Complaints can range from irrational statements to clear reports of criminal corruption, thus making an intelligent evaluation of each complaint at intake crucial. The complaint process should be posted and transparent. The descriptions and procedures should be in writing and easily accessible to the public. There should be a variety of means to file complaints. A public complaint form, or other means to file a complaint, should be available upon request at all units and patrol stations ordinarily accessible to the public. If an agency has a website, an electronic version of the complaint form should be on the site, capable of being filled out and transmitted electronically. The complaint process should accommodate all languages spoken by a substantial proportion of residents of the region. Every complaint should be tracked through final disposition. The tracking system should be automated, where feasible, and capable of capturing in separate data fields information regarding the complaint important for case tracking. The tracking system should alert investigators and those responsible for management of the complaint process when deadlines are about to expire or have expired. The documentation of investigations must be thorough, complete, and as comprehensive as reasonably necessary. Using standardized forms or formats helps in quality control, evaluating comprehensiveness and sufficiency of content, consistency, and in recordkeeping. Procedurally, we believe that all complaints should be reported to the director of internal affairs, where they would be fully tracked and determination would be made as to what unit conducts the follow up investigation. Rather than have each complaint routed to the office of the chief of police, the internal affairs director should receive all complaints and then brief the chief of police as appropriate. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 82 IACP Operations and Management Study IACP recommends that GCPD make all IA complaints public on an annual basis, subject to the allowable release of data as based on prevailing data privacy laws. The release of this information does not need to be via a separate report; it can be included in the annual department report. The purpose for this release is to inform the public about the number and nature of these complaints, and the number that are substantiated. This information should result in a greater level of confidence in the process, and it should encourage accountability and public trust. In attempts to enhance transparency and community trust many agencies are now adopting policies and practices to have outside agencies investigate police shootings and cases where individuals are severely injured by police action. For example, the Savannah Police Department has all police shootings investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). This action does not negate or lessen the importance of the IA function. To the contrary, it strengthens the department’s transparency and the community’s trust. IACP recommends that the GCPD consider such a policy. Acquire IA Software to Track Complaints and to Establish an EWS The IACP recommends implementation of a tracking system that can also be utilized by the professional standards unit. Based on discussions with staff, the IA unit is lacking the proper technology to perform its function efficiently. This software system should have the capacity to capture all complaint data, even for those complaints that are investigated by supervisory personnel, and not the professional standards unit. By policy and practice, all complaints received should be entered into the IA software tracking system, so that it can also serve as an EWS. These are important tools in the police disciplinary process and IACP recommends that Glynn County PD institute an EWS policy and incorporate the practice into operations. This system should minimally track performance evaluations, commendations, thank you letters from residents, indebtedness complaints, lateness, on duty injuries, canine bites (if dog handler), internal and external complaints, use of force, on-duty accidents, civil actions, at fault accidents. Some departments have chosen to use a term other than “early warning” system due to its potentially negative connotation. Ideally, this ostensibly a personnel system which allows the department to best monitor outstanding performance as well as proactively recognize those instances where corrective action, training, or discipline or some form of intervention are needed. Assess and Revise the IA Policy to Ensure Fairness, Equality, and Transparency Many of the interviewees and community members expressed distrust with the farness and thoroughness of IA investigations conducted by GCPD, with some staff indicating concerns over the objectivity of IA investigations. The IACP recommends that the GCPD review, evaluate, and update their current policies and practices regarding the IA function, to include a review of the A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 83 IACP Operations and Management Study guidelines found in IACP and COPS office publication, Standards and Guidelines for Internal Affairs: Recommendations from a Community Practice. The IACP also recommends that the GCPD publish annual data on IA cases, as allowed by law. Under Use of Force recommendations, the IACP recommends that the GCPD consider implementing a policy of having an outside agency (such as the GBI) investigate all police shooting cases, and incidents where a suspect is severely injured or killed by police action. Discipline The IACP recommends creation and implementation of a disciplinary matrix to better inform and guide the department as to how it views and handles disciplinary matters. It is a cross-industry best practice to respond to employee conduct issues utilizing a system of progressive discipline combined with education-based training. In such a system it is vital to distinguish between performance issues and conduct issues. Generally, leadership should primarily respond to performance issues with a training and development approach and resort to formal discipline only when performance issues become chronic, resistant to training, and/or deliberate. Conduct which intentionally or knowingly contradicts law, policy, or department values necessitates formal discipline. Emerging practices and research indicate such discipline is much more effective when it is predictable, progressive, consistent, equitable, and combined with and education component. Such a comprehensive system of progressive discipline which distinguishes performance from conduct and combines discipline with training is often referred to as education-based discipline (EBD). A successful EBD program can benefit greatly from a formal discipline matrix (DM). A discipline matrix codifies in policy the concepts of performance vs. conduct, progressive discipline, educational and training responses, and predictable responses to misconduct while providing structured discipline for a variety of conduct issues. Perhaps the best way to explain a DM is by example. In almost all agencies, car crashes are the most frequent source of formal discipline. Discipline related to car crashes was a source of expressed consternation at GCPD. A well-constructed DM might prescribe an oral counseling and remedial training for a first avoidable crash, a written reprimand plus customized driving training for a second, and a suspension for a third – all with provisions to allow leadership to move up or down a category based on articulable circumstances such as the severity of the contributing misconduct. A properly constructed DM acknowledges that not all conduct issues are identical and neither are employees or their responses to discipline. An effective DM will consider leadership’s needs – and its right – to modify individual discipline based on these factors and provide latitude within discipline groups for modification based on aggravating or exculpatory factors articulated clearly and factually by leadership. A formal DM also supports the leadership need to develop and mentor supervisors and leaders by allowing them the authority and responsibility to participate more actively in the discipline process. An EBD program with a DM can include provisions that A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 84 IACP Operations and Management Study incidents involving certain categories or levels of discipline can be handled exclusively by supervisors or commanders below the executive level. IACP recommends GCPD work with its community, employees, and employee groups to develop an education-based discipline policy and program that incorporates a discipline matrix. Many agencies have developed successful programs in recent years and can serve as sources of materials and mentoring. Any such matrix should also incorporate those critical “Douglas Factors,” identified in Douglas v. Veteran’s Administration prior to implementation of any sanctions. Use of Force IACP recommends that the training and policies related to Use of Force issues be revamped to include essential areas of 21st century policing and as identified by current best practices. Given the current law enforcement climate, and the significant liability associated with officer force use, it is critical that agencies engage in use of force training that represents best-practices strategies. IACP recommends that GCPD’s yearly use of force training include scenarios requiring officers to make critical judgements. Additionally, the GCPD needs to ensure that annual use of force training include de-escalation training. Lastly, IACP recommends that the GCPD thoroughly document the annual use of force training provided to officers. Ideally, this would occur through a lesson plan that is kept on file, which clearly explains the course content, length, and instructional methods engaged. Recommendations, as noted in Specific Section 4, Policy, include: • Craft and implement a new Use of Force Policy which incorporates and complies with best practices and includes critical aspects to include: o discussion of the sanctity of human life o focus on de-escalation and assessment of all options o a higher operational standard for internal review than Graham v. Connor in terms of informing desirable officer performance/response o investigation by an outside entity in the case of police shootings where serious injury or death has occurred o clarity of policies regarding Lethal and Less Lethal Force use and definitions o creation of a Use of Force review board so that Use of Force incidents can also be reviewed in context with training, equipment, and policy A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 85 IACP Operations and Management Study CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION The analysis of the Glynn County Police Department by IACP reveals a department that is in a state of transition. IACP found that the staff at the GCPD take great pride in providing service to the public, and irrespective of the recommendations provided, IACP found the GCPD to be a fullservice police agency that has worked hard to respond to increasing service demands. IACP also observed many good practices by those within the GCPD; this was true both on an individual and an operational level. Although IACP made many positive observations regarding the GCPD, as the recommendations in this report suggest, there are opportunities for improvement. The most notable areas for improvement are broad, involving staffing levels and the effective deployment of resources, and developing and implementing best-practices procedures into operations, including ensuring that policies are consistent with those standards. In addition to these areas, there is a significant opportunity for the GCPD to improve operational efficiency through the use of various technologies, both from a software and a hardware standpoint; this includes properly collecting and analyzing data for operational use. During the study, IACP noted significant limitations for the GCPD relating to the use of technology, and like the recommendations in this report relating to staffing, IACP strongly recommends working quickly toward these solutions. One of the more important staffing aspects for the GCPD involves establishing a new operational minimum level of sworn staffing for the department, which IACP has established at 130, along with a new authorized hiring level of 150. Hiring at 150 sworn positions will compensate for consistent attrition, but it will not compensate for non-operational personnel. If the GCPD can identify this number, and if the number is substantial, it should be added to the authorized hiring level. Hiring at these levels will help ensure that optimal operational minimums are maintained, which will lead to the more efficient and consistent delivery of police services for the county. Ancillary to these personnel additions, is the need to evaluate and revise the patrol zones and the personnel assigned to them. Again, the intent is to improve operational efficiency, and to maximize the use of available resources. Lastly, with regard to staffing, there is a need to add some non-sworn positions, to reallocate personnel, and to merge some units and responsibilities. These efforts are intended to create operational efficiency and to most effectively utilize the resources allocated to the police department. Although hiring a sufficient number of personnel is an important recommendation for Glynn County, it is perhaps even more important that the department and the county establish a sense A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 86 IACP Operations and Management Study of urgency and criticality over reducing and stabilizing the attrition rate for the police department. IACP believes that many of the operational strategies recommended in this report will be helpful in this regard. Still, it is incumbent upon department and governmental leaders to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to reduce attrition. It is the sincere hope of IACP that this report and the associated recommendations serve to provide positive guidance, and that it is viewed as a valuable resource, not only for the Glynn County Police Department, but also the government officials for Glynn County, who work together on behalf of the public to provide policing excellence for the county. It was an honor and privilege for IACP to serve you. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 87 IACP Operations and Management Study APPENDIX A: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION These tables and charts support the information provided within the conditions and recommendations sections of the report. Much of the content provided within this section is repeated here for context purposes. AGENCY/COUNTY DESCRIPTION TABLE 1: POPULATION TRENDS Population Population Increase % Change 1980 Census 54,981 1990 Census 2000 Census 2010 Census 2016 ACS Est. 2020 Projected 62,496 7,515 67,568 5,072 79,626 12,058 82,623 2,997 85,950 3,327 13.67% 8.12% 17.85% 3.76% 7.94% 2010-2016 Data Source: http://factfinder.census.gov Since the 2010 census, population growth has continued at a consistent rate, with projections for 2020 indicating an 8% increase over 2010 levels. Although estimates suggest a population of about 86,000 by the year 2020, it is possible that this number could be greater. Increases in FLETC, and/or new industries will drive development and move population projections upward; this will ultimately affect work volume and CFS for the department. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 88 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 2: COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS Community Demographics White African American American Indian and Alaska Native Asian Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Other Total Total 55,180 21,180 398 1194 159 1,514 79,626 Percent 69.3% 26.6% 0.5% 1.5% 0.2% 1.9% Hispanic or Latino Not Hispanic or Latino 5,494 50,901 6.9% 63.8% Source: U.S. Census Bureau This table shows that the population of Glynn County is predominantly white, with African Americans making up the largest non-white segment of the population, at 26.6%. Table 2 also shows the breakdown of the Hispanic or Latino population in Glynn County. Although not considered a separate race, those who identify as Hispanic or Latino make up a significant portion of the diversity of the population within Glynn County. These factors are important as police agencies work toward hiring, recruiting, and staffing police departments that are representative of the communities they serve. This is also an important consideration in terms of the number of people within the community for whom English may be a second language. TABLE 3: AUTHORIZED SWORN STAFFING LEVELS Category Chief/Assistant Chief Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Officer Total 2017 2 4 11 11 94 122 Source: Glynn County PD In Table 7 below, the breakdown of sworn staff is provided. This table shows the rank structure of the sworn staff, and it also reflects the staff who were in training at the time the data was compiled. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 89 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 4: ACTUAL PERSONNEL ALLOCATIONS – 2017 Section Administrative Uniform Patrol Division Criminal Investigations Division Special Operations Division Support Services Division *Sub-Totals Totals Sworn Personnel Supervisor Officer 4 1 15 68 4 11 3 9 2 2 28 91 119 Non-Sworn Personnel Supervisor Employee 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 7 8 Source: Glynn County PD data This table provides a detailed breakdown of the allocations of staff by section and based on the number of supervisory personnel in each area (a detailed list of all sworn personnel is provided in Chapter IV, Table 33). This type of breakdown helps to assess the organizational structure and span of control for the department. Although there is no hard and fast rule, a general rule of thumb regarding span of control is 1 supervisor for every 5 followers, although some have suggested this ratio could be higher, at 1 supervisor for 8-10 followers.6 Based on the data provided in Table 7 above, the overall span of control in GCPD for all staff is about 1 to 4 (note there are no non-sworn supervisors). 6 http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/007241497x/student_view0/part2/chapter4/chapter_outline.html A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 90 IACP Operations and Management Study 21ST CENTURY POLICING TABLE 5: 21ST CENTURY POLICING SURVEY Area Pillar One Pillar Two Pillar Three Pillar Four Pillar Five Pillar Six Totals Max. Possible Average Score 18 11.3 30 17.7 10 7.0 36 19.0 18 11.3 12 8.3 124 74.67 Source: Command Staff 21st Century Survey Pct. of Max. 62.96% 58.89% 70.00% 52.78% 62.96% 69.44% 60.22% GCPD Command staff completed a 21st Century Policing survey. The survey consists of 60 questions, separated within the six pillar areas. For each question, command staff were asked to independently assess whether the department regularly engages in practices that are consistent with the task force recommendation area, or whether the department inconsistently does so, or not at all. Below is a list of the sections from the survey in which the majority of the command staff indicated that the department has not achieved one of the task force recommendations. • • • • • • • 2.2.6 Have a serious incident review board that includes community members, for all force use incidents that could deteriorate public trust. Should have the ability to identify administrative, supervisory, training, tactical, or policy issues requiring attention. 2.3 Implement non-punitive peer review of critical incidents, separate from criminal and administrative investigations. 2.7 Create policies and procedures for managing mass demonstrations and ensure that tactics do not include a military style response, or one that might deteriorate the public trust. 2.8 Define and establish the appropriate form and structure of a civilian oversight entity to meet the needs of the community. 4.5.3 Establish a formal community/citizen advisory committee to assist in developing crime prevention strategies, as well as providing input on policing issues. 4.6 Adopt policies and programs that address the needs of children and youth most at risk for crime or violence and reduce aggressive LE efforts that stigmatize youth and marginalize their participation in schools and communities. 6.5 The U.S. Department of Justice, and law enforcement, should collect not only line of duty death information, but near misses, so as to aid in training and development of policies. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 91 IACP Operations and Management Study • 6.7 Law enforcement agencies should develop and enact peer review error policies that allow officers and agencies to examine the mistakes or near-mistakes of officers, without fear of reprisal. (This is similar to non-punitive close call reporting). CONDITIONS – PATROL/SPECIAL OPERATIONS/INVESTIGATIONS TABLE 6: PATROL WATCH SHIFT HOURS AND PERSONNEL ALLOCATIONS Shift Begins Ends Hours Day 630 1630 10 Evening 1400 2400 10 Night 2100 700 10 Supplemental 1130 2130 10 Zone 1 # of Officers 1 2 1 4 1 5, 10 1 6 1 7 1 8, 11 1 9 1 Total 8 Source: Glynn County PD data A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 92 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 7: AUTHORIZED POLICE SWORN STAFFING Administration Chief's Office Internal Affairs Public Info / Relations Sub-Totals Uniform Patrol Patrol K-9 Special Services TAC Chief 1 Asst. Chief 1 Capt. Lt. Narcotics FBI Task Force Crime Suppression Team Sub-Totals Totals Officer 1 1 Sgt. 5 1 Officer 58 2 1 1 Chief 1 Asst. Chief 1 Capt. 1 Lt. 6 1 1 St. Simons Island Traffic Enforcement HEAT Sub-Totals Criminal Investigations General Investigations Sub-Totals Support Services Support Services Sub-Totals Special Inv./Operations Sgt. 1 Chief Asst. Chief Chief Asst. Chief Chief Asst. Chief 1 1 1 Capt. 1 1 Capt. Capt. 1 1 4 7 Lt. 2 2 Lt. 1 1 Lt. 1 1 11 7 Sgt. 1 1 Sgt. 1 1 Sgt. 1 1 11 Totals 2 1 1 4 Totals 70 3 1 1 1 7 3 71 Inv. 13 13 Officer 2 2 Inv. 3 3 7 3 86 Totals 17 17 Totals 4 4 Totals 3 3 3 2 2 8 94 11 122 Source: Glynn County PD data A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 93 IACP Operations and Management Study CONDITIONS – TRAINING AND EDUCATION TABLE 8: TRAINING EXPENDITURES Budgeted Amount Percent Change 2016 $63,164 Source: Glynn County PD data 2017 $79,396 20.44% 2018 $132,980 40.29% The training budget has increased sharply from 2016 to 2018. However, there is a need for the GCPD to better understand how these resources are being allocated. TABLE 9: TRAINING HOURS BY UNIT - 2017 Unit Administration Patrol Investigations Academy Support Services Total Hours Source: Glynn County PD data 219 5,625 2,245 5,557 581 14,227 Table 9 provides a listing of the 2017 training hours, by unit. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 94 IACP Operations and Management Study CONDITIONS – RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION TABLE 10: DIVERSITY PROFILE African Native Asian American Hispanic American 0 0 0 0 Chief White 1 Grand Total 1 Assistant Chief 0 0 0 0 1 1 Captain 0 0 0 0 4 4 Lieutenant 0 2 0 0 9 11 Sergeant 0 1 0 0 10 11 Police Officer 1 12 1 0 78 91 Civilian 0 2 0 0 6 8 Totals 1 17 1 0 108 127 0.79% 13.39% 0.79% 0.00% 85.04% Percentage Source: Glynn County PD data *NOTE: Hispanic is not considered a race, but it is broken out independently in this table. In Table 10, the breakdown of the racial diversity within the GCPD is provided, with the data also separated by rank. The sworn staff at the GCPD is predominately white, at 85.83%, including staff of Hispanic origin. Minority officers comprise 14.18% of the sworn staff. The percentage of white vs. non-white officers is somewhat disproportionate to the Glynn County population, which has an overall minority population of 30.7%, see Table 2. Within that population, Asian Americans comprise 1.5%; however, the GCPD only has 0.79% of its sworn strength that are Asian. The African American population of Glynn County is 26.6%, and the percentage of African American sworn staff is less than half of this percentage. At only 12.4%, this percentage is well below the community population percentage and it should be improved. Based on the census data from Table 2, the white non-Hispanic population in Glynn County is 6.9%. Although the GCPD has 0.79% of the sworn strength that identifies as Hispanic or Latino, this percentage is below the community population percentage and it should also be improved. The other notable observation is the percentage of minority or Hispanic/Latino representation within the supervisory ranks at the police department. Only 3 of the 28 supervisory positions (10.71%) within the department are staffed by those who are minorities, or those who identify as Hispanic/Latino. This variance between community and department diversity, validates statements by department leadership and government officials that minority recruitment should to be a key priority. This priority should hold true for both hiring purposes and for personnel development and promotions. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 95 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 11: GENDER PROFILE Male Female Total Chief 1 0 1 Assistant Chief 1 0 1 Captain 3 1 4 10 1 11 9 2 11 79 12 91 1 7 8 104 23 127 Pct. (All Staff) 81.89% 18.11% Pct. (Sworn) 84.47% 15.53% Lieutenant Sergeant Police Officer Civilian Total Source: Glynn County PD provided data Table 11 displays the gender profile of the GCPD. Within that table, the IACP has broken out the gender percentages for all staff, and for sworn staff only. Looking strictly at the sworn staff totals, the GCPD has approximately 84.5% male staff, and 15.5% female staff. Although it is common for males to dominate the sworn workforce in police agencies, the GCPD is more balanced than many departments the IACP has studied. In eight recent IACP studies, women accounted for only approximately 11% of the sworn workforce. With the percentage of sworn female officers at GCPD at 15.53%, this number is above the IACP study average. In addition, in 2016, the IACP conducted a survey of ten agencies across the United States, considered to be engaging some of the best practices in recruiting and hiring women and minorities. Combined, those ten agencies employed 80.78% men, and 19.22% women. It is important to note here that these numbers represent some of the most gender-balanced police agencies in the country. The fact that the GCPD has 15.53% of the sworn workforce represented by women, is commendable. Although the racial make-up of the GCPD is somewhat under-represented, the number of female sworn personnel is higher than national averages. The IACP did not study potential barriers to the hiring of or advancement minorities or women within the GCPD ranks, but the disparate numbers reflected here suggest the need for the GCPD to examine what issues might be contributing to the low representation of minorities within the department, and overall in supervisory positions. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 96 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 12: ANNUAL SEPARATIONS (SWORN) Reason Resigned Retired Terminated Totals 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total Average 10 0 1 11 12 1 2 15 17 0 0 17 20 1 0 21 20 3 3 26 79 5 6 90 15.8 1 1.2 18 Source: Glynn County PD provided data TABLE 13: ATTRITION RATES – IACP STUDY CITIES COMPARISON IACP Cities Voluntary Resignation Retirement Discharged Grand Total Percentages* Year 1 2.82% 2.59% 1.01% 6.41% Year 2 3.39% 2.99% 0.81% 7.19% Year 3 4.00% 2.22% 0.60% 6.82% Year 4 3.83% 2.48% 0.97% 7.29% Year 5 4.33% 3.12% 1.07% 8.52% Average 3.67% 2.68% 0.89% 7.25% Glynn County Voluntary Resignation Retirement Discharged Grand Total Percentages* 2012 8.2% 0.00% 0.82% 9.02% 2013 9.84% 0.82% 1.64% 12.29% 2014 13.93% 0.00% 0.00% 13.93% 2015 16.39% 0.82% 0.00% 17.21% 2016 16.39% 4.1% 2.46% 21.31% Average** 12.95% 1.64% 0.98% 14.75% *Separation rate as a percentage of the sworn workforce (122). ** Average over four years. Discharged includes medical (death) and forced separations The annual separations for sworn for the GCPD are provided from the past five years. The average annual sworn separations are 18. From the table, it is evident that from 2013 through 2016 the number of voluntary separations increased significantly, doubling from 10 to 20 during that time. While there may have been some anomalies that have contributed to these numbers, the average attrition rates are substantial. In Table 13, the average percentage of separations for the GCPD is compared to the IACP study cities shown. GCPD experienced significantly higher rates of resignation (more than 3 times) than the IACP study cities. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 97 IACP Operations and Management Study CONDITIONS – INTERNAL AFFAIRS TABLE 14: INTERNAL AFFAIRS CASE DISPOSITIONS IA Case Dispositions 2016 2015 2014 9 3 2 8 2 3 1 1 1 7 2 1 2 1 1 2013 5 6 0 2 3 2012 3 2 1 2 1 Citizen Complaints Case Dispositions 2016 2015 2014 2013 # Complaints 1 3 1 3 # Officers 2 3 1 3 Founded 0 0 0 1 Unfounded 1 3 1 2 2012 7 7 0 7 # Complaints # Officers # Civilians Founded Unfounded Source: Glynn County PD Provided Data A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 98 IACP Operations and Management Study RECOMMENDATIONS – OPERATIONS, STAFFING TABLE 15: PATROL ALLOCATIONS BY SHIFT AND SECTOR Begins Ends Officers/Day Lt. Sgt. Day Shift 630 1630 8 1 1 Evening Shift 1400 2400 8 1 1 Night Shift 2100 700 8 1 1 Supplemental Shift 1130 2130 *2-4 N/A N/A Shift Source: GCPD Provided Data *Supplemental personnel are added based on staff availability. Table 15 shows the current breakdown of patrol officer allocations by shift. Personnel allocations across the shifts are equalized, with minimum staffing set for eight officers on each shift, along with one sergeant and one lieutenant. There table shows a supplemental shift that runs from 1130 to 2130, this shift is only filled when staffing allows, and this is often not the case. Accordingly, for the purposes of this study, the IACP did not consider this shift as part of the overall staffing model. TABLE 16: TOTAL COUNT OF CFS BY SECTOR/BEAT Zone GP1 GP2 GP4 GP5 GP6/6A GP7/7A GP8 GP9 GP10 GP11 Totals Community Initiated 1,550 4,848 671 5,291 3,894 5,964 1,608 4,127 5,184 5,265 38,402 Source: Glynn County CAD data % of Total 4.04% 12.62% 1.75% 13.78% 10.14% 15.53% 4.19% 10.75% 13.50% 13.71% 100.00% Officer Initiated 510 3,500 117 1,820 2,513 2,672 854 1,761 1,339 2,538 17,624 % of Total 2.89% 19.86% 0.66% 10.33% 14.26% 15.16% 4.85% 9.99% 7.60% 14.40% 100.00% The volume of activity for both community- and officer-initiated activity is broken out by zone. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 99 IACP Operations and Management Study FIGURE 1: CALLS BY BEAT/SECTOR CFS by Zone 7,000 5,964 6,000 5,291 4,848 5,000 4,000 3,500 1,000 - 2,513 GP2 GP4 2,538 1,608 1,761 854 671 117 510 GP1 2,672 1,820 1,550 GP5 GP6/6A Community Initiated 5,265 4,127 3,894 3,000 2,000 5,184 GP7/7A GP8 GP9 1,339 GP10 GP11 Officer Initiated Source: Glynn County CAD data Figure 1 provides a visual depiction of the CFS and officer-initiated activity is provided, broken down by zone (using the same data from Table 56 above). This figure shows the disparity of CFS distribution between zones, with zones 5, 7, 10, and 11 having the highest volume, and significantly so, particularly in comparison to zones 1, 4, and 8. TABLE 17: CALLS PER ZONE BY SHIFT Zone GP1 GP2 GP4 GP5 GP6/6A GP7/7A GP8 GP9 GP10 GP11 Pct. by Shift 0700-1500 617 1,926 328 1,836 1,524 2,302 590 1,536 3,239 1,903 38.56% Source: GCPD CAD Data CFS/Shift 1.69 5.28 0.90 5.03 4.18 6.31 1.62 4.21 8.87 5.21 1500-2300 695 2,128 294 2,670 1,811 2,883 766 1,968 2,966 2,553 45.71% CFS/Shift 1.90 5.83 0.81 7.32 4.96 7.90 2.10 5.39 8.13 6.99 2300-0700 267 907 107 933 672 920 295 704 676 965 15.73% CFS/Shift 0.73 2.48 0.29 2.56 1.84 2.52 0.81 1.93 1.85 2.64 The data from Table 17 has been separated by zone and by shift (in eight-hour increments). Using the percentage of CFS distribution, CFS averages per shift, per zone, have been calculated. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 100 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 18: MINIMUM BEAT STAFFING BASED ON VOLUME Zone GP1 GP2 GP4 GP5 GP6/6A GP7/7A GP8 GP9 GP10 GP11 Totals CFS/ Shift 1.69 5.28 0.90 5.03 4.18 6.31 1.62 4.21 8.87 5.21 43.29 0700-1500 1500-2300 2300-0700 Back- Min./ CFS/ Back- Min./ CFS/ Back- Min./ Up Shift Off. Shift Up Shift Off. Shift Up Shift 0.55 60.96 0.42 1.90 0.62 68.67 0.48 0.73 0.24 26.38 1.71 190.30 1.32 5.83 1.88 210.25 1.46 2.48 0.80 89.61 0.29 32.41 0.23 0.81 0.26 29.05 0.20 0.29 0.09 10.57 1.63 181.40 1.26 7.32 2.36 263.81 1.83 2.56 0.83 92.18 1.35 150.58 1.05 4.96 1.60 178.93 1.24 1.84 0.60 66.40 2.04 227.45 1.58 7.90 2.55 284.85 1.98 2.52 0.81 90.90 0.52 58.29 0.40 2.10 0.68 75.68 0.53 0.81 0.26 29.15 1.36 151.76 1.05 5.39 1.74 194.45 1.35 1.93 0.62 69.56 2.87 320.02 2.22 8.13 2.63 293.05 2.04 1.85 0.60 66.79 1.69 188.02 1.31 6.99 2.26 252.25 1.75 2.64 0.85 95.35 13.99 1561.20 10.84 51.33 16.59 1850.99 12.85 17.66 5.71 636.89 Source: GCPD CAD Data Off. 0.18 0.62 0.07 0.64 0.46 0.63 0.20 0.48 0.46 0.66 4.42 The data in Table 18 provides a breakdown of the number of officers required to staff each beat, during each shift. This data comes from Table 19 (below), and it uses the primary and back-up CFS times above. However, to make this easier to calculate across shifts, the table reflects 8-hour blocks, and uses 144 minutes/shift for calculation purposes. Based on the workload for the GCPD as reflected in Table 18, the early shift (0700-1500) requires a minimum of 11 officers, the middle shift (1500-2300) requires a minimum of 13 officers, and the late shift (2100-0700) requires a minimum of 5 officers, to appropriately manage the CFS volume (all officer numbers are rounded up). A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 101 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 19: BACK-UP RESPONSE Unit Backup Community Officer Backup Total Count of Events Total Hours on Call 17,086 4,187 21,273 9836:55:56 2147:19:30 11984:15:26 Primary Community Officer Primary Total 35,784 17,203 52,987 14851:54:53 3880:25:55 18732:20:48 Grand Total 74,260 30716:36:14 Source: Glynn County PD data Table 19 reflects the amount of back-up response related to community-initiated CFS, and officer-initiated activity. There are 74,260 events recorded in the count above. Of that total, 71.35% relate to primary CFS response, while 28.65% relate to back up response. Although back-up response only occurs in 28.65% of the incidents, the time involved in back-up is 39% of the total time involved with the CFS. It is important to note that this table reflects total back-up time, to include all officers who provided back up on the CFS; however, the table does not identify how many units responded to each CFS. In looking solely at the community-initiated activity in Table 19, there were a total of 52,870 events. Of these events, 67.68% involved primary unit response, with 32.32% back-up. Based on those percentages, and looking at the on-scene time, the IACP calculated that each primary community-initiated event took 24.90 minutes, while each back-up event took 34.54 minutes (this includes multiple unit responses). A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 102 IACP Operations and Management Study Patrol Staffing DATA TABLE 20: PATROL AND SUPPLEMENTAL PATROL UNIT HOURS Unit Community Other Patrol Traffic Sub-Total Officer Other Patrol Traffic Sub-Total Grand Total Count of CFS Events Sum of Time on Call 2,441 34,701 1,480 38,622 975:33:04 24325:23:28 363:27:21 25664:23:53 2,038 5,366 12,038 19,442 58,064 1172:54:57 3040:54:07 2986:51:18 7200:40:22 32865:04:15 Source: Glynn County CAD data Table 20 shows a list of allocated work captured by CAD data in 2016, showing the number of Calls for Service (CFS) responses and the associated time consumed for three types: patrol, traffic, and other. The data is further separated into two categories, community-initiated and officerinitiated activity. This is important to note, because the IACP workload model categorically separates these types of CFS, and relies on obligated workload that emanates primarily from community-initiated calls. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 103 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 21: PATROL AVAILABILITY (HOURS) Annual hours worked Leave Category Sick FMLA Workers Comp Light Duty Admin. Leave Military Vacation Training Sub-Total Avg. Annual Availability (hours) Source: Glynn County PD data 2,080 58.26 11.95 3.53 2.19 42.32 9.70 103.09 68.13 299.15 1,780.85 Table 21 demonstrates the amount of time patrol officers have available for shift work. This table starts with the assumption that officers work a 40-hour work week. This computation is 52 weeks x 40 hours = 2,080 hours per year. However, in order to have a more accurate picture of how many hours per year the average officer is available to work, various leave categories are deducted from this total. The table shows that after subtracting leave categories from the total, the average officer is actually available to work 1,780 hours per year not 2,080 hours, as is often thought (understanding that this represents the cumulative average – and individual availability can vary greatly). A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 104 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 22: OBLIGATED WORKLOAD Patrol Workload Calculation Total 2016 CAD Hours Patrol (included in above total) Other Patrol Traffic Officer-Initiated (all) Patrol: Officer-Initiated Patrol Officer-Initiated: Criminal Incidents Patrol Officer-Initiated: Motor Vehicle Crashes Adjusted patrol workload Source: GCPD CAD Data Hours 32,865 -976 24,325 363 -7,201 1,255 227 26,170 This model starts with the total hours in CAD for 2016, which include both community- and officer-initiated activity data from multiple categories and units. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 105 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 23: OBLIGATED WORKLOAD – PATROL 30% MODEL A A-2 A-3 B C Literal Explanation and Formula Total Patrol Unit Obligated Hours - Citizen CFS (includes backup) Obligated Hours - Plus 5% Supplanting Obligated Hours - Plus 10% Supplanting Available Hours per Officer Authorized Strength in Patrol (see Table 7) Model 1 26,170 1,781 58.00 Model 2 27,479 1,781 58.00 Model 3 28,787 1,781 58.00 D Current Patrol Hours Available (B*C) E Current % Obligated to Citizen CFS (A/D) 25.33% 26.60% 27.87% F G Target Obligated Workload (30%) Officer Workload Hours Available at 30% (B*F) 30.00% 534.30 30.00% 534.30 30.00% 534.30 H Patrol Officers Required to Meet Target Workload (A/G) 48.98 51.43 53.88 -9 -7 -4 Additional Primary CFS Response Officers Needed (H minus C)* Source: IACP calculations 103,298.00 103,298.00 103,298.00 Using the data examined from CAD, and using the calculations and models described above, the IACP created Table 23 which comparatively presents all of these data. Model 1 shows only the CAD data associated with patrol, and models 2 and 3 add 5% and 10% to the obligated workload totals, based on supplanting estimates. Based on the data provided, the patrol division is not overburdened by the obligated workload. Looking strictly at the data supplied from CAD, calculations suggest that only 49 officers are required to manage the workload. However, although the IACP believes that the calculations above accurately represent the minimum work effort for the patrol section, at present, it is not possible to fully assess the level of supplanting that is occurring within the patrol section, due to limitations within the data collected by CAD. Based solely on the obligated workload data shown in Table 23, the patrol division at the GCPD appears to be adequately staffed. However, as indicated above, there are numerous other factors that contribute to determining staffing levels. One of those factors relates to when CFS are received. The GCPD has been staffing a minimum of 24 shifts on a daily basis, as indicated in Table 15. However, these personnel are distributed evenly across the work schedule, and they are not aligned with peak CFS demands; see Figure 2 (below). A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 106 IACP Operations and Management Study FIGURE 2: CITY AVERAGE STAFFING BY AVERAGE COMMUNITY CFS, BY HOUR AND DAY Staffing Allocations by Hour Compared to CFS Totals - 2016 8.00 16 7.00 16 16 16 18 16 16 15 6.00 4.00 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 8 3.00 6 2.00 3 1.00 0.00 Number of Officers Number of CFS 12 5.00 2300 2200 2100 2000 1900 1800 1700 1600 1500 1400 1300 1200 1100 1000 0900 0800 0700 0600 0 Hour of Day CFS Officers Source: GCPD Provided Data/CAD Data As Table 18 (above) indicates, the GCPD requires 24 daily shifts to manage the workload for the day shift and middle shifts alone; this does not account for overnight staffing needs, which based on that table, would require 5 additional shifts. Using these calculations, the GCPD should staff a minimum of 29 shifts on a daily basis, in order to manage the workload. This analysis is accurate when viewed strictly from an obligated workload perspective. However, it does not account for the types of CFS that occur in the evening/night hours, which are often more dangerous and require additional back-up resources, nor does it account for the vast size of Glynn County, and of the zones for the GCPD. Table 24 below, provides a breakdown of the size of each patrol zone for the GCPD in terms of square miles. These zones range in size from as little as 3.1 square miles (zone GP7), up to 150.3 square miles (zone GP8). Due to staffing restrictions, which do not allow the GCPD to consistently staff each zone with an officer, when operating at shift minimums, the GCPD uses a combined zone deployment strategy as outlined in Table 34 above. In short, one officer is assigned to patrol zones 5 and 10 (41.4 square miles), and one officer is assigned to patrol zones 8 and 11 (173.1 square miles). Each of the remaining zones is assigned an officer. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 107 IACP Operations and Management Study As noted previously, the CAD data provided to the IACP was not conducive to calculating response times for CFS. Accordingly, the IACP cannot analyze this aspect of the work of the GCPD. However, given the size of the zones, particularly zones 1, 8, and 9, the IACP would expect to find CFS response times that are outside of the typical norms. This factor alone suggests the need for additional personnel to staff each shift. TABLE 24: PATROL ZONE SERVICE AREAS Zone GP1 GP2 GP4 GP5 GP6 GP7 GP8 GP9 GP10 GP11 Total Square Miles 44.6 18.6 5.6 15.2 6.8 3.1 150.3 111.9 26.2 22.8 405.10 Source: GCPD provided data In addition, although there are no nationally established standards for the geographic size of beats or the ratio of staff to each beat, based on size, the IACP notes that creating an ongoing presence within a geographic area, consistent with geographic and community policing philosophies, becomes increasingly more difficult as the size of the patrol area increases. For Glynn County, several of the designated patrol zones are larger in terms of square miles, than entire communities that the IACP has studied. In more urban areas, the IACP has recommended capping the size of geographic zones between 5-8 square miles. The IACP recognizes that these limitations are often not practical in a county policing environment, however, they remain an important area of consideration. It is also worth mentioning at this point that the availability of back-up is also a factor in determining minimum staffing needs. When operating at minimum staffing levels (8 patrol officers), a patrol area is left uncovered each time that back-up is provided. If more than one back-up unit is required, then at least two areas will be uncovered. Based on the data above, there were more than 17,000 back-up events associated with community-initiated CFS in 2016; this does not account for back-up associated with officer-initiated activities. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 108 IACP Operations and Management Study Based on the aggregate analysis of the obligated workload and other salient factors, it is the assessment of the IACP that eight additional officers should be added to the patrol division so that adequate staffing minimums can be maintained on a daily basis. Adding these positions would bring the allocation of personnel for patrol to 66 officers (excluding supervisors). This adjustment to the staffing level would bring the minimum staffing per shift up to ten, which would ensure consistent staffing of each zone. Even if Glynn County was to revise the zone boundaries to balance the workload more evenly, the data suggests the need for 24 shifts during the day and evening hours alone. It would not be advisable to reduce staffing during the overnight hours, due to a host of factors. Accordingly, adding personnel will allow for optimal and consistent staffing during peak CFS times, and it will provide appropriate minimal staffing throughout the county during off-peak times. TABLE 25: PATROL ALLOCATIONS BY SHIFT AND SECTOR Shift Day Shift Power Day Shift Early Mid Shift Evening Shift Night Shift Begins 0630 1100 1400 1600 2100 Ends 1630 2100 0000 0200 0700 Officers/Day 10 2 6 4 10 Lt. 1 N/A N/A 1 1 Sgt. 1 N/A N/A 1 1 Source: GCPD Provided Data To determine the number of officers required to manage shift minimums, the IACP again looked at the shift relief factor. The IACP proposes to distribute the shifts and personnel as outlined in Table 25. This model would require 32 daily shifts as a minimum, which excludes supervisory personnel. Using the prior shift relief factor calculations, the shift relief factor is 2.05 (3,650/1,780 = 2.05), and the number of officers required to consistently staff this model is 66 (2.05 x 32 = 65.6; rounded up). To illustrate how these additional personnel would affect hourly staffing levels, the IACP created Table 26 below. In this model, staffing minimums are 10, with 12-14 officers allocated during the middle of the day. Additionally, there are peak overlaps around shift change. These overlaps provide time for outgoing officers to wrap up their shift activities, as other officers are coming on shift, and this can significantly reduce the amount of overtime associated with holding officers over to complete required work. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 109 IACP Operations and Management Study 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 0630-1630 1100-2100 1400-0000 1600-0200 2100-0700 1630 1700 1800 1830 1900 2000 2030 2100 2130 2200 2300 0000 0100 0200 0300 0400 0500 End 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 End 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 End Evening Early Mid Shift Power Day Shift Day Shift Hour Total Night Evening Early Mid Shift 6 6 6 10 20 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12 12 18 18 22 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 End Total Day Shift Power Day Shift Early Mid Shift Evening Shift Night Shift 10 10 End Night 0600 0630 10 0700 10 0800 10 0900 10 1000 10 1100 10 1130 10 1200 10 1300 10 1330 10 1400 10 1500 10 1600 10 Shift Change Power Day Shift Day Shift Hour TABLE 26: PATROL ALLOCATIONS BY HOUR/DAY 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 20 20 20 20 14 14 10 10 10 10 In Figure 3 below, the IACP has provided a graphic that shows the daily shift coverage by hour, as it relates to CFS volumes. In contrast to the current staffing model (see Figure 1-B above), this allotment of personnel tracks very closely with CFS volumes, and it provides additional personnel to assist with back-up during most of the day, reducing the need to leave patrol zones uncovered. FIGURE 3: SUGGESTED STAFFING ALLOCATIONS COMPARED TO CFS TOTALS A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 110 IACP Operations and Management Study Suggested Staffing Allocation by Hour Compared to CFS Totals - 2016 8.00 20 18 7.00 18 20 18 18 16 14 5.00 12 4.00 10 10 10 10 12 12 12 12 12 14 14 12 12 10 10 10 10 1010 8 3.00 6 2.00 4 0500 0400 0300 0200 0100 0000 2300 2200 2100 2000 1900 1800 1700 1600 1500 1400 1300 1200 1100 1000 0900 0 0800 0.00 0700 2 0600 1.00 Number of Officers 6.00 Number of CFS 20 20 Hour of Day CFS Officers Source: Glynn County PD Provided Data/CAD Data - 2016 Although the above examples will improve personnel deployments, they are but one example of how to distribute personnel, given the work shifts provided. There are myriad variations for the work schedule, which might provide equally appropriate shift coverages. Accordingly, the IACP would encourage the GCPD to examine these examples against their own needs and expectations, and to make adjustments as they see fit, assuming these will provide similar outcomes. It is also important to point out here that the IACP recommendation of staffing at 66 patrol officers reflects the optimal number of officers required to operate and to respond to CFS effectively and efficiently. This number is considered the operational minimum, and it is the baseline for staffing, not the maximum. Equally as important is understanding that the department occasionally has personnel who are non-operational, meaning that due to FMLA, military leave, or injury, they are unable to fulfill their duties. For calculating staffing needs, nonoperational personnel are essentially vacancies, which must be filled to ensure staffing at the operational minimum level. To maintain minimum operational staffing levels, some agencies, discuss using over-hires, in order to cover the lag time associated with hiring and training personnel. Rather than discussing over-hires, the IACP suggests that agencies should establish a minimum operational level, which A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 111 IACP Operations and Management Study ensures maximum operational efficiency, and then setting a new authorized staffing level, which offsets agency attrition levels, and the vacancies that occur as a result of non-operational personnel. Traffic DATA TABLE 27: TRAFFIC CRASHES Year 2014 2015 2016 Total Fatal Injury Property Damage Collisions Collisions Collisions Collision 1323 3 262 1059 1665 0 382 1283 1862 4 404 1454 Source: Glynn County PD; Georgia Electronic Accident Reporting System (GEARS) A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 112 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 28: TRAFFIC CRASH CONTRIBUTING FACTORS Collisions Cell Phone Changed Lanes Improperly Disregard Police - Traffic Control Disregard Stop Sign/Signal Distracted Driver Condition Driver Lost Control Driverless Vehicle Exceeding Speed Limit Failed to Yield Following too Close Improper Backing Improper Passing Improper Turn Inattentive or Other Distraction (Distracted) Mechanical or Vehicle Failure Misjudged Clearance No Contributing Factors No Signal/Improper Signal Other Parked Improperly Reaction to Object or Animal Surface Defects Too Fast for Conditions Under the Influence Weather Conditions Wrong Side of Road Totals 2014 4 27 2 17 57 14 32 1 8 130 250 26 11 22 34 18 18 32 0 66 2 20 1 33 41 21 14 901 2015 5 70 1 38 93 26 70 0 16 300 486 71 25 38 133 27 39 98 1 139 1 30 1 71 52 41 18 1,890 Source: Glynn County PD; Georgia Electronic Accident Reporting System (GEARS) 2016 7 93 0 48 135 30 75 1 13 328 647 47 14 53 154 31 49 100 3 144 3 20 1 50 65 38 20 2,169 In Table 28 above, the IACP provides data concerning the identified factors contributing to motor vehicle crashes in Glynn County from 2014 to 2016. This data comes from the Georgia Electronic Accident Reporting System (GEARS). The most common contributing factors shown in Table 28, track with other national data. Those factors include following too close, distracted driving, speed, driving under the influence, and failure to yield. However, the data in this table appears to have inconsistencies. The number of reported contributing factors increased more than 140% from 2014 to 2016, and the size of this change is a cause for questioning the validity of these numbers. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 113 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 29: MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH INCIDENTS 2016 – TIME SPENT Community Accident - Property Damage Accident – Injury Accident - Personal Property Community Total Officer Accident - Property Damage Accident – Injury Accident - Personal Property Officer Total Grand Total Source: Glynn County CAD data No. of Incidents Sum of Time on Call 1,608 445 720 2,773 1531:21:35 1228:11:18 461:52:09 3221:25:02 159 21 25 205 179:13:26 38:51:53 8:37:18 226:42:37 2,978 3448:07:39 In Table 29, a breakdown of the number of motor vehicle crashes in Glynn County is provided, along with the amount of time associated with managing them. In 2016, the GCPD handled nearly 3,000 motor vehicle crashes, consuming 3,448 hours of patrol officer time. Given that each patrol officer has 534 hours of available response time per year, motor vehicle crashes consumed the available time of 6.45 officers, which is more than 10% of the total time available for all of the patrol officers. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 114 IACP Operations and Management Study FIGURE 4: MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES BY HOUR OF THE DAY No. of Crashes by Hour 300 270 240 Number of Crashes 250 179 200 149 150 0 187 194 123 115 88 100 50 204 229 169 132 99 88 56 55 28 21 25 14 15 22 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 33 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Hour of the Day Source: Glynn County PD CAD Data - 2016 Figure 4 displays a breakdown of motor vehicle crashes is provided, by time of day. This figure shows clear trends in crash times, which correspond to commuter hours and high traffic periods. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 115 IACP Operations and Management Study FIGURE 5: MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES BY DAY OF THE WEEK 2012-2016 Crashes by Type and Day of the Week 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Sun Mon Tue Accident-PD Wed Accident-PI Thu Fri Sat Accident-PP Source: GCPD CAD Data In Figure 5, the pattern of crashes by day of the week for 2016 is provided. Based on the data from this table, Sunday and Saturday have the lowest instances of crashes, which is expected, given that traffic volumes are highest during the week, commensurate with commuter traffic. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 116 IACP Operations and Management Study Investigations DATA FIGURE 6: INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ASSISTANT CHIEF DETECTIVE DIVISION SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION 1 Captain (Division Commander) 1 Captain (Division Commander) 1 Admin Assistant 1 Lieutenant Crime Scene Investigations 1 Lieutenant (Crime Lab) GB-NET Evidence Vault Glynn County 1 Sergeant (CS Tech) 5 Investigators Criminal Investigations 1 Lieutenant (Operations) 13 Investigators Violent Crimes TFO 2 Investigators Crime Suppression Team 1 Sergeant 1 Investigator Figure 6 shows the organizational reporting structure of the Detective Division and the Special Operations Division of the GCPD. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 117 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 30: INVESTIGATIONS BUREAU STAFFING Captain Lieutenant Sergeant Investigator Totals Detective 1 2 1 13 17 Source: Glynn County PD data Special Operations 1 1 1 8 11 Total 2 3 2 21 28 Table 30 reflects the staffing for the detective and special operations units, which includes 28 full-time sworn officers/detectives, 2 full-time non-sworn positions, and one part-time position. The commanders that oversees these units report directly to the deputy chief of police. There are three lieutenants, two sergeants, and two administrative assistants (one for each division). The administrative assistants perform a variety of jobs that support the investigations and special operations divisions and other assigned staff. TABLE 31: INVESTIGATIONS AVAILABILITY Annual Hours Allocated Leave Category Sick FMLA Workers Comp Light Duty Admin. Leave Military Holiday Vacation Training (2017 average) Sub-Total Avg. Annual Availability (hours) 2,080 58.26 11.95 3.53 2.19 42.32 9.70 80.00 103.09 82.63 393.65 1,686.35 Source: Glynn County PD data Based on a normal work schedule, investigators are scheduled to work 2,080 hours per year. However, negotiated leave and vacation time, holidays, sick and injured time off, training requirements, and compensatory time off, mean that in actuality, investigators are available to conduct work assignments for about 1,686 hours per year. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 118 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 32: CASE ASSIGNMENT, CLEARANCE, AND ARRESTS BY UNIT Category Person Property Financial Grand Total 2015 149 182 26 357 Pct. Cleared 42.28% 62.62% 34.62% 52.09% Source: GCPD Provided Data 2016 158 182 16 356 Pct. Cleared 54.43% 53.30% 43.75% 53.37% GCPD provided data regarding case clearance rates for cases assigned to investigations. To calculate the case clearance rates for investigations, the IACP examined the data from Table 32 (above), and the data provided by the GCPD relating to the closure statuses of the case assignments. The data in Table 32 shows clearance rates between 34.62% to 62.62%, depending upon the crime category. In contrast, Table 33 below shows the clearance rates of all Part I and Part II Crimes (taken from Tables 34 and 35 below). TABLE 33: PART I AND PART II CLEARANCE RATES 2015 Offenses vs. Cleared Totals (Part 1 GCPD Data) Totals (Part 1 FBI Data) Totals (Part 2 GCPD Data) Total 2,207 2,179 2,741 Cleared 369 305 847 2016 Clearance % 16.72% 14.00% 30.90% Source: Glynn County PD provided data; FBI UCR data (shown in green) Total 2,054 2,056 2,840 Cleared 385 321 976 A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police Clearance % 18.74% 15.61% 34.37% 119 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 34: PART I CASE CLEARANCE RATES – GLYNN COUNTY PD DATA 2015 Part I Offenses vs. Cleared Homicide Homicide Rape Rape Robbery Robbery Aggravated Assault Aggravated Assault Burglary Burglary Theft Theft Auto Theft Auto Theft Arson Arson Totals Totals Total 0 0 14 15 40 42 119 119 423 457 1,517 1,423 123 122 10 1 2,207 2,179 Cleared 0 0 4 0 8 5 27 22 40 25 293 249 6 4 2 0 369 305 2016 Clearance % N/A N/A 28.57% 0.00% 20.00% 11.90% 22.69% 18.49% 9.46% 5.47% 19.31% 17.50% 4.88% 3.28% 20.00% 0.00% 16.72% 14.00% Total 2 2 16 8 38 36 158 153 422 422 1,333 1316 117 114 9 5 2,054 2,056 Source: Glynn County PD provided data; FBI UCR data (shown in green) Cleared 1 2 6 0 16 7 57 47 52 35 243 214 17 14 5 2 385 321 Clearance % 50.00% 100.00% 37.50% 0.00% 42.11% 19.44% 36.08% 30.72% 12.32% 8.29% 18.23% 16.26% 14.53% 12.28% 55.56% 40.00% 18.74% 15.61% In looking at the data in Table 34, there are substantial differences in the number of crimes reported in the GCPD data provided to the IACP, as opposed to the data that has been submitted to the FBI UCR by Glynn County. Those variances extend to the clearance rates, with GCPD providing very different crime clearance numbers in several categories. GCPD needs to examine their data recording practices, to ensure consistency in the data. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 120 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 35: PART II CASE CLEARANCE RATES 2015 Part II Offenses vs. Cleared Simple Battery Forgery Fraud Embezzlement BRP Stolen Property Vandalism Weapons Offense Prostitution Sex Offense Drug Family DUI Alcohol Drunkenness Disorderly Vagrancy All Other Suspicion Curfew Runaways Totals Total Cleared 528 142 58 3 322 24 1 0 21 0 447 42 26 7 4 2 77 16 247 109 129 28 368 317 26 21 36 32 56 24 20 18 542 178 24 4 4 0 46 1 2,741 847 Source: Glynn County PD provided data 2016 Clearance % Total Cleared Clearance % 26.89% 594 197 33.16% 5.17% 80 11 13.75% 7.45% 277 29 10.47% 0.00% 0 0 N/A 0.00% 21 7 33.33% 9.40% 381 37 9.71% 26.92% 13 6 46.15% 50.00% 5 2 40.00% 20.78% 55 23 41.82% 44.13% 211 122 57.82% 21.71% 242 63 26.03% 86.14% 294 258 87.76% 80.77% 38 26 68.42% 88.89% 29 21 72.41% 42.86% 53 22 41.51% 90.00% 10 7 70.00% 32.84% 671 240 35.77% 16.67% 16 1 6.25% 0.00% 3 1 33.33% 2.17% 49 19 38.78% 30.90% 2,840 976 34.37% Clearance Variance 2015-2016 6.27% 8.58% 3.02% N/A 33.33% 0.31% 19.23% -10.00% 21.04% 13.69% 4.32% 1.62% -12.35% -16.48% -1.35% -20.00% 2.93% -10.42% 33.33% 36.61% 3.47% Table 35 shows the clearance rates for Part II Crimes at GCPD from 2015 to 2016. Due to the large variations and inconsistencies in the data provided, the IACP cannot provide a substantive analysis of these data. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 121 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 36: AVERAGE ANNUAL CASELOADS PER DETECTIVE Model 1 Type (CID Only) Person Property All Other Totals 2015 Cases 154 220 40 414 Cases Per Investigator 11.8 16.9 3.1 31.8 2016 Cases 152 218 40 410 Cases Per Investigator 11.7 16.8 3.1 31.5 Model 2 Type (All CID & SOD) Person Property All Other Totals 2015 Cases 154 220 40 414 Cases Per Investigator 7.3 10.5 1.9 19.7 2016 Cases 152 218 40 410 Cases Per Investigator 7.2 10.4 1.9 19.5 Source: Glynn County PD data Table 36 provides an overview of the annual caseload assignments to the investigations unit. In model 1 above, the number of case assignments for each investigator is calculated using only the 13 investigators assigned directly to CID. Using this data, the average monthly caseload for each investigator is approximately 3. Model 2 is calculated from the number of assignments using the total number of investigators available to include those within SOD. When these additional 8 investigators are added to the totals, the monthly caseload average for each investigator is about 2. TABLE 37: INVESTIGATIVE CAPACITY PER DETECTIVE Variation 1 Variation 2 Cases Assigned 2016 Number of Detectives Annual Cases per Detective 410 410 13 13 31.54 31.54 Monthly Average per Detective 2.63 2.63 Average Available Hours per Year 1686 1478 Average Hours Available per Month 140.50 123.17 Average Hours Available per Case 53.46 46.86 Source: Glynn County PD data In Table 37, the IACP calculated the average amount of hours each investigator has available for each case. This model engages the workload hours available and the average monthly caseloads as determined in Table 36, model 1, above. Based on the data shown in Table 37, variation 1 above, investigators have approximately 53.46 hours available, on average, to investigate each case. Again, although there are no set standards A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 122 IACP Operations and Management Study for available hours per case, this number is considered well within an acceptable range for each case, and it is consistent, and somewhat higher, than what the IACP has observed in other investigations unit studies. TABLE 38: INVESTIGATION DURATION BY CATEGORY (IN DAYS) Category Financial Person Property Total 2015 158.18 238.54 256.10 240.10 2016 159.17 156.70 137.40 151.26 Source: GCPD Provided Data If the numbers provided in Table 38 accurately express the timelines for case investigation within GCPD, they would be troubling. It is more likely, that the data shown in Table 37 is inaccurate, due to a lack of focused attention on ensuring regular case reviews, and in formally closing cases within the data system. As noted previously, GCPD needs to significantly improve the use of the RMS to track cases, and this includes case assignments and monitoring. Proposed Investigations Staffing Based on the information obtained by the IACP during this study, communication between the criminal investigations division (CID) and the special operations division (SOD) has been sporadic and less effective than desired. While individual investigators may exchange information or work together on a case or initiative as it moves up through the ranks, the IACP found little or no coordination between units. Rarely are there joint investigations between SOD and CID, and rarely is there any case information shared between the two divisions. The IACP has already identified the problem with deconfliction within GCPD primarily involving these two divisions. Moreover, the lack of consistent communication and coordination between these two divisions is somewhat surprising, given their similar missions, and the fact that both divisions are located at Glynn County Police Department headquarters. The IACP also noted that between the two divisions there are two captains, three lieutenants, two sergeants, and twenty-one investigators. This equates to a span of control of 3 to 1; however, based on their assigned duties, some of these supervisors do not provide direct supervisory oversight. Upon review of these units and their functions, the IACP believes that some reorganization of personnel and would prove beneficial. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 123 IACP Operations and Management Study The changing nature of crime has dramatically reshaped criminal investigations. In the past, detectives responding to a crime scene could focus almost exclusively on securing and collecting physical evidence and interviewing witnesses. Now, in addition to those activities, investigators must also attempt to secure and access smartphones, review social media accounts of victims, suspects, their friends, relatives, and others, and review nearby video cameras and any other devices that may be associated with the victim or suspects. Technology is changing the environment every day, and most police agencies are far behind the curve. The old silos, such as special units for organized crime, gangs, and narcotics, are becoming less relevant as technology becomes a part of all these traditional categories. Technology has opened up crimes such as drug trafficking, to a wide range of new criminals, many of whom have little experience and are unaffiliated with gangs or other criminal organizations. Technology is also impacting how some street gangs operate; they are becoming more sophisticated and tech-savvy, even as they remain engaged in violence. Police agencies are facing a number of operational challenges when it comes to investigating new types of crime and new types of criminals. To keep pace with changes in crime, especially computer enabled crime, some police agencies are rethinking their organizational and operational structures. This includes creating or strengthening computer crime units and working to build up digital investigation skills that all personnel can benefit from throughout the department. Training is another critical component that police agencies must address as they improve their investigative capabilities and tackle new types of crime. There are several options for free or reduced-cost training that state and local police agencies can pursue. For example, the United States Secret Service runs the National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI) in Hoover, Alabama. The NCFI provides training on digital forensics and high-tech investigations for state and local police officers at no charge. Other subsidized training opportunities for state and local agencies include online and in-person instruction from the National White-Collar Crime Center, and the National Cyber Crime Conference. To improve the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the Glynn County Police Department and to prepare it for the changing nature of crime, the IACP recommends the merging of CID and SOD into one Investigations Division, commanded by a captain. Under the captain there would be three sections; criminal investigations, special investigations, and technical support. The criminal investigations section should be commanded by a lieutenant with two teams, each composed of one sergeant and six investigators; the sergeants would be expected to carry a caseload. This configuration will improve supervision, case management, and investigative response. GCPD should evaluate workloads to determine the best working schedule. The special investigations section would be commanded by a lieutenant and have two sections; Glynn Brunswick Narcotics Team (GBNET), with one sergeant and three investigators, and task force support, with one sergeant and three investigators. The technical support section should be responsible for crime scene, technical forensics (computer, video, etc.), and the evidence room. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 124 IACP Operations and Management Study The staffing is recommended to be one sergeant and one investigator, both certified as crime scene technicians. In addition, the GCPD should add two non-sworn positions, one as the technical forensics specialist, and one to manage the evidence room. To achieve the necessary training, GCPD should utilize appropriate FLETC programs and consider establishing regional technical support capabilities. To achieve these staffing levels and structural layouts, the IACP recommends converting one captain and one lieutenant position to sergeant positions and promoting one investigator position to a sergeant. This recommendation keeps the authorized combined sworn staffing at 28. In addition, two non-sworn positions would be added. The IACP has provided a proposed layout of these positions in Figure 7. FIGURE 7: PROPOSED INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION STRUCTURE Captain Criminal Investigations Lieutenant Sergeant Special Investigations Lieutenant Sergeant GBNET Sergeant Technical Support Sergeant Task Force Support Sergeant Detective Detective 1 Detective 1 Detective 1 Detective 1 Technical Forensics Detecctive 2 Detective 2 Detective 2 Detective 2 Evidence Specialist Detective 3 Detective 3 Detective 3 Detective 3 Detective 4 Detective 4 Detective 4 Detective 5 Detective 5 Detective 6 Detective 6 Source: IACP Recommendation A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 125 IACP Operations and Management Study GCPD Crime DATA TABLE 39: PART I CRIMES Crime Type Homicide Rape Robbery Aggravated Assault Burglary Larceny Moto Vehicle Theft Arson Totals 2012 2 10 64 154 652 1,947 81 2 2,912 2013* 4 12 58 157 574 1,746 92 2 2,645 2014 3 14 49 136 575 1,859 88 4 2,728 2015 0 16 42 119 457 1,423 122 1 2,180 2016 2 10 36 153 422 1,316 114 5 2,058 5 Year Average 2 12 50 144 536 1,658 99 3 2,505 Variance from Avg. 0 -2 -14 9 -114 -342 15 2 -447 2015-2016 Trend N/A -38% -14% 29% -8% -8% -7% 400% -6% Source: FBI UCR data, except for aggravated assault totals for 2013. The FBI determined that the agency’s data was over-reported, so it was not included in the 2013 UCR table. The data here was provided directly from Glynn County PD. Table 39 above shows a significant increase in aggravated assault between 2015 and 2016, up 29%; however, the 2016 totals are similar to the numbers from 2012 and 2013. In examining the data in this table over five years, other than larceny, the crime changes are mostly stagnant, with fluctuations occurring modestly from one year to another, rather than being reflective of a larger trend. Overall, serious crime is down by about 6% from 2015-2016. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 126 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 40: PART II CRIMES Incident Description Alcohol All Other BRP Stolen Property Curfew Disorderly Drug Drunkenness DUI Embezzlement Family Forgery Fraud Prostitution Runaways Sex Offense Simple Battery Suspicion Vagrancy Vandalism Weapons Offense Totals 2012 47 0 7 6 65 277 0 447 0 139 74 223 4 41 70 846 0 0 7 27 2013 62 0 9 7 55 238 0 425 0 188 69 231 1 26 77 765 0 0 3 27 2014 47 0 26 18 41 257 0 387 0 105 60 184 1 40 85 705 0 0 11 35 2015 26 543 21 4 56 249 36 369 1 129 58 322 4 46 77 528 24 20 447 26 2016 38 671 21 3 53 213 29 295 0 242 81 279 5 49 56 594 16 10 381 13 Average 44 607 17 8 54 247 33 385 1 161 68 248 3 40 73 688 20 15 170 26 % Change 2015-16 46.15% 23.57% 0.00% -25.00% -5.36% -14.46% -19.44% -20.05% -100.00% 87.60% 39.66% -13.35% 25.00% 6.52% -27.27% 12.50% -33.33% -50.00% -14.77% -50.00% 2,280 2,183 2,002 2,745 2,847 2,411 3.72% Source: Glynn County PD data Part II crimes for Glynn County are provided for the same five-year period above. In analyzing the data, there is relative consistency from year to year in the number and frequency of nearly all of the Part II crimes listed. However, several categories of Part II crimes shown reflect substantial percentage changes. Many of these changes are the result of a low volume of events overall, and a reduction or increase of one or two incidents can result in a substantial change in the percentage of cases. Accordingly, most of these changes are nominal and are not remarkable. However, there are a few observable shifts that are worth noting. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 127 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 41: SERVICE ACTIVITY Incident Type 911 Call Abandoned Vehicle Accident/Crash Accident/Hit and Run Agency Assist Alarm Animal Child Custody Citizen Assist Civil Matter Disorderly Domestic Extra Watch Fire Found Property Intoxicated Person Juvenile Prob Loitering/Vagrancy Lost Property Medical Mental Health Noise Paper/Warrant Service Problem Person Standby Suicidal Suspicious Talk to Officer Telephone Msg Transports Unlock Utility Problem VIN Inspection Wanted Person Welfare Check All Others (less than 100/yr.) Totals 2015 2016 1041 990 133 120 2788 2934 182 213 458 452 3530 3687 1141 1085 98 143 2506 3895 720 1084 171 161 375 527 132 183 223 310 190 250 151 187 545 552 207 172 108 146 494 518 303 344 789 807 495 486 2625 3152 299 216 202 211 5156 4945 2205 255 2647 279 334 307 133 146 166 464 445 425 92 145 986 1107 370 395 32440 31293 Change 2015-2016 -51 -13 146 31 -6 157 -56 45 1389 364 -10 152 51 87 60 36 7 -35 38 24 41 18 -9 527 -83 9 -211 -1950 -2368 -27 13 298 -20 53 121 25 -1147 A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 128 IACP Operations and Management Study The GCPD also provided the IACP with data concerning other activity that is not crime-related; these activities are reflected in the table above, which shows incidents from 2015-2016. In many of the service categories (e.g., 911 calls, motor vehicle crashes, fire, vagrancy, etc.), the data has remained fairly constant over the two-year period reported. However, there are substantial shifts in categories like citizen assist, civil matter, problem person, and talk to an officer. TABLE 42: PART I-II CRIMES Part I Crimes Part II Crimes Total 2012 2,912 2,280 2013* 2,645 2,183 2014 2,728 2,002 2015 2,180 2,745 2016 2,058 2,847 2012-2016 Change -29.33% 24.87% 2015-2016 Change -5.60% 3.72% 5,192 4,828 4,730 4,925 4,905 -5.53% -0.41% Source: Part II Crimes - Glynn County PD data. Part I Crimes - FBI UCR data, except for aggravated assault totals for 2013. The FBI determined that the agency’s data was over-reported, so it was not included in the 2013 UCR table. The data here was provided directly from Glynn County PD. Table 42 combines the data for Part I and II crimes. Overall, crime was down slightly in 2016 from 2015 by 0.95%. However, what is more notable is that Part I crimes, which are the most serious, are down 6.75% during that same period. TABLE 43: PART I CASE CLEARANCE RATES 2014 2015 Part I Offenses vs. Cleared Homicide Rape Robbery Aggravated Assault Burglary Theft Auto Theft Arson Total 3 14 49 136 575 1,859 88 4 Cleared 3 2 17 66 84 660 23 1 Clearance % Total 100.00% 0 14.29% 15 34.69% 42 48.53% 119 14.61% 457 35.50% 1,423 26.14% 122 25.00% 1 Totals 2,728 856 31.38% 2,179 Source: FBI UCR data 2016 Clearance Cleared % 0 N/A 0 0.00% 5 11.90% 22 18.49% 25 5.47% 249 17.50% 4 3.28% 0 0.00% 305 Total 2 8 36 153 422 1316 114 5 Cleared 2 0 7 47 35 214 14 2 Clearance % 100.00% 0.00% 19.44% 30.72% 8.29% 16.26% 12.28% 40.00% 14.00% 2,056 321 15.61% A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 129 IACP Operations and Management Study In Table 43 below, the clearance rates for all Part I crimes from 2014 to 2016 are provided; this data comes from the FBI UCR. When examining Part I Crimes, and clearance rates in particular, it is important to note that although there are eight crimes in this category, these are split into two sub-categories: violent crime and non-violent crime. The violent crimes category includes homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. In addition to being more serious in nature, violent crimes are also crimes against a person, and accordingly, there is usually a witness and/or substantial forensic evidence available for investigators. Due to their serious nature and these other factors, violent crimes also usually have a higher clearance rate than non-violent crimes. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 130 IACP Operations and Management Study 222 111 82 18 121 31 51 155 99 114 15 Arson 1,451 754 542 183 1,187 341 455 584 687 1,316 629 Motor vehicle theft 508 351 171 107 320 154 159 165 242 422 180 Larceny-theft 2,181 1,216 795 308 1,628 526 665 904 1,028 1,852 824 Burglary 278 55 55 33 122 17 25 59 81 153 73 Property crime 33 11 10 8 30 7 7 8 14 36 22 Aggravated assault 27 17 8 3 15 3 10 5 11 10 -1 Robbery 0 1 0 0 4 1 0 2 1 2 1 Rape 338 84 73 44 171 28 42 74 107 201 94 Murder and Non-negligent Manslaughter 103,807 96,560 90,184 90,017 89,355 74,722 70,005 66,398 85,131 84,502 Violent crime County Bartow Floyd Walton Dougherty Rockdale Bulloch Troup Catoosa Averages Glynn Glynn + or - Avg. Population TABLE 44: CRIME RATE COMPARISONS - 2016 0 10 0 0 9 2 0 7 4 5 2 Source: ucr.fbi.gov In addition to looking at crime and clearance rates for the GCPD, the IACP also looked at comparative data from other communities. It is sometimes difficult to draw crime rate comparisons between certain communities or population areas, because of the population density variances and other differing factors. However, the crime rate and violent crime rates are relevant factors, as they reflect the likelihood that a person will become a victim of a violent crime, based on a ratio of 100,000 people. For the GCPD, the IACP chose to select other counties in Georgia with similar populations. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 131 IACP Operations and Management Study ADDITIONAL CAD/CFS DATA TABLE 45: CALL VOLUME AND DURATION BY CATEGORY – ALL Call Category Crime Service Traffic Totals Count of Calls 9,050 25,334 19,201 53,585 Source: Glynn County CAD data % of Total Calls 16.89% 47.28% 35.83% 100.00% Sum of Time Spent (H:M) 10,311.32 12,248.06 8,156.59 30,715.97 % of Total Time 33.57% 39.88% 26.55% 100.00% TABLE 46: CALL VOLUME AND DURATION BY CATEGORY – COMMUNITY-INITIATED Call Category Crime Service Traffic Totals Count of Calls 8,144 21,616 6,421 36,181 Source: Glynn County CAD data % of Total Calls 22.51% 59.74% 17.75% 100.00% Sum of Time Spent (H:M) 9,056.17 10,988.37 4,643.57 24,688.11 % of Total Time Spent 36.68% 44.51% 18.81% 100.00% TABLE 47: CALL VOLUME AND DURATION BY CATEGORY – OFFICER-INITIATED Call Category Crime Service Traffic Totals Count of Calls 906 3,718 12,780 17,404 Source: Glynn County CAD data % of Total Calls 5.21% 21.36% 73.43% 100.00% Sum of Time Spent (H:M) 1,255.15 1,259.28 3,513.02 6,027.45 % of Total Time 20.82% 20.89% 58.28% 100.00% The data in Table 45 shows the total volumes for the GCPD, including both community- and officer-initiated activity. In Table 46, the data is broken out for the community-initiated activity, and in Table 47, that data shows the officer-initiated activity. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 132 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 48: AGENCY MOST FREQUENT ACTIVITIES Activity Traffic Stop Suspicious Citizen Assist Problem Person Accident-PD Alarm Residence Traffic Offense Traffic Hazard Alarm Business Theft Welfare Check Civil Matter Domestic Damage to Property Animal Problem Noise Accident-PP Juvenile Problem Warrant Proc Burglary Accident-PI Agency Assist Fraud VIN Inspection 911 Dead Open Grand Total Count Pct. of Total 12005 22.40% 4981 9.30% 3751 7.00% 3303 6.16% 1767 3.30% 1760 3.28% 1513 2.82% 1408 2.63% 1295 2.42% 1161 2.17% 1106 2.06% 1080 2.02% 1046 1.95% 916 1.71% 898 1.68% 801 1.49% 745 1.39% 582 1.09% 491 0.92% 480 0.90% 466 0.87% 462 0.86% 431 0.80% 421 0.79% 417 0.78% 43286 80.78% Service Criminal Traffic Source: Glynn County CAD data Table4 48 provides a list of the top 25 GCPD activities, based on the frequency of the events. As indicated above, this list shows that the workload demands for the GCPD are primarily service related. Of the 25 incident types shown, eight involve calls that are crime-related; however, those incidents represent only about 11% of the event frequency. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 133 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 49: TOP FIVE CALLS BY CATEGORY – FREQUENCY (COMMUNITY-INITIATED) Community Initiated Crime Theft Domestic Damage to Property Juvenile Problem Burglary Crime Subtotal Service Suspicious Problem Person Citizen Assist Alarm Residence Alarm Business Service Subtotal Traffic Accident-Property Damage Traffic Offense Traffic Hazard Accident-PP Accident-Personal Injury Traffic Subtotal Community Initiated Total Source: Glynn County CAD data Count of CFS Pct. of Total 1,081 1,032 860 551 466 8,144 2.99% 2.85% 2.38% 1.52% 1.29% 22.51% 3,441 3,212 2,505 1,758 1,277 21,616 9.51% 8.88% 6.92% 4.86% 3.53% 59.74% 1,608 1,473 1,193 720 445 6,421 36,181 4.44% 4.07% 3.30% 1.99% 1.23% 17.75% 100% In looking at the service category, the top five incident types combine for 33.7% of the total volume. For traffic, motor vehicle crashes dominate the category, involving 7.66% of the activity. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 134 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 50: TOP FIVE CALLS BY CATEGORY – FREQUENCY (OFFICER-INITIATED) Officer-Initiated Crime Warrant Proc DUI Wanted Person Theft Damage to Property Crime Subtotal Count of CFS Pct. of Total 311 109 55 80 56 906 1.79% 0.63% 0.32% 0.46% 0.32% 5.21% Service Suspicious Citizen Assist Transports Agency Assist Problem Person Service Subtotal 1,540 1,246 162 131 91 3,718 8.85% 7.16% 0.93% 0.75% 0.52% 21.36% Traffic Traffic Stop Accident-PD Traffic Control Traffic Hazard Parking Problem Traffic Subtotal Officer Total 11,998 159 117 215 142 12,780 17,404 68.94% 0.91% 0.67% 1.24% 0.82% 73.43% 100.00% Source: Glynn County CAD data As expected, traffic stops take up the largest portion of officer-initiated activity and are responsible for 68.94% of the overall volume. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 135 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 51: TOP FIVE CALLS BY CATEGORY – TIME SPENT (COMMUNITY-INITIATED) Community-Initiated Crime Domestic Theft Burglary Assault Damage to Property Crime Subtotal Total Time Spent % of Total 1624:38:34 795:31:52 693:42:35 542:08:24 530:43:16 9056:16:47 6.58% 3.22% 2.81% 2.20% 2.15% 36.68% Service Problem Person Suspicious Citizen Assist Welfare Check Alarm Residence Service Subtotal 2669:37:24 1775:44:48 947:35:34 530:54:46 527:44:53 10988:37:26 10.81% 7.19% 3.84% 2.15% 2.14% 44.51% Traffic Accident-Property Damage Accident-Personal Injury Traffic Hazard Accident-Personal Property Traffic Offense Traffic Subtotal Grand Total 1531:21:35 1228:11:18 520:24:19 461:52:09 354:52:07 4643:56:36 24688:50:49 6.20% 4.97% 2.11% 1.87% 1.44% 18.81% 100.00% Source: Glynn County CD data The time spent by officers on community-initiated activity for the top five event types is provided in Table 51. These top five crime activities represent 16.96% of the community-initiated volume, consuming 4,184 hours. Within the traffic category, motor vehicle crashes combine for 13.04% of the activity, consuming 3,220 hours. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 136 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 52: TOP FIVE CALLS BY CATEGORY – TIME SPENT (OFFICER-INITIATED) Officer-Initiated Crime Warrant Process DUI Wanted Person Drugs Theft-Shoplift Crime Subtotal Total Time Spent % of Total 528:19:20 196:41:09 102:01:47 80:30:18 59:38:20 1255:14:48 8.76% 3.26% 1.69% 1.34% 0.99% 20.82% Service Suspicious Citizen Assist Transports Agency Assist Problem Person Service Subtotal 471:35:12 239:58:42 146:11:34 101:23:14 55:32:39 1259:28:32 7.82% 3.98% 2.43% 1.68% 0.92% 20.89% Traffic Traffic Stop Accident-Property Damage Traffic Control Pursuit Traffic Hazard Traffic Subtotal Grand Total 2939:10:48 179:13:26 124:47:48 72:01:30 57:04:00 3513:02:05 6027:45:25 48.76% 2.97% 2.07% 1.19% 0.95% 58.28% 100.00% Source: Glynn County CD data Table 52 provides the top five activities in terms of time spent, for officer-initiated activity. Warrant processes and DUI’s consume the most time, making up 12.02% of the activity, and consuming 724 hours. Within the service category for officer-initiated activity, suspicious circumstances and citizen assists absorb the most time, combining for 11.8% of the time, and consuming about 710 hours. As expected, traffic stops are the most frequent traffic event at 48.76%, taking up 2,939 hours. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 137 IACP Operations and Management Study FIGURE 8: CALLS BY DAY OF WEEK – COMMUNITY INITIATED Community Initiated Calls 7,000 Count of Events 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 - Source: Glynn County CAD data TABLE 53: CFS DISTRIBUTION BY DAY OF THE WEEK Day CFS Sunday 4,735 13% Monday 5,117 14% Tuesday 4,971 14% Wednesday 4,934 14% Thursday 5,084 14% Friday 5,830 16% Saturday 5,510 15% 36,181 100% Total Source: Glynn County CAD data Percent Figure 8 and Table 53 depicts the number of CFS by day of the week for community-initiated CFS (Community). There are only slight variations in the totals of community CFS by day of the week. Fridays and Saturdays have the highest totals, at 16% and 15% respectively. The volume on Sunday is the lowest at 13%, but the remaining days all have 14% of the total. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 138 IACP Operations and Management Study FIGURE 9: CALLS BY TIME OF DAY Source: Glynn County PD CAD Data - 2016 Figure 9 below shows the distribution of CFS by hour of the day, including both communityinitiated CFS and officer-initiated activities. Based on this table, community-initiated CFS peak at around 5:00 PM, dipping to their lowest total at about 4:00 AM. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 139 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 54: COMMUNITY-INITIATED CFS BY HOUR BY PERCENT (SHIFT CONFIGURATION) Hour 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 0 1 2 3 4 5 Total Community CFS Total Percent 622 1.61% 1033 2.67% 1410 3.65% 1682 4.36% 1923 4.98% 2057 5.33% 2118 5.48% 2319 6.00% 2268 5.87% 2457 6.36% 2579 6.68% 2582 6.69% 2367 6.13% 2066 5.35% 1980 5.13% 1953 5.06% 1629 4.22% 1313 3.40% 1119 2.90% 831 2.15% 755 1.95% 586 1.52% 498 1.29% 475 1.23% 38622 100.00% 51.39% 54.88% 25.32% Source: Glynn County PD CAD Data - 2016 Officer CFS Total Percent 251 1.29% 550 2.83% 647 3.33% 666 3.43% 826 4.25% 818 4.21% 918 4.72% 954 4.91% 1112 5.72% 1144 5.88% 1030 5.30% 944 4.86% 925 4.76% 1046 5.38% 993 5.11% 1047 5.39% 1323 6.80% 1338 6.88% 876 4.51% 697 3.59% 503 2.59% 346 1.78% 262 1.35% 226 1.16% 19442 100.00% 0700-1500 1500-2300 2300-0700 38.35% 45.60% 16.05% 44.57% 56.07% 35.33% The table above is based on the percentage of overall CFS volume, by hour of the day. The CFS data has been separated into three segments (and color-coded), which cover the hours of 07001700, 1400-0000, and from 2100-0700. These timeframes were used, because they most closely resemble the shift hours used by the GCPD. Additionally, the percentage of activity is also split into 8-hour segments, to help illustrate the distribution of CFS activity throughout the day. This table provides a clear picture of CFS distribution based on different sections of the day, which also track with shift and personnel allocations. The bulk of community-initiated CFS occur A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 140 IACP Operations and Management Study between the first and second work shifts. In total, 74.68% of all the CFS volume occurs between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. In contrast, the distribution of officer-initiated activity is much more equal, with the most noticeable spike occurring between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and Midnight. In addition, the data in this table shows 38.35% of CFS volume occurring between 7:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., 45.60% occurring between 3:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m., and only 16.05% of the CFS activity occurring between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Again, this is a very typical distribution of CFS activity. FIGURE 10: CFS BY HOUR OF DAY – HEAT MAP Hour 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Grand Total Sun 199 165 189 113 88 70 60 94 121 154 228 201 239 293 256 254 305 309 289 264 252 225 209 158 4735 Mon 140 94 72 61 57 51 90 169 199 247 270 251 280 293 309 336 386 371 326 270 243 265 183 154 5117 Source: Glynn County PD CAD Data - 2016 Tue 141 94 78 75 65 62 90 146 198 224 240 305 283 299 314 336 339 346 325 240 252 216 175 128 4971 Wed 115 80 82 64 62 67 86 164 217 225 243 274 267 266 304 282 322 362 293 283 260 247 210 159 4934 Thu 138 92 94 68 66 46 89 153 183 216 266 260 284 317 295 357 352 343 327 264 269 238 213 154 5084 Fri 160 111 88 75 63 79 108 166 239 252 271 304 300 331 335 386 363 390 384 312 301 313 269 230 5830 Sat 190 175 137 113 81 81 83 108 173 220 249 285 284 327 275 308 333 310 285 310 297 340 282 264 5510 A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police Grand Total 1083 811 740 569 482 456 606 1000 1330 1538 1767 1880 1937 2126 2088 2259 2400 2431 2229 1943 1874 1844 1541 1247 36181 141 IACP Operations and Management Study Figure 10 provides a color visual, or heat map, of what the previous tables and figures have shown regarding peak and low CFS periods, broken out by hour and day of the week. Red areas show the busiest periods, and green areas are slower periods. The hours of 12:00 Noon through 6:00 PM Monday through Friday are normal peak CFS hours. Although the daily CFS totals are somewhat different on Friday and Saturday, as opposed to other days of the week, the numbers are not disparate enough to warrant varied scheduling of personnel, based on the day of the week. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 142 IACP Operations and Management Study CULTURE SURVEY RESULTS The county authorizes the police department to employ 130 full-time personnel, including both sworn and non-sworn positions. Based on the data received, 33 persons completed the survey. The department was fully staffed at the time the survey was deployed, and if each staff member received an invitation, the 33 responses would represent a return rate of 25.4%. While statistically valid, the IACP would prefer a significantly higher rate, to indicate the desire of staff to engage in the process of self-analysis and improvement, and to ensure that the results are representative of the entire organization. Respondent Profile The profile of those who responded to the survey is provided below. The salient characteristics of the population sample that responded include: • • • • Experience: 45.5% of those who responded have 10 or more years of experience within the agency. Age: 84.8% of the responses were from persons aged 30 and above. This demonstrates a very mature respondent pool. Rank/Title: 87.8% of the responses were from line-level officers, with ranking officers comprising 12%, and will no non-sworn personnel providing responses. Unit/Assignment: 100% of the responses were from sworn officers, including command, investigations, patrol, and other sworn staff. RESPONDENT PROFILE Unit Assignment Executive and Command Staff, Sworn Non-Sworn Supervisor or Manager Other Non-Sworn Personnel Patrol - Sworn Officer Investigations Division – Sworn Specialty Division or Assignment - Sworn Total 4 0 0 19 7 3 Years of Service 0-4 Years 5-9 Years 10-14 Years 15-19 Years More than 20 Years Total 12 6 7 3 5 In-Rank 20 5 4 2 2 Rank/Title Lieutenant and Above Sergeant Sworn Officer Civilian Non-Supervisor Civilian Supervisor Total 7 3 22 1 0 Age 21-29 30-39 40-49 50 or over Total 5 11 8 9 A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 143 IACP Operations and Management Study Education High School Associate Degree Less than 4 Yr. Degree Bachelor's Degree Some Graduate Work Graduate Degree Total 4 6 8 7 2 6 Gender Male Female Total 26 7 Source: GCPD culture survey Race African American Hispanic White Asian Multi-Race Other Total 1 1 31 0 0 0 Survey results are most useful to isolate conditions and practices that need attention, and/or those that offer an opportunity to advance the effectiveness of operations, achievement of outcomes, and the overall health of the workplace. For each content survey dimension, respondents chose between the following responses: never, occasionally, usually, frequently, or always. The IACP assigned numeric values of 1-5 (with 1 being low or never, and 5 being high or always), respectively. In some cases, if the question did not apply, respondents could also choose an N/A type response. Table 55 below provides the final average scoring for each of the 26 categorical areas in the content section of the survey. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 144 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 55: SURVEY RESPONSES Survey Category Command Leadership First Line Supervisor Trust and Ethics Fairness Communication Training Policies Accountability Equipment Technology Job Satisfaction Work Volume Job Safety Valuing Diversity Pay and Benefits Community Needs and Problem Solving Community Policing/Engagement Patrol Staffing and Schedule Investigations Staffing and Schedule Org. Climate Standards Org. Climate Responsibility Org. Climate Warmth and Support Org. Climate Clarity/Goals Org. Climate Conformity Org. Climate Rewards Source: GCPD culture survey Average 3.15 2.72 3.79 3.09 2.85 2.92 2.96 3.55 2.73 3 2.95 3.79 3.1 3.65 3.42 2.94 3.37 3.01 2.64 3.11 3.85 3.4 3.56 3.73 2.97 2.45 For an average response below 3.0, these categories are highlighted in the table above. The lowest dimensions were leadership, accountability, and patrol staffing and schedule. These numbers suggest a certain level of dissatisfaction with the current condition. It is important to note here that there are questions relating to organizational climate within the survey, which are reflected in Table 55 above, and there is a separate section dedicated to organizational climate that uses a different response format, which is detailed and explained below. To help understand the data relating to organizational climate questions from Table 55 A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 145 IACP Operations and Management Study above, brief explanations as to the nature of the question(s) in the survey that are used to assess those dimensions are provided below. Standards: This area relates to whether command staff and supervisors demand high standards of performance from staff. Responsibility: This area concerns allowing staff the latitude to exercise judgment and take risks when necessary, and whether staff feels they have sufficient authority to accomplish their job tasks without additional pre-authorization. Warmth and Support: This area includes how well employees get along with each other, and the level of comfort between employees and their direct supervisor. Clarity/Goals: This section covers whether the department and the unit to which staff are assigned, have clearly outlined goals and objectives, and whether staff understands them. Conformity: This area relates to whether staff have the authorization to use their judgment to complete tasks, and/or whether they are restricted to specific methods in their work. Rewards: This section addresses whether the department provides accurate and ongoing feedback to staff, and whether the department recognizes and rewards outstanding performance. Generally, the scores for the dimensions above represent the aggregate score from the respondents from multiple questions within the survey. Rather than report each individual score, the totals from questions within a themed area are averaged and provided in the table. Organizational Climate The second portion of the survey involved an analysis of the organizational climate using specific survey questions that directly target certain operational areas. These questions intend to address many of the same categories in the content section, and to a certain extent, they are duplicative. However, by their construction, these questions provide a different vantage point, and a readily observable range, both in reference to how the organization currently functions, and ideally how it should function based on the opinions of the respondents. These questions engage a 10-point A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 146 IACP Operations and Management Study scale, with 1 being low and 10 being high, and the IACP has provided the response data in the table below. There are three important aspects of the organizational climate survey, which make this a versatile tool. The first aspect relates to the correct or right response. Each organization is different, and accordingly, there is no pre-identified proper level associated with any of these questions. The responses reflect the collective desires of the staff at the GCPD, and as such, they are representative of the current and desired culture of the GCPD, as opposed to an arbitrary standard that is set elsewhere. The second aspect of this tool is that it has great utility. The categories in this questionnaire are clear and the agency can easily identify, based on the responses, which areas require focused attention. The third notable aspect of this tool is that it is brief and easily replicable. The agency can re-administer this survey at various intervals. Doing so can provide the agency with comparative data to examine the prior condition against the current perceptions of staff, and the results can help the agency recognize whether their efforts are shifting in one or more of these cultural areas, and whether they are successful. As with the responses to the main portion of the survey, the IACP will not provide an analysis here with regard to any specific question. Instead, the department is encouraged to examine the responses below, and to consider what adjustments, if any, might be appropriate to respond to the desired level noted by staff who took the survey. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 147 IACP Operations and Management Study TABLE 56: ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE CONFORMITY: The feeling that there are many externally imposed constraints in the organization; the degree to which members feel that there are rules, procedures, policies, and practices to which they have to conform, rather than being able to do their work as they see it. Conformity is very characteristic of the organization Current 6.55 Desired 6.36 Conformity should be a characteristic of the organization RESPONSIBILITY: Members of the organization are given personal responsibility to achieve their part of the organizations goals; the degree to which members feel that they can make decisions and solve problems without checking with supervisors each step of the way. There is great emphasis on personal responsibility in the organization Current 5.67 Desired 8 There should be great emphasis on personal responsibility in the organization STANDARDS: The emphasis the organization places on quality performance and outstanding production; the degree to which members feel the organization is setting challenging goals for itself and communicating those goals to its members. High challenging standards are set in the organization Current 5.67 Desired 8.24 High challenging standards should be set/expected in the organization REWARDS: The degree to which members feel that they are being recognized and rewarded for good work rather than being ignored, criticized, or punished when things go wrong. Members are recognized and rewarded positively within the organization Current 3.82 Desired 8.64 Members should be recognized and rewarded positively within the organization ORGANIZATIONAL CLARITY: The feeling among members that things are well organized and goals are clearly defined rather than being disorderly or confused. The organization is well-organized with clearly defined goals Current 4.76 Desired 8.82 The organization should be well-organized and have clearly defined goals WARMTH AND SUPPORT: The feeling of friendliness is a valued norm in the organization; that members trust one another and offer support to one another. The feeling that good relationships prevail in the work environment. Warmth and support are very characteristic of the organization Current 4.42 Desired 8.3 Warmth and support should be very characteristic of the organization LEADERSHIP: The willingness of organization members to accept leadership and direction from other qualified personnel. As needs for leadership arise, members feel free to take leadership roles and are rewarded for successful leadership. Leadership is based on expertise. The organization is not dominated by, or dependent on one or two persons. Members accept and are rewarded for leadership based on expertise Current 4.24 Desired 8.55 Members should accept and be rewarded for leadership based on expertise A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 148 IACP Operations and Management Study Survey Analysis – Qualitative Responses Within the survey there is an open-ended text box, in which staff were afforded the opportunity to provide any feedback they wished to convey as a part of the process. Within the 33 surveys completed, 15 open-ended responses were provided. Unlike quantitative analysis, which can be broken down into numeric representations, ratios, or percentages (as the above tables demonstrate), qualitative data is much more difficult to present. The process of evaluating and reporting qualitative data involves looking for similarities in the data, which are then grouped into a small number (usually 4-6) of overarching themes. There can also be sub-categories of data within each of these themed areas, but when done properly, each of the responses have a connection to the main theme. Data within these themed areas may be positive or negative, or neither, such as comments that merely make a suggestion. The analysis provided here engages a contemplative process of considering each of the data elements (narrative responses) to determine within which themed area it may be most appropriately categorized, and then to consider the substance of each response in relation to the theme area, and the other data within that category. In addition to the themed analysis of the qualitative data, the analysis presented here also includes a Word Cloud graphic, see Figure 4 below. The Word Cloud is another analytical tool that represents the frequency of various words that the respondents mentioned within the openended narrative questions. The more frequently a word appears within the narrative responses, the larger the word appears within the Word Cloud. Using Word Clouds can be helpful, in that they can provide readers with a quick snapshot of the words and descriptors used by those who responded to the question. However, there is also a cautionary here, in that the words themselves do not necessarily provide the complete context of the response. Accordingly, within themed analysis below, the IACP will provide a summary that captures the essence of the overall words and responses. Qualitative Response Analysis The feedback received from the internal portion of survey by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) provided a comprehensive narrative and contained both positive remarks as well as areas of perceived improvement. In cases where the respondents expressed areas of improvement, most provided insightful suggestions as well as positive comments. With approximately 130 surveys sent out, only 15 individuals provided a narrative response to the open-ended question. Of these, two were deemed non-responsive, with responses that were deemed not germane to the survey. After removing the non-responsive answers, there were 13 usable written responses, touching on several related categories. As this data was reviewed and categorized, three main themes emerged: Leadership, Staffing, and the Organization as a whole. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 149 IACP Operations and Management Study Leadership Based on the qualitative survey responses returned to the IACP, the staff at the GCPD seem to regard the leaders of the organization as capable. While the number of written responses to the survey was small, those who commented provided valuable information about the perceptions of leadership within the department. These responses involved three primary areas: Front-line and Command Staff, Morale, and Recognition/Promotion. • Front-line and Command Staff Several of the survey responses indicated that the department could improve overall if the consistency of front-line and command-staff leadership management was given some attention. Specifically, supervisory support for front-line officers was the main topic that garnered the most attention in the responses, while others mentioned the former leadership of the department as being an area of concern for them. In the survey, several made the observations that command could improve their efforts in being positive and encouraging the efforts of their front-line officers, including those who work high call volume shifts. While the nature of the law enforcement profession is stressful, top-level leadership can use this to gauge the emotional health of the department, while improving relations with its members by actively encouraging positive involvement with and by management. • Morale More than 30% of the qualitative responses either directly or indirectly mentioned morale in their comments or provided feedback on opportunities for improvement in this area. In these responses, several connected morale issues to the pervious leadership. Respondents also mentioned a lack of incentives for longer tenured officers, and personality conflicts between management and line-staff officers as being opportunities for improvement. Respondents also indicated that the recent pay increase was greatly appreciated and definitely was a positive step in increasing positive perceptions of the department by its officers. Several suggestions were offered to further increase morale, some of which center on adding additional staff and developing or increasing pro-active units (K9, Investigations, bike patrol, etc.). • Recognition/Promotion There were a handful of comments on the survey that related to the general state of morale of the departmental staff, which can be directly attributed to how command selects individuals for promotion and/or special assignments. Some of the comments/responses were general and/or vague in nature, while others pointed to specific incidents, including discrepancies in time in grade, as well as perceived involvement in office politics as being an area of concern. With respect to recognition, it was mentioned that command staff are perceived to engage in questioning the decision-making process, or “Monday morning quarterbacking” of their officers, rather than encouraging and promoting sound decision-making. These responses indicate an opportunity for command to formalize the promotional process, and an opportunity for front-line supervisors to A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 150 IACP Operations and Management Study encourage and provide line officers with career growth, through coaching and mentoring. It is further suggested that front-line supervisors should make a more focused effort to recognize the positive work and contributions that are being done by officers, as well as non-sworn individuals who assist with department operations. The IACP notes that it is not uncommon for law enforcement personnel to express these types of concerns and the IACP has documented similar types of responses in other studies. Despite their commonality, it is imperative that such remarks are not summarily dismissed, and that they are used as a call to action by organizational leaders, so they can better understand why staff feel this way, and so that steps can be taken to ensure that processes are in place to mitigate these staff concerns. Staffing Staffing was noted by several respondents as an area of improvement for the department, and that was related to several different areas, including specialized units, expanding existing units, and adding to the patrol division to assist with call volume. Responses in this particular area mentioned that the staffing shortage contributes to a disproportionate workload, job burnout, and the perception of lack of job effectiveness. The collective comments suggest that organizational leadership has tried to address this need in the past, but they may need to revisit and reprioritize this issue. Respondents pointed out that adding staff can help in improving effective job performance, but it can also increase safety concerns, as well as overall community satisfaction. Staffing has been an issue in many of the organizational reviews conducted by the IACP and should be noted that these suggestions are impacted not only by budgets, but by governmental oversight. Still, the IACP has found that, as indicated above, appropriate staffing can have a profound impact on overall job performance and morale, officer safety, and community satisfaction. Organization The final area which received a substantial amount of feedback from the survey was related to the GCPD organizational leadership as a whole. Many of the responses indicated that working at GCPD could be improved through effective and positive communication with the command staff, as well as having positive interactions with leadership staff. Survey respondents did note that there are some other opportunities for improvement when it comes to the overall leadership of the organization: • Approachability There were several comments in the survey results indicating both the command staff and frontline supervisors are slightly disconnected from the line-staff, with some mentioning A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 151 IACP Operations and Management Study approachability, lack of communication, and positive reinforcement of the officers as issues. This would indicate an opportunity for command and front-line supervisors to positively engage with staff and build a more comprehensive and stronger team environment. • Communication One of the respondents mentioned that communication across the organization could be improved by putting out the thoughts behind the decisions, and not just the decisions themselves. Additionally, having supervisors and command staff more accessible and approachable would also be appreciated. • Compensation This is an area that had been mentioned in several of the responses in the survey with one of respondents specifically remarking that the GCPD has addressed this specific area with some perceived limited success. Despite this positive note, there continues to be a perception that additional compensation is needed to recognize officer for their longevity, as well as for added duties and responsibilities. A Study by the International Association of Chiefs of Police 152