NCJ Number
154743
Date Published
1995
Length
117 pages
Annotation
This study examines the future of funding California medium- sized law enforcement agencies to determine what the funding structure for public safety will be by the year 2000.
Abstract
The study encompasses a futures study of the alternative funding mechanisms available to law enforcement and significant trends and events are analyzed and forecasted to determine their impact on the central issue. The study findings include suggestions to change budgeting practices away from the general fund concept to a separate public safety fund for law enforcement. Scenarios are profiled to determine the impacts of change on the central issue or the repercussions for law enforcement if change does not occur. A model strategic plan is presented for change to a more flexible system of budgeting. A transition management plan concludes the study, which offers a model for an orderly change to the desired future state. A discussion of the implementation plan involves a new budgeting process, the public safety fund. This fund should enable the police department to maximize its fiscal efficiency by rolling over savings realized as a result of employee actions. The analysis should include and forecast the department's reliance on the general fund, while considering the amount of other revenues generated. Finally, any hidden cost in implementation should be identified. Appended nonextrapolative forecasting results, 50 references, and 12-item bibliography