A Police Sergeant has many responsibilities. Not only must they take direction from their superiors; but they must also plan, review, supervise, direct, assign, and participate in the work of law enforcement staff involved in field and traffic patrol, crime prevention, investigations, community relations, and related services and activities. Overall, the Police Sergeant has over 20 responsibilities for themselves and others in their role.
Some of these responsibilities include:
- Preparing and reviewing reports and records.
- Identifying problems and developing recommendations for improving services.
- Implementing goals and objectives.
- Establishing schedules and methods for providing effective law enforcement services.
- Implementing approved policies and procedures.
They must have knowledge of operations, services, and activities of a comprehensive municipal law enforcement program; functions and objectives of the police department and other local, state and federal agencies; principles of supervision, performance evaluation, and training; and law enforcement principles, theory, and practices and their application.
They must also understand the methods and techniques used in providing the full range of law enforcement and crime prevention services and activities including investigation and identification, records management, patrol, traffic control, custody and care of persons and property, and crime prevention; as well as pertinent local, state, and federal laws, regulations and codes including laws governing the apprehension, arrest, and custody of persons accused of petty offenses, misdemeanors, and felonies.
They must do all of this and more, while trying to protect themselves, their officers, and the community from danger. It is no wonder that their jobs are full of risk!
Risk affects a jail in the same way it affects any Organization. However, it is vital that the jail manages risks effectively so that the entire community is not subject to negative consequences including litigation, huge liability costs, inmate escape, injury to jail staff and inmates, and increased probability of a repeat offense.
Effective risk management can lead to positive results such as reduced insurance premiums, reduction in lost work time and turnover of staff, and preservation of physical key resources. While it is true that there is no method to eliminate all risks, there are proven methods that will reduce the probability.
The fastest way to implement risk reduction with the lowest cost is through systems risk management innovation, qualification, and orchestration.
The basic elements of the process include the following:
- Updated to the Most Current Policy and Procedures Documentation
- Staff Training in Systems Methods
- Continuous Reporting Loop for Risk Assessment
- Prioritizing Which Risks are the Most Important to Manage, such as Inmate Suicide
- Evaluation and Improvement of Existing Systems
- Staff Behavior Assessment and Attitude Training
A failure of those responsible for funding or managing risk to do so systemically, is a failure to take advantage of an opportunity that could dramatically reduce risk and begin to build a better future. Maintaining the status quo is not always the best option.
The benefits of the systems management training process include:
- Reduced Chance of Inmate Suicide
- Avoidance of Litigation and Liability Costs
- Reduced Insurance Premiums
- Decreased Cost of Repairs
- Preservation of Favorable Public Perception of the Jail and Everyone Involved
- Increased Safety in the Work Environment
- Increased Security from Harm to Staff, Inmates, Volunteers, and Contractors
We have conducted a case study on the effects of Systems Development on the risks associated with law enforcement titled “Successful Leadership through Systems Development: A Law Enforcement Agency Case Study.” You can get it here and help control your risks:
Please take the time to read it. I am offering a complimentary copy so that all Police Sergeants can get a better idea of the steps involved to avoid risk and improve safety and security.
Note: If you aren’t specifically a Police Sergeant, I’ll still let you download the report…I’d even recommend sharing this with other Departments and Agencies (these steps can be used to transform any Law Enforcement Agency’s operations department into a highly efficient team.)
If you have any questions regarding this article or case study, or you would like to find out the next steps that allow you to respond to any risks before or as they occur in order to innovate the system and prevent reoccurrence; please contact us.
If you would please share your opinion on this article, we would love to hear from you in the comment section below. We respond to all of those who comment!
*Please note: We are a Consulting firm and have based our findings on work we have done in an advisory capacity to Law Enforcement Agencies. We are not, nor do we give, legal representation.
