Play nice, During my years working at ICMA, the subject of managers and police chiefs and how they can work together has been an ongoing, popular, and perhaps sometimes prickly subject. Now in its June issue, PM is fortunate to publish the article “The Manager-Police Chief Relationship” by Rod Gould.

Gould, a former city manager and now staff member of the Center for Public Safety Management (CPSM), which is ICMA’s exclusive provider of public safety services, recognizes that “These two highest ranking executives must understand each other’s perspectives and support one another.”

He acknowledges that in the demanding work of the police officer and police department, the end game is that managers and chiefs need to share similar visions and values for officer safety. He recommends that if managers are not meeting regularly with the chief and working through issues together, it is time to start.

Swing big. A big hit for Venice, Florida, was when it signed a three-year contract to annually host Revolution3 (REV-3), a three-part half triathlon that attracts more than 1,000 race participants. As a result of proper planning and the contribution of many resident volunteers, the event was successful. Venice City Manager Edward Lavallee includes a suggested protocol for the handling of special events and requests to host them In “Having the Best Time!”

Randall Reid and Emma Humphries cover the bases on increasing civic awareness with their article “A Push for Civic Education.” Civic education includes the traditional teaching methods and programs that encourage young people to get involved. Digital solutions are now bringing civics into the 21st century. The authors provide a number of civic dialogue platforms.

Play by the rules. Evidence-based decision making has become a helpful tool for local governments, and it relies on how well a program or service works, which is often proven through research and publication. Programs that are federally funded are required to use institutional review boards (IRBs) when conducting human subject research. If you need more information on IRBs, read “The Human Factor” by authors Karen Stewart and Briana Frenzel.

Everybody likes a home run. Authors of eight more print and online articles, as well as the 2016 ICMA preliminary conference program, hit it out of the park in terms of information and content. Topics include lower health care costs, career development, hazards of multitasking, better recruiting, writing effective procedures and policies, impromptu speech making, tax base growth tips, and the curveball: handling tough conversations at work.

Enough with the baseball metaphors. Enjoy the June PM (and baseball this summer if you are a fan)! 

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