Strategy #2
Changing Priorities: Strategic Planning
Incorporate a strategic planning process into the law enforcement organizational structure
to proactively address anticipated changes in an agency’s sphere of influence.
Background
Occasionally, law enforcement is seen as a reactive operation, applying resources to a problem after it arises. Rapid and continuing changes in environment, demographics, technology, and availability of resources are forcing both public and private sector organizations to pay attention to these trends and anticipate how they will affect their own operations.
These rapid changes make it imperative for law enforcement to be aware of future trends as areas of responsibility expand and available resources to meet those demands are limited or even reduced. Strategic planning is a method of planning and operating designed to anticipate future changes and implement strategies to address these issues. Strategic planning is designed to answer four basic questions: 1) Where are we now? 2) Where do we want to be in the future? 3) How do we get there? 4) How do we measure our progress?
Law enforcement should strive to affect its changing operating environment in positive ways. By strategically planning for the future, law enforcement can impact future trends so they can work cooperatively with an agency’s mission of public safety and service, which should include traffic safety components.
Actions
- Research and study the process of strategic planning and how such a process can be incorporated into agency management operations.
- Incorporate a strategic planning process into agency management functions. Such a process should be designed to answer the four questions mentioned above and should include the following tasks:
- Review pertinent demographic data impacting the agency, along with future projections.
- Identify traffic safety trends and criminal activity in order to anticipate future resource needs.
- Use community outreach efforts to help identify emerging issues that will affect the agency and begin planning for how best to address those issues.
- Encourage the inclusion of new and unconventional approaches to issues that may not be effectively addressed by more conventional methods.
Benefits
- Strategic planning sets forth a direction for the agency during a changing operational environment.
- Plans allow the agency to become prepared for anticipated operational changes prior to occurrence.
- Strategic plans are flexible in nature, allowing the agency to change directions when needed without compromising its mission.
Other Considerations
- Organizational change can be difficult to accomplish. There needs to be “ownership” at all levels of the organization in order for strategic planning to be successful.
- Strategic planning can be frustrating for those involved because change often does not happen as quickly as desired.
- Suggestions for change can be viewed by law enforcement executives as criticism of current policies or their administration and therefore may not receive the needed support from top management levels.