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Police Planning: There's More to It Than Meets the Eye

NCJ Number
111536
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 36 Issue: 5 Dated: (May 1988) Pages: 24-29
Author(s)
G Gruber
Date Published
1988
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The planning cycle is the most important management activity within the police organization.
Abstract
The first step in the planning process is needs assessment through surveys, evaluation research, and/or public hearings. Once needs have been identified, an overall approach to meeting them is established, usually in the form of a mission statement. Goals and objectives consistent with the mission then are formulated, and courses of actions for achieving them are evaluated. Other police agencies, books, and journals can aid in identifying alternative programs and approaches. The allocation of funds to and within the agency follows from the above steps. Object-of-expenditure budgeting, planned program budgeting systems, and zero-based budgeting systems are among approaches used by agencies. Budget submissions should be accompanied by any available program evaluation data. Once a program is funded and implemented, program effectiveness should be evaluated, either directly through a randomized experiment or by indirect methods. In addition to conferences, three major police planning agencies are good sources of information: the Association of Police Planners and Research Officers International, the National Association of Police Planners, and the Ontario Police Forces Planning Association.