APPROACH TO MANPOWER PLANNING BY THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT (FROM AUSTRALIAN SOCIETY FOR OPERATIONS RESEARCH-3RD NATIONAL CONFERENCE, ADELAIDE (AUSTRALIA), AUGUST 28-31, 1977 - PROCEEDINGS, 1977)

• NCJ Number: 66806
• Author(s): M R KEEN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 19 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

THE PROGRAM OF THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT TO EVALUATE ITS PRESENT AND FUTURE MANPOWER NEEDS IS DESCRIBED, INCLUDING A MANPOWER SUPPLY MODEL, PERSONNEL UTILIZATION, AND FUTURE MANPOWER DEMAND.

Abstract

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT'S MANPOWER PLANNING RESEARCH ARE IDENTIFIED AS (1) THE PROVISION OF ADEQUATE POLICE SERVICES, (2) PROVIDING FOR FUTURE MANPOWER NEEDS, (3) EFFICIENT UTILIZATION OF MANPOWER, (4) PROMOTION OF ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES, AND (5) THE CONSIDERATION OF THE EFFECTS OF DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES UPON MANPOWER PLANNING. THE EVALUATION OF MANPOWER PLANNING WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE USE OF A MANPOWER PLANNING MODEL, THE AIM OF WHICH WAS TO PRODUCE AN ACCEPTABLE BALANCE BETWEEN THE FOLLOWING TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS: (1) A QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE DEMAND FOR POLICE MANPOWER THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT, AND (2) THE SUPPLY OF A SUFFICIENT QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF PERSONNEL TO MEET THE ASSESSED DEMAND. THE SUPPLY SIDE OF THE MODEL IS EXPRESSED BY THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF PERSONNEL IN EACH RANK AND THE ALTERNATIVE MOVEMENTS OF PROMOTION, SEPARATION, AND RECRUITMENT. THE TIME FACTOR (LENGTH OF PERIOD NEEDED FOR ADJUSTMENTS TO POTENTIAL PROBLEMS) IS CONSIDERED TO BE DISCRETE, WITH AN INTERVAL OF 1 YEAR, AND IS EXPRESSED IN EQUATION FORM. THE DEMAND SIDE OF THE MANPOWER PLANNING MODEL WAS FASHIONED FROM PREDICTIONS OF FUTURE WORKLOADS, WHICH WERE THEN CONVERTED INTO MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS. FUTURE POLICE MANPOWER NEEDS WERE SURVEYED BY THE MANAGEMENT SERVICES SECTION OF THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT'S MANPOWER PLANNING OFFICE. TECHNIQUES USED IN INCLUDED (1) ORGANIZATIONAL AND METHOD ANALYSIS TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY AND PROCEDURES, (2) WORK STUDY PROCEDURES TO QUANTIFY EXISTING WORKLOAD AND MANPOWER DEPLOYMENT, AND (3) JOB ANALYSIS, JOB DESCRIPTIONS, AND JOB SPECIFICATIONS USED TO DETAIL THE PHYSICAL AND HUMAN REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOBS WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. A CONCLUDING SECTION LISTS FACTORS THAT WILL AFFECT THE FUTURE FUNCTIONING OF THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND PHASES OF THE MANPOWER PLANNING MODEL. TWENTY-ONE REFERENCES AND DIAGRAMS ARE PROVIDED.