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Palos Park Police Strategic Plan 2012 +
Mayor John Mahoney / Police Commissioner Dan Polk
Police Commissioner Dan Polk and members of the Palos Park Police Department, working under Mayor Mahoney’ community centered planning process, teamed with our partners to build a Strategic Plan looking forward. The plan is based on shared values that have helped us as an organization to discuss, plan and think about what is important now and in the future. The decisions we make today will affect and impact our department and community for years to come. We must take that responsibility seriously. We are blessed with both a talented, eager work force and smart, dedicated staff members who strive to create an environment in which citizens and businesses can draft a proposal that will encompass the needs of today and future generations. Our staff often serves as our ambassadors and can be an excellent resource for government to team with our businesses and community to provide valuable services. We seek to work at every turn to explore ways we can be more efficient. Our budget is based on real needs, not wishes. We seek out staff members who display the highest integrity and trust, never forgetting we are serving and representing the people of Palos Park. By planning, we acknowledge that the best decisions are well informed decisions. All local governments are facing serious challenges, and the economic difficulty our entire nation is experiencing has a direct impact on local government service providers. We have no shortage of intelligent, thoughtful, dedicated people and it is critical to our future that we work together - businesses, individuals and government officials - to come up with innovative solutions that will set our community on the proper course. The five strategic directions are Public Safety, Community Partnerships, Personnel Development, Resource Management and Technological Advancement. Please take time to review 2012+. Palos Park Police Strategic Plan
2012 + By definition, strategic planning is the process of developing and maintaining a strategic fit between the organization’s goals and the changing social landscape. This plan was designed to be a global outline, predisposed toward action, not implementation. The responsibility of implementation rests on the shoulders of the command staff, using available resources to achieve the goals outlined in this plan. The strategic plan is a dynamic process that focuses on leadership concerns beyond routine police roles. Our strategic plan exemplifies police-community problem solving. From the first stages of development, input was sought from citizen representatives who give generously of their time. Their enthusiasm and dedication played an integral role in shaping the course of our agency in the years ahead. The strategic plan was shaped as a fluid approach to the ever changing environment of public safety issues. We continue to seize upon emerging technologies to enhance the delivery of services. Much of what we do in trying economic times is developed through focused, intelligence-led policing. Our Department and community members work to identify areas of joint concern. Through the use of crime analysis and problem-solving, we will target issues more precisely, which will reduce crime and more effectively use our resources. We also stress the need to prepare the process of transferring the leadership of the Department to the next generation of officers. It is vital to the success of our organization that new leaders be developed and nurtured with the values of integrity and professionalism. Input is sought from community members, business groups, village and police employees as well as other community stakeholders. It is used to help the Police Department continuously focus its policing efforts. The department depends on the public and strong community involvement to create a strategic plan that is responsive to community needs. We start by asking, what are our CORE VALUES.
STRATEGIC PLANNING PARADIGM We have identified five “strategic directions”; the goals to pursue over the next several years that best exemplify these statements. The five strategic directions identified are:
In addition to the strategic directions of the plan, this document looks forward into what if's, as the relate to capital improvements staffing and equipment needs, anticipated workload and population trends, anticipated / future needs personnel levels, and provisions for review and revision of these goals. The strategic directions are supported by objectives, strategies and work plans.
As an organization looking inward and forward, we envision the following areas of focus to be key to our sustainability Public Safety This is the very essence of what we do, safeguarding the community in a pro active manner and making sure our staff is prepared and trained to be reactive to emergency and crisis situations. What has changed is the model in which we can afford to do that. Are we using our key staff at optimal times, can we define a model in which our most highly trained professional staff focus on being active and engaged in policing, while being supported by Para professional support staff to augment the patrol officer's working in the field. As an organization, are the foundations in place to address community growth, expansion and patrol level needs that can or do come with changing boundaries, population, etc… We need to have elasticity and flexibility in staffing the patrol mission and the support staff needed to fully sustain our primary focus, patrol. Digital Technology Advances in technology continue to permeate the entire department from bar coding in Property, on line reports, GIS e records, virtual evidence rooms and in-car digital cameras. The technology available should be integrated into the department’s daily functions. Property should have an electronic bar coding system, allowing for accurate documentation of chain of custody and reduce the space needed for storage. E in car reporting, E Accident reports, E Tickets are all in our future. Virtual evidence rooms allow other necessary agencies like village and State’s Attorneys to view and access evidence, saving employee time retrieving and copying evidence for court. In-car digital cameras provide an un-biased account of events as they unfold, increasing officer safety, providing evidence for prosecution and limiting department liability. Digital cameras should be expanded to all patrol units with the ability to cover several different angles. Wearable cameras carried by the officers when they leave the patrol unit remain a highly recommended option. Consideration should be given to digital storage capacity and retrieval with policies and procedures in place to keep evidence secure. Community Partnerships This is a 24/7/365 commitment each officer in a patrol unit serves as an ambassador, good quality professional police services fosters community partnership and trust. Working side by side with community groups, the collective bargaining unit, the Police Foundation, the COPS, the Cadets, our business community and the residents all serve as foundations for collaboration and trust. We may add the SWCS system, SWMCU, the SSMCTF, DEA TFO and the SSERT as resources available if needed, but not hard wired to PPPD. These groups are key to our functions as an agency charged with protecting the community. Briefings Staff Communications IE… employee briefings Because of varying shifts and assignments the information presented is repeated for several days possibly causing some of the information to drop off or new information to be missed. The department needs to review different formats for acquiring the daily briefing information determining if there is a better way to provide quality and timely information. Professional Development Professional development includes training and advancement with each having a direct effect on job satisfaction. Training resources and opportunities to learn are critical elements in maintaining a high level of service for the community. All employees of the Palos Park Police Department, civilian and sworn, play a vital role in meeting our mission. Preparing future leaders by keeping staff up to date with changing technology prepares the department to move into the future our employees are our most valuable assets. We must continue to invest in their ongoing development to ensure needs are met on the individual and department level. This investment provides a rewarding and healthy work environment which in turn drives our employees to seek excellence. Overall quality of service will begin to deteriorate if employees spend all of their time just accomplishing their core duties and are not trained to be the next generation of supervisors and leaders. Institutional knowledge There is a need to preserve and share institutional knowledge and best practices. When employees leave after many years of service a certain amount of expertise and experience may be lost, especially in specialized investigative areas or key positions in the civilian and sworn ranks. These employees are our greatest resource they hold a wealth of operational, situational and community knowledge that we must impart on our newer and younger officers. Use of support or retired employees as instructors should be more fully explored. Our mission is to provide our citizens, employees, visitors and business community quality public services through innovative public/private/intergovernmental partnerships and programs thereby offering expanded economic opportunities and safe family neighborhoods |
