Techniques for Managing Operations - Coursework Example

Introduction Police organization and management over the years have changed tremendously. Changes in policing, development of new technologies andpublic opinion about the police are among the significant changes. Police management may defined as police organizational practices, which is undertaken to produce knowledge individually or by group that could continuously improved the performance of the organization (Roberg, Kuykendall, and Novak 5). This operation management involves about transforming raw inputs (labor material) as well as the resources (capital) into useful services. Development of creativity and innovation as tools and techniques are used in improving the services (Greswell 2). This paper will identify, analyze and evaluate the range of tools and techniques use for managing operations in a police organization. The objective would be on how to maximize efficiency and improve service delivery on the basic purpose of policing. With the use of flow chart, Gantt chart, etc. a clearer picture on the managing process will be shown. Tools and techniques to achieve operational objective Operation management involves the process of converting the resources (inputs) into goods/services (outputs) to the respondent (Twigg). In police organization, these resources can be referred as police personnel, information, or the community. Tools and techniques are used to adapt innovation which will result in the improvement of police services. Recording information is what police always do. Traditionally, this information is recorded manually with pen and paper and then stored in file cabinets (Maguire and Archbold). While the records are captured more on paper, law enforcement agencies are now considering computerization to capture more information. This is to respond the increasing demand for police information which inundated the organization with information. Indeed, police are now acquiring information technology (IT) which could greatly help in its operation management (Harris). Police organization is now implementing different IT system that will assists police in data management like: Management Information System (MIS), Computer Aided Dispatch System (CAD), Mobile Digital Terminals (MDTs) or computers (MDCs) and Geographic Information System (GIS) for crime analysis. MIS is implemented for recording, storing, accessing and analyzing data in a police organization (Maguire and Archbold). Vast amount of information can now be accessed by personnel without filing formal request from the department. The information can be centralized or can be accessed only by law enforcement officials. CAD is also an important system wherein the calls received are categorized such as urgent or nuisance. This system greatly helps police department to function properly and in giving service. Once the call is detected by CAD, the less urgent calls are stacked and those urgent calls that required immediate attention are being broadcast to the officers. It prioritized the call that needs urgent respond. The cost in resources is reduced that will help in making objectives become more efficient (see fig. 3). Active Call for Service Figure 3: Computer Aided Dispatch systems (CAD) – network chart Other important developments in police response capacity are the MDTs and MDCs. These newly adapted technologies are being installed in police patrol cars. MDTs and MDCS are machines that used to transmit and obtain information about service and persons. These can received “silent dispatches” like proactively run drivers’ license, registrations, etc. without having to stop them. These can increase efficiency in law enforcement agencies, as well as they are relieved from checking sizeable papers and manually entering information. GIS is a method that can help in analyzing crimes. This is needed in visually plotting the happenings of the incident in a certain jurisdiction. By combining the results in crime analysis, the police will be able to “map out” those “hot spots” that need concentrations and focus for police operations. Activity Sequencing and Workload Scheduling In activity sequencing of police organization, organizing is the first place, followed by leading and the last is planning. This is because in organizing, the personnel and resources that will carry out and achieve objectives are prearranged (Roberg, Kuykendall, and Novak 11). Activities like recording information of activities, enforcing the law, apprehending offenders, preventing crimes and preserving the peace are among the basic purpose of the police organization. This basic activities of the police happened at indefinite time because services are needed day and night. In information technology, sequencing activity will be looking for the least cost. In the transformation process, scheduling is the last step before the actual output is produced. In this process, different groups will likely have different scheduled rotations just like police personnel who are required to work on different shifts (Ryan). Figure 4: Example of Workload scheduling for Police organization (Source: Ryan) Work Hours (Week 1) Officer Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 1 2 3 4 5 6 Figure 5: Plotting of Workload schedule in Gantt chart Figure 4 and 5 shows an example of scheduling for a police officer, wherein it shows that they are paired off with opposing schedules (like officer 1&2). This Gantt chart is the visual aid for scheduling and to monitor the police officers even if they are in shifting schedule. It allows a quick determination on the number of officers present during the day shift and night shift. For example, from Tuesday and Thursday, there are 6 officers who are present (see fig. 5). The principles of Capacity Management Talking about capacity management, it is a process designed to determine if the services offered by the organization is maintained. In IT functions, this capacity management is used to manage the information in a manner that accomplishes objectives. See for example the performance of MIS and CAD in the police organization, on how this system affects the capacity of the management. This principle sees the overall function of the organization, but focuses on the areas of operation, such as to maximize efficiency and improvement of services in a police organization through improved performance of IT efforts within the organization (Tatum). The principles of Procurement The fact that there is a need for the adaptation of new information technology for the police organization, the process of procurement begins. To improve efficiency in giving public services, there should be an improvement of procurement at both national and local level. Last April 2010 was the launching of the Champion/Challenger that would basically helped police forces in making decisions more effectively about using or buying a particular tools and technique (“Information System”). With Information Systems Improvement Strategy (ISIS), police information will be procured and implemented as well as the purchasing and requisitioning of this IT services will be more cost effective. Procurement of Resources. Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and Business Design Authority (BDA) has established the Chief Information Officer (CIO) to deliver the policing business priorities and associated information. This program of ACPO and BDA is helpful in acquiring instead of declining police resources. According to Dr. David Horne, “the police service has a strong record on harvesting efficiencies and increasing productivity… procurement is an area in which ACPO is looking to further improve efficiencies (qtd. in Admin). Plan Operations To maximize efficiency and to improve service delivery, planning is needed in accomplishing them. One of the plan operations engaged by the police organization is by adopting an improvised information technology. It is to increase the opportunities of the citizen to access police services. With the adaptation of this new technology in the police organization, there will be an improvement in the functions of police in the community. Manage resource capacity With the use of CAD, police organization can now easily attain and provide services to the urgent calls and no longer responding to the nuisance calls. According to Kennedy, of the 50-90% total calls, about 5% only needs immediate responds (2). The police organization is experiencing rapid increase of workloads (serious crimes) but the resources are constantly declining. By adopting this new IT, these resources constraints will not be a hindrance because of the benefits the police can get from these technologies even if the demand for police services is increasing. Conclusion The improvement of IT in police organization had addressed the problems on how the operations should be managed. These techniques adapted by the organization will likely help in maximizing efficiency and improving service delivery. Although it is not easy for some police officers to embrace this information age, adaptation should be done. Nevertheless, the work of a police will radically changed in the future, and thus IT most likely, we will see that it will continue to serve police needs in making decisions, regardless its potential achieve more. Works Cited Admin. “Police Implement New Procurement Policies for 2 Billion Annual Expenditure.” Public Technology.net. Public Technology.net, 2008. Web. 24 June 2010. . Greswell, Tammi. “A Typology of Creative Tools and Techniques for Operations Managers.” 2007. Web. 24 June 2010. . Harris, Christopher J. The Police and Soft Technology: How Information Technology Contributes to Police Decision Making. Univ. of Massachusetts, n.d. Print. “Information Systems Improvement Strategy (ISIS).” NPIA. NPIA, n.d. Web. 25 June 2010. . Kennedy, David M. “The Strategic Management of Police Resources. Perspective on Policing 14 (1993): 1-10. Print. Maguire, Edward R. and Carol Archbold. “Police: Organization and Management.” Encyclopedia.com. Encyclopedia, 2002. Web. 24 June 2010. . Ryan, Dan. “Police Scheduling: A Unique Challenge.” Jiva Soft. Jiva Soft, 2008. Web. 24 June 2010. . Roberg, Roy, Jack Kuykendall, and Kenneth Novak. Police Management. 3rd ed. California: Roxbury, 2001. Print. Tatum, Malcolm. “What is Capacity Management.” WiseGeek. Wisegeek, n.d. Web. 25 June 2010. . Twigg, David. “What is Operations Management?” TOMI. University of Sussex-UK, 2006. 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