It’s no secret that law enforcement is an emotionally and physically demanding profession. For those who work in the field, it is also common knowledge that officer schedules can add an additional level of stress for managers and supervisors. Whether you’re scheduling support personnel who work eight-hour shifts five days a week or officers who work 10-hour rotating shifts, ensuring every shift is properly staffed, in addition to managing schedule requests and filling open shifts, can be complex and time intensive.
To simplify the scheduling process, many law enforcement agencies are implementing online officer and staff scheduling software. But with so many software options available, how do you know which program will best meet your department’s scheduling specifications?
Here are five things to consider when selecting the scheduling software to fit your law enforcement agency’s unique requirements.
- Does it do the math? Officer scheduling software should take manually performing staffing calculations off commanders and first line supervisors, giving them more time to focus on core responsibilities. This increases productivity and ensures proper staffing levels to appropriately meet organizational requirements. Whether an agency schedules based on projected workload, population counts or department-mandated minimums, administrators should consider whether the software they choose can be customized to make the required calculations according their department’s specific criteria.
- Does it work for 24/7 staffing and multiple divisions? Enforcing the law is a non-stop service, so an employee scheduling system that is designed for organizations that schedule for shifts and operate around the clock is essential. Software that allows managers to create schedules for multiple divisions, such as corrections, patrol and dispatch, provides the flexibility law enforcement managers need to ensure every shift is properly staffed for the entire department. Agencies should also look for software that allows visibility of schedules across the organization. This will safeguard against scheduling conflicts and help reduce unnecessary overtime.
- Does it have you covered? Tracking officer’s skill levels, certifications and credentials is necessary for maintaining appropriate staffing levels. Software with the capability to attribute these qualifications to each officer helps managers schedule by required certifications, training and skill, ensuring the proper number of qualified personnel are scheduled in the appropriate divisions. For added scheduling and compliance security, look for software that sends alerts when certifications are nearing expiration or when employees are due for additional training.
- Is it accessible? Providing officers, administrators and staff with anywhere, anytime schedule access ensures every member of the agency has real-time, accurate schedule information. With an online software system, schedules can be developed, managed and viewed remotely by anyone with permission from any computer or mobile device with internet access. Some software also allows employees to submit cover, swap, time-off and other schedule requests online, and the appropriate manager is notified and can see whether the request conflicts with any previously-scheduled shift. For optimal accessibility, agencies should consider software that includes a mobile app, which some companies include at no additional cost.
- Is it budget friendly? Law enforcement agencies must maintain high levels of service under tight budgetary restrictions. When researching scheduling software solutions, administrators should consider the initial investment, as well as monthly and annual costs. Some software companies offer flexible pricing, which can be adjusted to meet the specific personnel requirements of each operation. This ensures the agency is paying only for the services they need. For added resource management, administrators should look for software that includes reporting tools, which allow them to monitor officer’s shifts and hours — preventing unnecessary overtime costs. Some software even calculates employee utilization and efficiency and can provide an estimate of labor costs for a given work period.
Finding the scheduling program that best meets the staffing demands of your law enforcement facility will ensure qualified officers and staff are in the appropriate place at the correct time. Additionally, it can cut time spent on scheduling by up to 75% — that’s a sound investment for any law enforcement agency.
