NCJ Number
102999
Date Published
1985
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This document describes an easy-to-use, paper-and-pencil technique for designing police fixed-day-off (FDO) schedules.
Abstract
The manual method, known as the cyclic graph design method, assumes that the total number of officers to be scheduled is known, that each officer works 5 days per week and receives 2 consecutive days off, and that the number of on- and off-duty officers is known for each day of the week. FDO schedules are used in situations where coverage is required 7 days a week. These schedules may be used when daily staffing levels are uniform or when staffing levels vary by day of the week. Two FDO schedules, illustrating each type of coverage, are provided. The first illustration consists of seven brackets of 7 days. One officer or group of officers is assigned to each bracket, and the on- and off-duty days in each bracket describes the weekly work pattern for each officer or group of officers. The second FDO schedule has six brackets (i.e., it requires six officers or groups of officers) that are on duty changes from day to day. This schedule provides uniform staffing on Monday through Friday, and reduced staffing on weekends. 26 references.