NCJ Number
60101
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 46 Issue: 8 Dated: (AUGUST 1979) Pages: 50-53
Date Published
1979
Length
4 pages
Annotation
MERIT PAY PLANS, DUAL CAREER PATHS, INCREASED ADVANCEMENT, AND EDUCATION AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS ARE DISCUSSED AS ELEMENTS OF A CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
Abstract
A MERIT PAY PLAN FOR A POLICE DEPARTMENT INVOLVES REPLACING LONGEVITY PAY PLANS WITH ONE CALCULATED ON A SINGLE-BASE SALARY BUT INCLUDING MERIT PAY RANGES OF 6 STEPS, TOTALLING 10 PERCENT FOR EACH RANK. DUAL CAREER PATHS GIVE OFFICERS THE OPTION OF ADVANCING INTO EITHER MANAGEMENT OR SPECIALIZED FIELD POSITIONS AT SALARIES COMMENSURATE WITH RESPONSIBILITIES. INCREASED ADVANCEMENT MEANS DOUBLING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROMOTION WHILE EVENTUALLY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF MANAGEMENT POSITIONS REQUIRED. MANDATORY EDUCATION AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE ADOPTED ON A GRADUAL BASIS. THE ADOPTION OF A CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR A TYPICAL MEDIUM-SIZED AGENCY (FROM 75 TO 150 OFFICERS) WOULD BEGIN WITH THE REDESIGNATION OF ALL SWORN PERSONNEL. A PROBATIONARY OFFICER WOULD BE RECLASSIFIED POLICE OFFICER 1 (PO1); POLICE OFFICER, POLICE OFFICER 2 (PO2); POLICE SERGEANT, POLICE MANAGER 1 (PM1); POLICE LIEUTENANT, POLICE MANAGER 2 (PM2); AND POLICE CAPTAIN, POLICE MANAGER 3 (PM3). THE CHIEF OF POLICE WOULD KEEP HIS TITLE. ALL OFFFICERS WOULD ENTER THE DEPARTMENTS AS GENERALISTS (PO1 AND PO2), THEN ADVANCE TO EITHER SPECIALIST OR MANAGEMENT POSITIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR INTERESTS AND ABILITIES. THE NUMBER OF SPECIALIST AND MANAGEMENT POSITIONS WILL VARY WITH THE DEPARTMENT; HOWEVER, GENERALLY, THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS WITH SPECIALIST RANK SHOULD NOT EXCEED ONE-THIRD OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF OFFICERS. TABLES SHOW EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SELECTION AND PROMOTION, CAREER DEVELOPMENT MERIT PAY RANGES, AND SELECTION AND PROMOTIONAL REQUIREMENTS. (RCB)