At ICMA Center for Public Safety Management, we know that in most local governments, the provision of police, fire, and emergency medical services consumes the largest portion of the operating budget. As former managers and chiefs, we understand that public safety, while critically important, is only one of many community services.
When facing the difficult task of balancing the needs of other services against the rising cost of public safety, it is critical that choices are made based upon the best possible information. The ICMA Center for Public Safety Management offers the assistance local governments need to make those data-driven decisions.
By delivering comprehensive analyses of workload, deployment, response times, and performance outcomes, the ICMA Center for Public Safety Management can help you move beyond the traditional discussion of "officers per thousand" into an objective review of staffing needs based on demand for services. In addition, we work with our clients to identify alternative delivery systems that can improve performance and reduce cost.
Workload and Staffing Analysis
The ICMA Center for Public Safety Management provides workload and staffing analysis using operations research methods. We begin projects by extracting calls for service and raw data from an agency’s computer aided dispatch system. The data are sorted and analyzed for comparison to nationally developed performance indicators. These performance indicators (response times, workload by time, multiple unit dispatching, etc.) are valuable measures of agency performance. The findings are shown in tabular as well as graphic form and follow a standard format for presentation of the analyzed data. While the format will be similar from community to community, the data reported are unique to the specific agency. Due to the size and complexity of the documents, this allows for simple, clean reporting. Conducting a detailed analysis of police and fire workload, including citizen- and officer-initiated activities, allows us to show local government managers how actual workload compares to deployment, providing objective data on staffing and scheduling requirements.
For a more in-depth look at how we determine workload and staffing analysis, click here:
Workload and Deployment Analysis
Operational Analysis
We also provide operational analysis using our highly credentialed experienced public safety experts to review current operations and identify and recommend best practices. Prior to any on-site arrival of an ICMA team, agencies are asked to compile a large number of key operational documents (policies and procedures, assets lists, etc.). Most on-site reviews consist of interviews with management and supervisors as well as rank and file officers; attendance at roll calls; and ride-alongs with staff. We review case files and observe dispatch operations to ensure compliance with the provided written documentation. As a result of any on-site visits and data assessments, our subject matter experts produce observations and recommendations which highlight strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the department.
CONTACT US
For more information or to schedule an onsite assessment, contact Thomas Wieczorek at twieczorek@icma.org or 616-813-3782 or Leonard Matarese at lmatarese@icma.org or 716-969-1360.
