NCJ Number
216776
Journal
The Police Chief: The Professional Voice of Law Enforcement Volume: 73 Issue: 12 Dated: December 2006 Pages: 23-24,26-28,30
Date Published
December 2006
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article describes the new strategic planning process implemented by the Scottsdale Police Department.
Abstract
Designed as a management philosophy, the main goal of the 2003 strategic planning process of the Scottsdale, Arizona Police Department was to produce a single department plan document that would be aligned with budget goals and performance measures. The process began with an evaluation of past strategic planning efforts and research into promising planning practices. The department then identified eight primary objectives for the strategic planning process: (1) the strategic planning process and resulting plan document must have a champion; (2) the process must be participatory, both internally and externally; (3) individuals must be held accountable for action on the strategic plan; (4) processes must be in place to track and report progress; (5) processes must be identified for ongoing review and update of the plan; (6) the department budget must be tied to the plan; (7) workload indicators and performance measures must be tied to the plan; and (8) the department’s operational projects must be tied to the plan. A 2-day intensive participatory retreat brought together 60 attendees representing all functional units of the police department and several city departments. A series of brainstorming sessions resulted in the development of a list of critical strategic issues which were eventually formed into strategic directions, objectives, and supporting strategies for the department. Specific objectives and strategies were assigned to particular individuals who were responsible for implementing them. This assignment process revealed that the traditional chain-of-command management process was no longer functional. Instead, a matrix management system was implemented which allowed the strategic plan responsibilities to be incorporated into lieutenant and civilian manager performance evaluations. The annual review and update process is described and the successes of the Scottsdale planning process are recounted, which include the establishment of a strategic management philosophy and culture within the Department. Endnotes