Today you wake up and are the new Superintendent. You have to make 5 changes that you believe will improve the Department. What would you change?
Oh and politics need not be considered!
My Apologies.....The last set of comments sent in were accidentally deleted. If you would be so kind to resubmit them I would appreciate it.
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30 comments:
1. Eliminate most of the specialized units. Put the police back in district law enforcement where they can work eight hours, they can answer to a sergeant or lieutenant, they can pitch in and do police work. Some of our specialized units are a textbook model of inefficiency. Specifically, I'm talking about those units headquartered at Homan Square and other "centralized locations." They spend half of their tour travelling from Homan Square to their assigned missions. Then they have to leave the missions early to get back to Homan Square because they want to beat the traffic. It just doesn't make sense. Detectives and Youth Officers are other examples of inefficiency. We've all had occasions where we've waited hours for these "specialists" to arrive. Put Detectives and Youth Officers in the districts where we have some control over them. Wouldn't it be refreshing to have them in the district, instead of in the suburbs, when we need them?
2. Get rid of Phil's "Guns, Gangs, and Drugs" mantra. It's turned a few of our younger officers into little more than armed thugs. Let's get back to "Serving and Protecting." It sounds corny, but when we served and protected, we had much more support from the public.
3. Eliminate about half the exempts. We don't need them. Lieutenants and sergeants could do these jobs (if the jobs even need to be done).
4. Hold district commanders accountable for crime in their districts, but give them the manpower (including detectives and youth officers) and other resources (cars, radios, computers) they need to make a difference.
5. Currently about 90% of the CR numbers are investigated by the accused officers' immediate supervisors. The public and the media believe that OPS and IAD are handling all the CR Numbers. That's what the Department wants the public and media to believe. Let OPS and IAD handle them all. Let the supervisors supervise. In the long run, this will reduce the number of complaints from citizens.
Sun Jun 17, 09:48:00 PM
I 2nd most of what the above said, but I doubt that any of it will ever happen. It might make sense.
To this poster:
Sun Jun 17, 09:48:00 PM
OUTSTANDING!! I agree 100% with each and every one of your points, I sure hope you are in the running for Phat Phils' job!!!!
I don't know about 5 things but lets eliminate the 30% merit or should I say honorary promotions. Everyone has had the same opportunities to learn what they need to take the test. If you can't pass the tests, you don't deserve the promotion and maybe you shouldn't have been allowed on the job in the first place. Its time to get people who know what they are doing in the places they deserve. Better yet, eliminate testing completely and base promotions on what you have done on the job but also provide documentation of your accomplishments. This would possibly motivate the troops to actually go out and do a good job and the mutts would not advance. Get deserving and motivated people where they need to be. This could possibly raise morale in this decimated department
anonymous do you really believe that iad or ops should handle cr's that your officers may get--are you crazy!! or just plain lazy!! i would prefer to handle cr's of my good working officers because i know i will do an excellent job because i care about my officers and i want to make damn certain they get out of the cr--you think iad or ops really gives a shit and would give it there best--wake up!
Cut the inside positions period. Tell a boss you get one Lt. or Sgt. and one p.o. the rest of the crew will be made up of civilians.
GO AFTER THE MEDICAL ABUSERS AND REASSIGN THEM TO ANSWERING PHONES AND DOING REPORTS.
Eliminate the 6 day work week which would take much of the stress off of the working police in the districts. It is a proven fact that this type of schedule is detrimental to our health so why would the department keep using it?
The Sgt's Association was shut down by a Circuit Court Judge in trying to block the retest. On to the appeals court....
Sun Jun 17, 09:48:00 PM
Sir or madam, you are right on target. It's a shame your points will fall on deaf ears. I agree with you 100%.
where they can work eight hours,
well, you lost me right there.
5. Currently about 90% of the CR numbers are investigated by the accused officers' immediate supervisors. The public and the media believe that OPS and IAD are handling all the CR Numbers. That's what the Department wants the public and media to believe. Let OPS and IAD handle them all. Let the supervisors supervise. In the long run, this will reduce the number of complaints from citizens.
must be nice to be a white shirt....never get your hands dirty.....never get in trouble for doing your job..... I better "study" harder next time!
Absolutely agree with post #1. Its been our complaint all along.
1)Review all positions within the CPD & make effective changes (D/C's, Exempts, Inside Staff, etc). Move some around, get rid of ineffective personnel, etc.
2)Review the Districts on a one by one basis; # of Officers on the streets, the crime rates, etc.
3)Increase Training & Equipment; Also put a positive spotlight on the talent our Officers by entering them in periodic competitions (SWAT, Gun Team, etc). Almost 8 years running my po memorial and never hearing about any CPD in meets (?)
4)Get rid of CAPS and place those Officers on the streets; Also make the department more civilian friendly!!
5)Plan a facility primarily for our disabled officers (or combine it for our fallen, disabled, etc). A small place where perhaps we could have officers who are disabled and cannot go back to the PD yet they're still functioning volunteer and/or training to have the same officers who cannot be a cop any longer but can perform some other jobs (help them get employment), also a place where our active officers can go anonymously for support (stress, divorce, dealing with death, etc) and have accessible help...
Just a guess since I'm only a civilian
putting Dicks in the Districts would have them there faster when an arrestee is brought in, for interviewing and contacting Felony Review, but would present a problem if several Dicks were needed for incidents in other places. It is really a toss up, and not really feasable. I think maybe something could be done as to have the new Dicks out of training go to the Districts and handle routine in-custody jobs, and keep the senior Dicks at the Areas to be pooled together so they can be sent out where needed for major incidents, etc. The new Dicks, after a newer class comes into the "D": could then be replaced by the new guys, and those Dicks could then rotate and work up at the Areas. Just an idea.
Here's a golden oldie, "Get A chief of detectives that cares about their detectives more than she does promoting herself". NOT
"also a place where our active officers can go anonymously for support (stress, divorce, dealing with death, etc) and have accessible help..."
We already have that in our Peer Support unit.
First of all, we could save a lot of money in this Dept. by eliminating several Exempt positions (DOC, MLAS, Fugitive App., The Deputy Chief positions of "group__detectives, etc.) Those positions can (and should) be filled by Lts. or Capts.
Second, detectives should be in ALL 25 Districts, waiting to handle potential felony cases being brought in by the POs with arrests (burglars, sex cases, youth cases, etc.) Far too much time is wasted getting Dets. out to look over cases. A Det. already there can decide if hold papers need to be placed, which would free up the coppers to get back on the streets, where they are needed. This means that the Det. Div. has GOT to get beefed up. And they have GOT to start working. No more lunches across town. No more sitting hunkered down in cubicles, shopping online all day. The Sgts. in these Det. units have to be held accountable for their people.
The city should start FINING the chain stores that utilize so much of our services to process shoplifters in their stores (hello, WALGREENS!), and will not pay their security to appear in court to prosecute these cases! Too much time wasted by the officers, especially when felony upgrades are obtained. These "fail to appear to prosecute" fines would be placed right back into the CPD budget.
I would purchase some hybrid vehicles to save fuel. Every squad doesn't have to be a hungry Crown Vic!
I would offer more financial incentives for officers to stay in shape. We are a FAT, FAT Dept., and it's costing us in medical benefits! And I would initiate health standards that EVERY new hire would have to adhere to. We have about two District's worth of personnel on the medical every day, and it's just too much.
I would find a way to streamline the firing of the bad apples. Far too many bums stick around far too long; too many embarrassments.
I would keep the meritorious promotion process, but cut it down to 20%.
I would look into opening up some "satellite centers" where some of the specialized units would have space to do their investigations, do their extensive paperwork, etc. Narc teams would be able to meet at their assigned areas of investigation, and wouldn't have to schedule their day around traffic patterns getting to and from Homan Sq.
Gas, time and money saved there.
We already have that in our Peer Support unit.
That's true, but it didn't work too well when Officer Vazquez was killed...
The dics would balk at any idea of putting them back in districts....believe me they'd cry big time...that would mean they would have to work..and be accounted for...but since they are "The best" that shouldn't affect them.
Why should the dicks be standing around the station waiting for work to come to them? How about one or two dicks per sector handling follow-ups in the sector, (remember sectors?), on the air, available to respond to scenes and take over major investigations?
By the way, the dick's job on station jobs is more than just calling Felony Review and typing complaints. The dick's job is to make the PO's case better. Twenty years ago, dicks realized this. Most of the newer ones have apparently never been trained.
1. ELIMINATE CAPS LT. SPOTS AND PUT UP A 90 CAR. WE SHOULD HAVE A LT. ON THE STREET AT ALL TIMES.
2. TACT AND GANG TEAMS ARE WATERED DOWN WITH TALENT, NO TALENT GETTING BACK THERE JUST TO FILL SPOTS. ELIMINATE ONE GANG TEAM PER DIST. KEEP THE BEST, THE REST BACK TO THE WATCH.
3. SCALE DOWN SPECIALIZED UNITS, MORE BEAT AND RAPIDS UP.
4. UPGRADE EQUIPMENT FOR ALL.
5. HAVE SOME STANDARDS IN HIRING, DON'T BE AFRAID TO NOT HIRE PEOPLE AND JUST PUSH THEM THRU THE SYSATEM. (IF YOUR 5' NOTHING AND SHAPED LIKE A PEAR WHEN U COME ON, YOU DONT BELONG HERE.../
STOP TEACHING OUR RECRUITS (AND EVENTUALLY OUR PO'S) THAT NUMBERS MATTER. FOR EXAMPLE: TWO 11 YEAR OLDS WHO WALK INTO AN ABONDONED BUILDING ARE NOT BURGLARS.....ITS SO EASY TO LOCK UP A JUVINILE AND CHARGE THEM WITH ANYTHING...BIG WATE OF TIME ON A LOT OF BS. TRUMPED UP CHARGES...
Dets. wouldn't be "standing around" in stations. Cases are being brought in at just about every District on just about every watch that need some sort of scrutiny or consultation with a Detective. The ones assigned to Districts could also conduct some in service training at the roll calls, which is RARELY done anymore!
Far too many exempt positions at about $140,000 a pop. Too many added when Cline took the top job, time to cut a few of them back.
Also time to get rid of some of these recent retires who were hired back as civilian members of the CPD "because we still need their expertise."
And if we're going to hang on to the gym on the 3rd floor of Homan Sq., I would actually rubberize the so-called track, like the Dept. claimed it did to the media several years ago, so that officers who use the concrete floor track aren't wearing out their knees. Yes, it's expensive, but so is corrective knee surgery.
And maybe a policy should be in place for EVERYONE to swipe IN and OUT?
lemme tell you i have been a sgt for quite some years now but, I have never seen such a spoiled bunch of pos in all my career since I got to my unit at the building. The commander has some serious favorites and for obvious lifestyle reasons which just festers the whiners. Specialized or not I get them to do what I want its only a spar form away. Lets show all these POs the difference your shirt color and a test makes. This will truly help the Dept. find it way to proper mangement.
Some of you guys are thinking like good trained puppies. More beat and response cars? O.W. Wilson would be proud.
How 'bout starting with FEWER 9-1-1 calls that the district police will respond to. Many fewer.
Than you can have beat cars handle neighborhood calls, and when they aren't on neighborhood calls they can be out, gasp, patrolling the neighborhood.
Response cars can be used as needed, including temporary mission which can be scrubbed as soon as they are needed for true emergencies, or for anything else for that matter.
And, seeing as how this is the board for sergeants, how 'bout giving YOU guys some discretion in how POs spend their days. You got a particular problem you want addressed, say on a particular beat? You should have 2 or 3 EXTRA units on every watch to shift around as needed, in case you want to put a particular beat down.
Likewise with all other resources like tact/gang etc.. Let the sergeants supervise and make decisions. Let the police be the police, subject to the wise supervision of the sergeants.
And the other 6000 or 8000 can be hidden wherever the exempts want.
Believe me, if I was a DC, I'd ask every sergeant in the district for a weekly wish list of problems they'd like to see addressed. Problem POs? Problem spots? Problem citizens? Need a particular gang manhandled by dozens til they get in line?
As superintendent, I'd trust you guys, right up until the moment that each or any of you individually show your lack of trustworthiness.
I second the motion that there are some of the worst PO's being hired recently that I have ever seen...I would NEVER question my Sgt if I was told to do something...but these "kids" do and don't think twice about doing so...The Po's have no discipline whatsoever and have no shame in comming in with no activity day after day...When I was a young PO I would work for free!! and I wanted to lock people up because it was fun and not only that but I got paid extra to go to court!! WOW,what a great job! Not the kids today...they have their own ajendas(sp?)..and treat the cop job as their second job...almost as if they will come to work "If they can fit it into their schedule"...I understand that morale is not good but this is still a job and it must be done...and not if you feel like it it is not like working at Mac Donald's....it's a real job and must be treated as such...I understand that a lot of bosses out there do not back up the PO's and that's unfortunate..sincerely but they should still enjoy what they do...they have to make this job work for them and think about their families and support them...which means locking people up and making money in court..I did it for 14 years and still do as a Sgt...it is the best side job going and you don't have to "pimp" yourself out to some bar owner for the lousy $100.00 a night and take a chance at getting in trouble or losing your job,taking time etc....it ain't worth it as I was once told! Secondly, Lt's , Capt's and Commanders should be ashamed for not backing up their officers as these people are out there working for YOU as well as themselves...you people need to realize that and back these people up...as long as they are not commiting criminal acts...if they make an "honest" mistake they should not be thrown into the fire...they need to be taught and given direction...many of the same people that I am referring to (W/C's and Commanders) have made similar or worse mistakes and some are lucky to have a job...we all know that but them why condemn the hard working po's?? These people are doing a job to make you look good and keep the wolves off of your back...stand up for them and support them...if they stumble...help them up and show them the correct way to function...
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