LEO Shedules

[pagosacop]

Hello All,

I want to know if anyone can help with a schedule problem we are dealing with in my department.

We are a small agency of 9 officers
Chief
Assistant Chief
2 detectives
1 Sgt
4 patrol officers

We lost a road officer because he was promoted and now only four of us have to cover a 24/7 work week. can any one help with some scheduling tips who have either been here and done that. The boss has to answer to the town board and he has us working to where we are under 80 hrs a work week and FSLA guidlines.

We are working 8 hrs shifts one day car officer one day and swing officer an early swing Sgt and two swing officers. the chief refuses to allow two day cars working at the same time and the detectives do not help with taking calls. The Sgt or former road officer takes calls when he has to but off limits to working the road. We are all vetern officers with the lowest officer having 10 years exp.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I have tried to come up with a schedule several times, and have been rejected because it allowes the entire department to work and share the call load.

Thanks for the support,

-PagosaCop-

[GoDirectly2Jail]

Welcome to the forum!

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, allow me to use my fabulous investigative skills to say that with terms like "Shedules" and to "shag" calls, I'd say you're not from around here, are you? ;)

[Johninaustin]

We don't have schedules, we just never get to go home.

To answer your question you are not going to be able to provide 24hr coverage with 4 people. I suggest putting people on during your peak activity times.

[pagosacop]

Thanks for the suggestions and I do appreciate them

-PagosaCop-

[Citicop]

I work in a slightly less small department (18 total).

Here is the problem.

A 9 officer department does not need 2 detective positions, or an assistant chief position that is not also a road car. Assuming the chief answers no calls, here it is:

You do 8 hour shifts. 6 officers assigned to patrol- 2 scheduled on each of days, afternoons, and midnights. There will be 3 days per week you will have double coverage, and four days where only one person per shift will be scheduled. (Schedule extra coverage for weekends or other peak times for your area).

This leaves you one detective slot (who can be used to cover a sector when someone calls in sick) and one supervisor other than the chief, who should work straight afternoons to provide administrative support when the chief is not available.

I don't think there is a viable way to cover it with the detectives and administrative setup you have now.

Hope that helps-

Citicop.

[retdetsgt]

With only four patrol officers, I can't imagine why you need any detectives! How can four officers generate nearly enough work to keep one detective busy, much less 2?

No offense to your dept, but it sounds like it needs to be revamped from the top down. Three supervisors, including the two chiefs and one Sgt to only six worker bees (counting the detectives) and a one to two ratio. That's ridiculous by any standards. I don't see how you could possibly cover 24 hours. If one person calls in sick, you have to shut down the whole city.

Good luck, I hope your city government can correct that situation for you.

[Samuel]

You're not from Pagosa Springs Colorado are you? (please contact RealPolice for verification)

[Wolfman]

Honestly, with only 9 officers I would think that the Chief and Asst. Chief would pitch in some patrol work as well...

I do echo the other statement...why two detectives? Let those guys go on patrol as well and have a single detective position with an "investigative patrolman" who can do investigation work during non-peak hours.

[Roger Dat]

We have a small village department near me. They too have only a few guys mostly part time. Even their detectives push a patrol car on regular shifts.

[MP_Steve]

If none of the non-road officers will work the road, perhaps you'll have to go to twelves. That'll put one officer on the road twenty-four hours per day. Try using the four on, three off, three on, four off method. 36 hours one week, 48 the next.

That's the ONLY way you can maintain 24 hour coverage with only four guys.

[pagosacop]

Ok here is more information on our detectives, The chief LOVES the main guy who does nothing but play on the internet all day, I was told by the Sgt, this guy is untouchable and is not allowed to work the road unless someone is sick or quits. They got this guy a tracking dog from Florida. When we need his help tracking he is unavailable and when he is available the dog just sucks, she could find anything if it were tied to her nose, poor things was just another bad descision.

Most of us feel he is do for a blanket party but the legal issues would bind us. The narcotic detective will do anything for us and will take calls if needed, not a problem, but the Chief does not want him on the road doing our jobs.

I have submitted several schedules that would work but for some reason nobody on the command staff likes the idea of two day officers, the detctives helping and working a weekend, and the Sgt taking calls. I guess in a whole we, the grunts who have to do this just suck it up til someone new or a better offer come along, Thnaks for your help I do appreciate it a lot. I can not wait til this gu retires, hopefully we can get a couple of guys who want to help.

Dont mind my grammer, its been a long year.

-PagosaCop-

[InTheEnd]

24 hour coverage for 5 days a week with 3 officers each working a separate tour of 8x4,4x12,12x8 with the same two days off each week. The 4th officer can have 5on2off covering peak hours and working on the days the other cops are not. The detectives can cover 8x4 and 4x12 dealing with walk-ins until fourth cop arrives and does road and in house work.