NCJ Number
169714
Journal
Telemasp Bulletin Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (July 1995) Pages: complete issue
Date Published
1995
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This report examines the advantages and disadvantages of the three police scheduling plans that are currently in greatest use and describes the scheduling plans currently used by Texas police agencies.
Abstract
The 8-5 plan involves working 8 hours for 5 days, followed by 2 days off. The 10-4 plan involves 4 days lasting 10 hours each, followed by 3 days off. The 12-4 plan involves 4 days of 12 hours each, followed by 4 days off. In each plan the staffing levels can either be equal on each shift or proportional to calls for service. Police agencies should consider several variables when deciding whether to use fixed or rotating shifts. Community policing, seniority, pay incentives for night duty, morale, health, and technical considerations are all issues in decisionmaking on schedules. A March 1995 survey of 41 Texas police agencies revealed that smaller agencies have a greater variety of scheduling plans than do large agencies, which tend to use either the 8-5 plan or a combination of the 8-5 and 10-4 plans. Police agencies considering a change in patrol schedules should consider this decision to be a major management issue. The agency should determine the problems with the current schedule, set realistic objectives for a new schedule, and select the schedule that best fulfills the agency's needs. They can represent schedules by duty cycle, bracket, and calendar. They can also customize a basic plan to meet their needs. Agencies should also review their scheduling plans periodically to determine if the plan is meeting the workload and requirements of the agency, the officers, and the community. Tables, figures, list of agencies that responded to the survey, and 9 references