Agencies sometimes lack effective strategies to achieve consensus and facilitate solutions. While the SARA (Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Evaluation) model provides great individual skills for officers to quickly assess situations, it does not provide for step-by-step community input and buy in. The old adage, “We don’t shoot holes in our own canoe” comes to mind. If they, the community, help build it, they will make sure it floats.

 

Officers and community advocates are being asked to meet with extremely diverse community, business, church and political groups and create action plans or process skills necessary to produce a result. To the contrary, we have actually trained them at great length to take fast, independent action and resolve problems without seeking input from others. “Handle it and get back in service” is the typical mental set.

 

Many efforts at community-oriented policing are failing because groups and their leaders do not have the skills necessary to bring about agreement and long-term creative solutions regarding a course of action. Often individuals feel bored, ignored, or that they are rubber stamping the foregone conclusions of others rather than participating in an effective process. The seven-step method taught is easy to use, fast paced and extremely productive.

 

This is not a theory course, these are life skills that can be utilized in all facets of a person’s career. The same skills that apply to community-based problems can be turned inward to solve long standing departmental issues. The process empowers the stakeholders in that their input is treated equally regardless of rank or position in the community or organization.

 

OBJECTIVES & SKILLS DEVELOPED

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Utilize a specific problem-solving process

• Properly prepare meeting participants

• Maintain meeting direction with clear objectives

• Use agreement techniques

• Utilize brainstorming, polling and Pareto techniques

• Use appropriate presentation skills

• Manage differences of opinion and bring about group consensus

• Prepare action plans

• Summarize meeting activity and results

 

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE

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This program is a necessity for all your officers as well as members of the community who are planning or engaged in community and problem-oriented policing efforts. It is designed for department members of all ranks who are meeting with community groups in an attempt to facilitate creative solutions to their particular needs. The police are being asked to assist with: “the kids hanging out”, “the druggies”, “the muggings”, etc.; all issues that are conducive to producing creative, long-term solutions with community involvement.

 

Research and development personnel and those tasked with solving long standing departmental performance issues would benefit greatly from this approach. Again, including the stakeholders in the solutions they will be asked to carry out goes a long way.

This program is designed for department members of all ranks and members of the community who are tasked with planning and/or accomplishing projects involving complex issues. This program builds on the fundamental skills of the Problem Solving Facilitator Program. Departments and individuals involved in community-oriented policing, find themselves constantly being tasked with organizing events, projects and/or programs involving numerous community persons of diverse backgrounds and skills.

 

Many group and departmental projects extend beyond the scope of the problem-solving process. Numerous and complex tasks must be prioritized, assigned, categorized, and tracked. Individuals will procrastinate on tasks that are too lengthy and/or complex resulting in frustration for all involved. Lacking a method of tracking and prioritizing tasks, projects often take on a life of their own and stray from the original goal.

 

Again, the skills and habits that make a good street officer run counter to this team approach. When we examine the extensive training afforded most officers, we just have not prepared them for this critical task, yet we send them out to represent us. Training and working with a community representative adds credibility to the process.

 

Like the Problem Solving course, this is not a theory course. These are life skills that can be utilized in all facets of a person’s career. The same skills that apply to community- based projects can be turned inward to organize departmental projects. The process empowers the stakeholders, in that their input is treated equally regardless of rank or position in the community or organization.

 

OBJECTIVES & SKILLS

 

This three-day session provides the participant with the tools and process to facilitate Project Planning as a group or individual effort. The hands-on nature of the training allows the participant to practice each new skill prior to conducting an entire workshop with their peers.

 

• Review brainstorming & action planning skills

• Formulation of mission, goal & objective statements

• Develop agreed upon standards of success for each goal

• Develop a resource analysis for each project & goal

• Develop & prioritize the main task branches of a project

• List or tree out the sub tasks in doable chunks

• Assign timelines & responsibilities for each task

• Keep team active & on track

• Assist team in preparing presentations at key points of the process

 

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE

 

Community-policing officers and supervisors, in concert with community members from key organizations with which they are engaged. Research and development officers who are looking for a way to engage departmental personnel in major events, reorganization or other concrete projects.