A pair of cover stories in the September issue of Public Management (PM) magazine might get managers to question the sustainability of delivering police and fire services in the manner that has traditionally been done. The big question then is: Are there alternatives to the traditional approach?

The first article, “Is the Current Model for Public Safety Service Delivery Sustainable?” written by Leonard Matarese, director of research and project development, ICMA Center for Public Safety Management, examines the problems that come with maintaining the traditional (i.e., historical) method of service delivery. The second article, “Bargaining for a New 12-Hour Firefighters’ Shift Structure,” describes one city’s successful efforts to take a new, more efficient approach to service delivery. Three authors from Delaware, Ohio, where the new approach is in place, co-wrote it: R. Thomas Homan, city manager; Darren Shulman, city attorney; and John Donahue, fire chief.

Matarese says the current model isn’t sustainable and has to change. He details four ways to accomplish change:

1. Undertake a greater analysis of workloads and deployment to ensure that personnel are assigned when they are truly needed.
2. Evaluate how to reduce the number of police agencies.
3. Investigate unexplored opportunities for joint efforts.
4. Consider alternative service-delivery systems.

The article featuring Delaware describes the steps taken to win arbitration, allowing the schedule change. For full details, read “Bargaining for a New 12-Hour Firefighters’ Shift Structure.”

For complete issue details, read the September PM.