NCJ Number
53149
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 45 Issue: 12 Dated: (DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 44-46
Date Published
1978
Length
3 pages
Annotation
THE '9/40' SHIFT SCHEDULING SYSTEM IS DESCRIBED, AND ITS ADVANTAGES ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
THE '9/40' SHIFT SCHEDULING SYSTEM FOR POLICE DEPARTMENTS DIVIDES THE PATROL DIVISION IN HALF, WITH TWO SEPARATE SCHEDULES ARRANGED. THE HYPOTHETICAL DEPARTMENT FOR WHICH THE SYSTEM IS DESCRIBED HAS A PATROL DIVISION EMPLOYING 6 SERGEANTS AND 22 POLICE OFFICERS. WITHIN EACH OF THE TWO SCHEDULES OF THE SYSTEM DESCRIBED, THREE 9-HOUR SHIFTS ARE USED, WITH EACH SHIFT DEPLOYING ONE SERGEANT AND THREE OFFICERS. THE DAY SHIFT WORKS FROM 7 A.M. TO 4 P.M., REPORTING FOR BRIEFING AT 6:30 A.M., THE EVENING SHIFT FROM 4 P.M. TO 1 A.M., REPORTING FOR BRIEFING AT 3:30 P.M., AND THE MORNING SHIFT WORKS FROM 10 P.M. TO 7 A.M., REPORTING FOR BRIEFING AT 9:30 P.M. DURING THE SHIFT OVERLAP PERIOD BETWEEN 10 P.M. AND 1 A.M., SIX-OFFICER COVERAGE IS PROVIDED ON A DAILY BASIS. A COVER OFFICER IS ASSIGNED TO EACH EVENING SHIFT FROM 6 P.M. TO 3 A.M. EACH SUPERVISOR AND OFFICER HAS 3 REGULAR DAYS OFF. EACH OF THE TWO SCHEDULES OF THE PATROL DIVISION HAS DIFFERENT DAYS OFF, WITH SATURDAY COVERED BY THE FULL PATROL DIVISION. THE 30 MINUTES FOR BRIEFING AND THE 30 MINUTES FOR PHYSICAL FITNESS TRAINING EACH DAY ADDED TO THE 9-HOUR SHIFT GIVES A 10-HOUR DAY AND A 40-HOUR WEEK. IT IS BELIEVED THE PROPOSED SHIFT SCHEDULING PLAN PROVIDES MORE THAN ADEQUATE COVERAGE FOR NORMAL PATROL DUTIES, AND DURING THE OVERLAP PERIODS AT NIGHT AND ON SATURDAYS, SPECIAL PATROLS AND DETAILS CAN BE ESTABLISHED WITH THE EXTRA MANPOWER. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL OF INVOLVING OFFICERS IN MORE SATISFYING ASSIGNMENTS NOT CHARACTERISTIC OF NORMAL PATROL DUTIES. EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT IN ASSIGNMENTS AND GOAL-SETTING IS ENCOURAGED. (RCB)