South Orange Police Operational Report

Final Report
Police Operations
South Orange, New Jersey
Submitted by and reply to:
ICMA Center for Public Safety
International City/County Management Association
777 North Capitol Street NE, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20002
PublicSafety@icma.org
202-962-3607

Police Operations, South Orange, New Jersey 2
ICMA Background
The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) is a 100- year-old, nonprofit professional association of local government administrators and managers, with approximately 9,000 members located in 28 countries.
Since its inception in 1914, ICMA has been dedicated to assisting local governments in providing services to its citizens in an efficient and effective manner. Our work spans all of the activities of local government—parks, libraries, recreation, public works, economic development, code enforcement, Brownfields, and public safety.
ICMA advances the knowledge of local government best practices across a wide range of platforms, including publications, research, training, and technical assistance. Our work includes both domestic and international activities in partnership with local, state, and federal governments as well as private foundations. For example, we are involved in a major library research project funded by the Bill and Linda Gates Foundation and we are providing community policing training in El Salvador, Mexico, and Panama with funding from the United States Department of State (USAID). We have personnel in Afghanistan assisting with building wastewater treatment plants and have teams in Central America conducting firefighter rescue training programs for disaster preparedness working with SOUTHCOM.
The ICMA Center for Public Safety Management (ICMA/CPSM) is one of four Centers within the U.S. Programs of ICMA, providing support to local governments in the areas of police, fire, EMS, emergency management, and homeland security. In addition to providing technical assistance in these areas we also represent local governments at the federal level and are involved in numerous projects with the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security.

ICMA/CPSM is also involved in police and fire chief selection. We assist local governments in identifying these critical managers through original research we have conducted and which identifies the core competencies of police and fire managers; we also provide assessment center resources.
Our local government technical assistance includes workload and deployment analysis, using operations research techniques and credentialed experts to identify workload and staffing needs as well as best practices. We have conducted approximately 100 such studies in communities ranging in size from 8,000 population (Boone, Iowa) to 800,000 population (Indianapolis, Ind.).
ICMA Project Contributors
Thomas J. Wieczorek, Director, ICMA Center for Public Safety Management
Leonard A. Matarese, Director, Research & Project Development
Dr. Dov N. Chelst, Director of Quantitative Analysis
Priscila Monachesi, Quantitative Analyst
Dr. James E. McCabe, Senior Manager, Team Lead
James Gabbard, Senior Manager
Ryan Davies, Assistant Project Manager

Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary ...................................................................... 8
II. Methodology .............................................................................. 11
A. Data Analysis .............................................................................. 11
B. Interviews ................................................................................... 11
C. Focus Groups .............................................................................. 11
D. Document Review ........................................................................ 11
E. Operational/Administrative Observations......................................... 12
F. Implementing the Report’s Recommendations ................................. 12
III. Background .............................................................................. 13
A. South Orange Demographics ......................................................... 13
B. Uniform Crime Report/Crime Trends ............................................... 14
C. Comparisons/Benchmarks ............................................................. 16
IV. Operations ................................................................................ 20
A. Demand ...................................................................................... 20
1. Time Spent on Calls and Officers per Call ..................................... 24
B. Patrol Deployment and Staffing ..................................................... 25
1. Schedule .................................................................................. 26
C. Supervision ................................................................................. 28
D. Deployment ................................................................................ 29
1. Saturation Threshold and Rule of 60 ............................................ 31
2. Minimum Manning ..................................................................... 43
E. Desk Officer ................................................................................ 44
F. Community Relations/Special Investigations .................................... 45
G. Traffic Bureau ............................................................................. 46
H. Special Operations ....................................................................... 48
I. Technology on Patrol ..................................................................... 50
V. Detective Bureau ........................................................................ 52
A. Juvenile Aid Bureau ...................................................................... 56

B. Drug Investigations ...................................................................... 57
C. Crime Scene Investigations ........................................................... 58
D. Property and Evidence .................................................................. 59
VI. Administrative & Personnel ...................................................... 62
A. Training ...................................................................................... 63
B. Information Management/Police Records ........................................ 65
C. Communications .......................................................................... 67
D. Sick Time ................................................................................... 70
E. Labor-Management Relations ........................................................ 72
F. Policy and Procedure Manual Review ............................................... 73
G. Prisoner Holding/Detention Facility................................................. 76
H. Police Facility .............................................................................. 77
VII. Performance Assessment and Strategic Planning .................... 80
A. Goals and Objectives .................................................................... 80
B. Meetings and Briefings ................................................................. 81
C. Crime Analysis and Performance Tracking ....................................... 81
VIII. Summary ............................................................................... 86
Appendix A. Sample Four-Shift Deployment Plan ........................... 87

Tables
Table 1. 2010 UCR Crime Comparisons ................................................. 15
Table 2. SOPD in Perspective ............................................................... 18
Table 3. 2011 Calls for Service ............................................................. 21
Table 4. SOPD Deployment Schedule .................................................... 26
Table 5. Recommended SOPD Table of Organization ............................... 63

Figures
Figure 1. Deployment and Main Workload, Weekdays, Winter 2011 .......... 35
Figure 2. Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekdays, Winter 2011 ............. 35
Figure 3. Deployment and Main Workload, Weekends, Winter 2011 .......... 37
Figure 4. Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekends, Winter 2011 ............. 37
Figure 5. Deployment and Main Workload, Weekdays, Summer 2011 ........ 39
Figure 6. Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekdays, Summer 2011 ........... 39
Figure 7. Deployment and Main Workload, Weekends, Summer 2011 ........ 41
Figure 8. Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekends, Summer 2011 ........... 41

I. Executive Summary
ICMA was commissioned to review the operations of the South Orange Police Department (SOPD). While our analysis covered all aspects of the department’s operations, a particular focus of our study was on identifying the appropriate staffing of the agency given its workload, community demographics, and crime levels.
We analyzed departmental workload using operations research methodology and compared that workload to staffing and deployment levels. We reviewed other performance indicators, which allowed us to understand the implications of service demand on current staffing. We reviewed the department’s organizational design to determine if the many functions required of a modern police agency are staffed appropriately.
Our study involved data collection, interviews with key police and administration personnel, on-site observations of the job environment, data analysis, comparative analyses, and development of alternatives and recommendations. The general recommendations appear below and are described in detail throughout the report.
Recommendations:
 Empanel a calls for service committee in order to evaluate service demands and attempt to reduce nonemergency responses.
 Take immediate steps to change the current shift schedule that is in place and create one that is aligned better with service demands.
 Eliminate the position of desk officer in the agency
 Disband the community relations/special investigations unit and merge operations with the traffic bureau to create a new Special Operations Unit.

 Immediately discontinue the use of sworn personnel assigned to school crossing and develop a plan that alleviates sworn personnel of this responsibility.
 Immediately discontinue staffing the traffic control officer position.
 Develop an integrated traffic safety plan to coordinate traffic safety enforcement, education, and engineering initiatives.
 Create a Special Operations Unit staffed by one sergeant and five police officers.
 Equip marked patrol cars with license plate readers.
 Expand the use of video surveillance technology to strategic locations in the community.
 Equip supervisory vehicles with the identical equipment found in patrol units.
 Reorganize the investigative functions in the SOPD by merging the detective bureau with the juvenile aid bureau.
 Develop and implement an investigative case management system for all detective cases and operations.
 Eliminate one captain position and in its place create the position of administrative lieutenant, who will be responsible for training, records management, communications, performance management, fleet, facility maintenance, etc.
 Develop and implement a sick leave management plan.
 Constitute an informal labor-management council. This entity should meet regularly, establish an agenda, publish minutes, and solicit input from all members of the SOPD regarding workplace concerns and potential solutions for these concerns. The council should be charged with identifying organizational problems and collaborating on developing and implementing workable solutions to these problems.

 Conduct an immediate review and update of current policy documents. These policies should be rewritten and consolidated into one manual that provides clear guidelines for the department’s handling of police operations and associated services.
 Contract with an architectural firm to redesign the headquarters facility to address not only the poor physical condition, but also to reorganize it in a way that supports implementation of the recommendations from this report.
 Develop a performance evaluation system for all ranks and positions in the department.
 Develop a performance management system.
 The department should consider developing and implementing a citizen satisfaction survey to solicit community input on a variety of issues.
 Prepare annual reports and post on the department website to present reported crimes and calls for service data by patrol sector.
 Staff a crime analyst position.
 Department meetings should follow a standardized agenda/format. All units should be directed to participate actively in these meetings.
 It is recommended that the department utilize a standard template to convey pertinent performance information to village officials.
 The department should be provided funding for annual ‘town hall’ style meetings.
 The department should consider creation of a shared leadership team or council.

II. Methodology
A. Data Analysis
We used numerous sources of data to support our conclusions and recommendations for the South Orange Police Department. Information was obtained from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, Part I offenses, along with numerous sources of SOPD internal information. UCR Part I crimes are defined as murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, and larceny of a motor vehicle. Internal sources included data from the computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system for information on calls for service (CFS).
B. Interviews
This study relied extensively on intensive interviews with SOPD personnel. On-site and in-person interviews were conducted with all division commanders regarding their operations. We interviewed representatives of the union to get an understanding of the labor-management climate in the SOPD.
C. Focus Groups
A focus group is an unstructured group interview in which the moderator actively encourages discussion among participants. Focus groups generally consist of eight to ten participants and are used to explore issues that are difficult to define. Group discussion permits greater exploration of topics. For the purposes of this study, focus groups were held with representatives of the department.
D. Document Review
ICMA consultants were furnished with numerous reports and summary documents by the South Orange Police Department. Information on strategic

plans, personnel staffing and deployment, evaluations, training records, and performance statistics were provided.
E. Operational/Administrative Observations
Over the course of the evaluation period, numerous observations were conducted. These included observations of general patrol, special enforcement, investigations, and administrative functions. ICMA representatives engaged all facets of department operations from a “participant observation” perspective.
F. Implementing the Report’s Recommendations
ICMA’s conclusions and recommendations are a blueprint for both the village and police administrations. The village administration should have periodic meetings with the SOPD to ensure that ICMA’s recommendations are implemented. It is strongly recommended that the chief identify and task one individual with responsibility for implementing these recommendations. This person should establish a liaison with the chief of police, and should be given the authority and responsibility to effectuate the changes recommended. This includes ensuring the recommendations are executed in a timely fashion and then evaluating the department’s progress every six months for efficiency, effectiveness, and performance.
All of ICMA’s recommendations are practical and sensible and should be implemented by the police administration within a reasonable period of time. If the village desires, ICMA can provide a service to review, monitor, and evaluate the department’s progress and ensure that the recommendations are being implemented properly. If the police administration continues to have difficulty implementing the recommendations, ICMA can assist with implementation.

III. Background
Policing involves a complex set of activities. Police officers are not simply crime fighters whose responsibilities are to protect people’s safety and property and to enhance the public’s sense of security. The police have myriad other basic responsibilities on a daily basis, including preserving order in the community, guaranteeing the movement of pedestrian and vehicular traffic, protecting and extending the rights of persons to speak and assemble freely, and providing assistance for those who cannot assist themselves.
The South Orange Police Department provides a full range of police services, including responding to emergencies and calls for service, performing directed activities, and solving problems. Both the village and the police department are dedicated to the principles of community policing, and the department strives to provide a high level of service to the South Orange community.
A. South Orange Demographics
When determining the appropriateness of the deployed resources—both current and future—a key factor for consideration is the demographics of the community.
South Orange is located in Essex County and is a commercial and retail hub in central New Jersey. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the village’s population has stayed relatively constant over the past two decades, and is now estimated at 16,200.
The racial makeup of South Orange is estimated to be 60.2 percent white, 28.7 percent African American, 5.2 percent Asian, 6.0 percent two or more

races or other race. Of the total population, approximately 6.0 percent is Hispanic or Latino.
South Orange is also the home to Seton Hall University. The university has approximately 5,200 undergraduate students, 3,400 graduate students, and 1,800 faculty and staff members. There are 2,250 students living in on- campus housing and approximately 1,000 living off-campus in South Orange. Seton Hall estimates the daily campus census to be approximately 8,000 students, staff, and guests; there is parking for 2,400 vehicles in campus parking facilities. Undoubtedly, Seton Hall brings vibrancy to South Orange, and also places substantial demands for police services on the SOPD. These demands must be accounted for when determining appropriate staffing.
South Orange is also immediately adjacent to the city of Newark, and nestled between several larger communities. This places demands on the police department in the forms of crime, traffic, and quality–of-life issues.
B. Uniform Crime Report/Crime Trends
As defined by the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, the seven major Part I offenses are used to measure the extent, fluctuation, and distribution of serious crime in geographical areas. Part I crimes are the seven most serious offenses: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft.
In 2010, South Orange reported a UCR Part I violent crime rate of 358 violent crimes per 100,000 residents (see Table 1). For UCR Part 1 property crimes, the rate in South Orange is 2,556 property crimes per 100,000 residents. The violent crime rate in South Orange is 18 percent higher than the state rate, and 11 percent lower than the national rate. The rate of

property crime is 24 percent higher than the state average and 15 percent lower than the national average.
Table 1. 20101 UCR Crime Comparisons
Agency
Population
Violent Crime Rate*
Property Crime Rate*
U.S.
308,745,538
404
2,942
New Jersey
8,791,894
303
2,057
Population Comparison
Middle Twp.
18,911
397
3,511
Denville Twp.
16,635
42
944
New Milford
16,341
31
612
Secaucus
16,264
185
2,951
South Orange Village
16,198
358
2,556
Readington Twp.
16,126
31
819
South River
16,008
200
1,424
Madison Boro
15,845
32
745
Warren Twp.
15,311
33
490
Neighboring Comparison
Irvington
53,926
1,669
4,004
Maplewood Twp.
21,944
264
2,014
Newark
277,140
1,041
3,323
Orange
30,134
1.112
3,634
Note: * = per 100,000.
Additionally, South Orange can be compared to other communities in New Jersey. To do this, we took information from the FBI UCR Program on Crime in the United States and compared South Orange with other jurisdictions of similar population size in New Jersey, as well as to communities in the immediate vicinity.
For this analysis, Middle Township, Denville Township, New Milford, Secaucus, Readington Township, South River, Madison Boro, and Warren
1 At the time of this report only 2010 UCR data were available on comparison jurisdictions.

Township were selected for population comparisons; Irvington, Maplewood, Newark, and Orange were selected for neighboring comparisons. It should be noted that the populations of these communities range from 277,000 to 15,000. This analysis is not intended to compare South Orange with Newark or Warren. Rather, it is simply meant as an illustration of communities in New Jersey and how they compare with respect to rates of crime.
Examination of the comparisons presented in Table 1 indicates that South Orange has a relatively high crime rate compared to communities of similar size. In the group of jurisdictions of similar size, South Orange has the second highest violent crime rate and third highest property crime rate, but is only fifth in population rank among the communities. This indicates a greater crime rate than the population would suggest. Additional consideration must be given to the influx of students living at Seton Hall University. While not counted in the population statistics, on-campus residents surely contribute to the crime statistics and artificially inflate the crime-population comparisons.
When putting South Orange in perspective with its immediate neighbors, however, a different picture emerges. It appears that on three sides South Orange is flanked by communities with very high rates of crime. Of the communities listed only Maplewood has a lower crime rate than South Orange. Newark, Orange, and Irvington have substantially greater crime rates than South Orange, in some cases more than double or triple the state average.
In totality, it can be concluded that South Orange enjoys a relatively low crime rate and the department does a commendable job managing crime in the community.
C. Comparisons/Benchmarks

In order to put South Orange’s crime rate information into perspective, it is important to compare the SOPD with other police departments. The IBM report Smarter, Faster, Cheaper2 looks at several financial, organizational, and demographic variables in order to assess the relative efficiency of police departments. This study looked at 100 major U.S. cities in a wide range of regions and sizes. In addition, the Bureau of Justice Statistics publishes periodic reports on the administrative and managerial characteristics of police departments in the United States. These documents are useful in benchmarking the SOPD on several key variables. Keeping in mind that each community has characteristics that govern the style and size of its police department, these characteristics and comparisons are useful in understanding the relative performance of the SOPD.
The benchmarks that are illustrative of the police department’s performance are the amount of spending per capita on police services, crime rate, spending per serious crime, and sworn officers per capita.
The SOPD spends approximately $414 per capita on police services. This is higher than the $216 per capita spent on average. With a crime rate of 2,914 serious crimes per 100,000 residents in 2010, the rate in South Orange is much lower than the average crime rate of 5,000 in the cities studied. Spending per crime in South Orange is $2,300 per serious crime, which is substantially less than the average expenditure per crime of $6,702. Also, the SOPD employs fifty-one sworn officers, or 309 officers per 100,000, which is higher than the average per capita deployment of 190 officers per 100,000 residents.
A similar perspective on operational efficiency can be gained by inspecting the amount of money spent on overtime costs as a percentage of overall
2 Smarter, Faster, Cheaper: An Operational Efficiency Benchmarking Study of 100 US Cities, IBM 2011; and, Bureau of Justice Statistics (2007). Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics.

spending. In 2011 the SOPD spent approximately $427,000 on police overtime. This expense represents approximately 6.4 percent of the overall budget. This is considered high and demonstrates liberal use of overtime expense.
Table 2. SOPD in Perspective
Benchmark Area
SOPD
Benchmark
Vs. Benchmark
Per capita police spending
$414
$216
HIGHER
Crime rate
2,914
5,000
LOWER
Spending per serious crime
$2,300
$6,702
MUCH LOWER
Officers per capita
309
190
HIGHER
OT percent of budget
6.4
5
HIGHER
According to the information in Table 2, the SOPD gets mixed marks for financial benchmarks. Costs of operations appear lower in some areas and higher in others. This is related to many factors that will be discussed in the body of the report. In brief, the department spends more per captia and has a higher number of officers per capita due largely to policing philosophy and sustained organizational commitments in the community. Spending per serious crime is markedly lower in South Orange. Overtime expenses are high and are being driven by several factors, including a rigid staffing schedule, unlimited sick leave coupled with minimum required patrol staffing levels, and an imbalance in operational resources.
The key to operational efficiency, however, is not found exclusively in financial austerity. The size and style of a police department and the types of services that it provides are a reflection of the character and demands of the community. The challenge is to determine how many police officers are necessary to meet that demand, and how to deploy those personnel in an effective and efficient manner. The analysis that follows is an attempt to build upon this discussion and answer the “how many” and “how to deploy”

questions that are the essence of police operational and personnel resource decisions.
Our report now turns to the various elements of the SOPD and an assessment of those elements in context with prevailing industry standards and best practices.

IV. Operations
The SOPD provides the community with a full range of police services, including responding to emergencies and calls for service (CFS), performing directed activities, and solving problems. The SOPD is a service-oriented department providing a high level of service to the community. Essentially, every call for service gets a police response and every criminal case gets investigated. The department embraces this approach and considers every request for service from the public important and deserving of a police response.
A. Demand
Time and time again, it was reported to the ICMA team that no call is considered too minor to warrant a response and no case is too small to warrant an investigation. From the command staff to the rank-and-file officers, this approach was demonstrated to us on numerous occasions. The result of this policing philosophy is the delivery of comprehensive policing services to the South Orange community. The department has the hallmark of a small-town approach to policing, in which people are not just citizens but members of a community. Service is personalized, the police are part of the fabric of the community, and expectations for police service are high.
This approach is not without costs, however. Considerable resources are needed to maintain the small-town approach. The patrol division must be staffed with enough officers to respond to virtually every call placed to the SOPD, and the investigative division must be prepared to investigate every case that presents itself. From conversations with SOPD officers of all ranks, it’s clear that the community of South Orange expects this level of service, and the SOPD is structured to deliver it.

Because the department entertains almost every request for police service, the choice will be between the options of “Do we continue to police the community in a full-service mode?” and “What steps can we take to restructure demand and still promote order and safety?” That is, the department must decide whether to sustain this comprehensive level of police service or take the steps necessary to manage it. Essentially, this is a political decision regarding the quantity of police services offered to the South Orange community. But quality doesn’t need to suffer. The recommendations offered regarding operations, if implemented, will permit the SOPD to continue its full-service model of policing and run the agency more efficiently while keeping personnel resources stable into the foreseeable future.
Table 3. 2011 Calls for Service
Category
Total Calls
% of Total
Accidents
653
5.3
Alarm
2,175
17.5
Animal calls
55
0.4
Assist other agency
347
2.8
Check/investigation
2,330
18.7
Crime–persons
212
1.7
Crime–property
611
4.9
Disturbance
661
5.3
Juvenile
113
0.9
Medical calls
737
5.9
Miscellaneous
458
3.7
Prisoner–arrest
35
0.3
Prisoner–transport
67
0.5
Suspicious person/vehicle
876
7.0
Traffic enforcement
3,103
25.0
Total
12,433
Table 3 presents information on the categories of calls for service received from the public that were handled by the SOPD during 2011. In total, SOPD

officers were dispatched to 12,433 calls during that 12-month period, or approximately thirty-four calls per day.
In general, CFS volume in South Orange is low. The SOPD has no problem handling service demands from the public, and as other sections of the report will demonstrate, the patrol function appears to be overstaffed.
At the same time, the quantity and quality of calls for service can be examined for enormous potential for operational efficiencies. Certain types of calls do not necessarily require the response of a sworn police officer. For example, at motor vehicle accidents involving only property damage, the police role is largely administrative: preparing and filing reports. Similarly, industry experience also tells us that greater than 98 percent of all burglar alarms are false alarms and that CFS regarding animal complaints are typically only nuisance-type calls and do not involve a matter of public safety or danger. The bottom line here is that a substantial number of CFS dispatches to officers in the SOPD could be eliminated.
The alarm industry is a strong advocate of developing ordinances and procedures to address police responses to false alarms and will work closely with any agency exploring this issue. The 98 percent of alarm calls that are false are caused by user error, and this can be addressed by alarm management programs. For example, a double-call verification protocol is becoming the norm across the country. Alarm reduction needs to be addressed aggressively in South Orange. Adopting an alarm callback program has the potential to reduce calls for service by more than to 1,000 calls, or roughly 8 percent of all CFS that come from the public.
Automobile accidents are another category for which the response by a sworn officer is questionable. Most accidents involve only property damage to vehicles and the role of an officer is simply report preparation. When injuries occur or vehicles are inoperable and blocking traffic, however, police

response is important. Proper training of dispatchers and inquiries by dispatchers during the initial call-taking process can easily triage vehicle accident calls to determine which ones actually require a police response.
Dispatching police officers to all vehicle crashes is not recommended. It is recommended that the SOPD cease responding to CFS involving property damage only motor vehicle accidents. Examination of Table 3 indicates that 5.3 percent of all CFS handled during the study period were traffic accidents. Arguably, most of these CFS were administrative in nature and did not necessarily warrant the response of a sworn police officer.
Three categories of CFS—accidents, alarms, check/investigation—represent more than 41 percent of all CFS volume from the public in South Orange, but a police response at the large majority of these incidents is likely not necessary. These categories of CFS must be examined carefully. It is strongly recommended, therefore, that the SOPD establish a committee that includes all the principal stakeholders in this process and which has the responsibility for evaluating the CFS workload with an eye toward reducing nonemergency CFS response. The Chief of Police and Town Council members should meet to discuss the possibility of reducing CFS responses and eliminating types of CFS handled by the SOPD. This committee should begin with these three major categories of CFS response and formulate the response (or nonresponse) protocols for these assignments.
Recommendation:
Empanel a calls for service committee in order to evaluate service demands and attempt to reduce nonemergency responses.

Our data analysis supports the notion that a thorough examination by the SOPD of CFS response is necessary in order to eliminate, downsize, and streamline CFS.
ICMA recommends that from a policy perspective the responses to major categories of CFS be reduced, including responses to traffic accidents involving only property damage; an alarm callback system be instituted; and 911 call-takers and dispatchers be trained to trigger a police response in cases only when there is an emergency situation.
1. Time Spent on Calls and Officers per Call
Further examination of various elements of the CFS and patrol response data also warrants discussion. Key tables in the data analysis section of this report provide a wealth of information about demand, workload, and deployment in South Orange. Three key pieces of information demonstrate the how patrol resources are used in South Orange. These three statistics are found in the data analysis section under Table 6, Occupied Time; Table 7, Number of Responding Units; and Table 11, Average Response Time Components. Taken together these statistics provide an excellent lens through which to view the efficiency of patrol operations in South Orange.
According to the data in Table 6, SOPD patrol units on average take 22.1 minutes to handle a call for service. This figure is approximately 26 percent less time than average occupied of about 30 minutes for a CFS, based on our experience.3 Also, the SOPD, according to Table 7, dispatches 1.4 officers per CFS. The number of officers dispatched (like occupied time) varies by category of call, but is lower than policing norms of about 1.6 officers per CFS. In other words, the SOPD uses fewer officers overall to
3 ICMA considers 30 minutes to be a benchmark of police departments to handle CFS. This figure is derived from data analyses of police agencies similar to the SOPD.

handle a CFS and does so in less time than an average police response of similar size agencies.
Similarly, according to Table 11, response times for CFS in South Orange averaged less than five minutes per call. This is substantially lower than many communities of similar size and well below the generally accepted target response time of fifteen minutes per call.
Taken together, our analysis of occupied time, number of officers per call, and response time shows an efficient deployment of patrol officers to CFS in South Orange.
In sum, the various data show that patrol services in the SOPD is overstaffed. Reductions in the patrol division can be achieved, even while managing CFS volume more aggressively, thus making the overall function of the SOPD more efficient and cost-effective.
B. Patrol Deployment and Staffing
Uniformed patrol is considered the “backbone” of American policing. Bureau of Justice statistics indicate that more than 95 percent of police departments in the U.S. in the same size category as the SOPD provide uniformed patrol. Officers assigned to this important function are the most visible members of the department and command the largest share of resources committed by the department. Proper allocation of these resources is critical in order to have officers available to respond to calls for service and provide law enforcement services to the public.
In South Orange general patrol operations are staffed using three 10 hour and40 minute shifts. The shifts are organized into two separate rotations (A and B) and work four days on and four days off. Each rotation, therefore has three shifts (days, evening, nights) and each shift is staffed with one

lieutenant, one sergeant, and five police officers (due to vacancies, three shifts have four officers). The day shift reports to work at 6:50 a.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m., the evening shift starts at 1:20 p.m. and ends at midnight, and the night shift starts at 9:20 p.m. and ends at 8:00 a.m.
Table 4. SOPD Deployment Schedule
Shift
Hours
Rotation
Lt.
Sgts.
Officers
Day
0650x1730
A
1
1
5
B
1
1
5
Evening
1320x2400
A
1
1
4
B
1
1
4
Night
2120x0800
A
1
1
4
B
1
1
5
Total
6
6
27
Our examination of the patrol staffing and workload demands, combined with on-site observations and industry norms, leads us to several recommendations with respect to patrol deployment.
1. Schedule
The shift schedule in place in South Orange is inefficient. Using three 10 hour and 40 minute shifts results in eight hours of overlapping coverage each day. Inspection of the timing of this overlap shows that it is creating substantial inefficiencies in patrol coverage and costing approximately 15 to 20 percent more in personnel than necessary to provide the same service. Overlaps occur at three times during the day: for one hour and ten minutes (1:10) whenn the night and day shifts meet, for four hours and twenty minutes (4:20) when the day and evening shifts meet, and for two hours and forty minutes (2:40) when the evening and night shifts meet. Ideally, overlaps in staffing should be designed to align staff availability with

demands for service. The shift model in the SOPD appears haphazard and only minimally addresses service demands.
Additionally, the four-on/four-off rotation translates into officers working 1,946:40 hours each year (182.5 work-days each year, with a 10:40 shift), which is 133:20 hours less than a conventional work-year of 2,080 hours. While it is not uncommon to compensate police officers under less-than-full staffing plans, this must be considered when exploring options than provide more efficient staffing models
Furthermore, the 10:40 shift is an awkward shift length. The available literature on shift length provides no definitive conclusions on an appropriate length of shift. A recent study published by the Police Foundation examined 8-hour, 10-hour, and 12-hour shifts, and found positive and negative characteristics associated with all three.4 ICMA contends that the length of the shift is secondary to the application of that shift to meet service demands. Again, a 10:40 shift does not appear to address any needs, and unnecessarily lengthens the workday of the officer.
It is also understood that the current schedule is a provision of the labor contract and subject to collective bargaining. However, the current shift model in place in South Orange is inefficient and immediate steps need to be taken to change it.
It is not necessarily the length of the tour, but the manner in which the model is structured that creates the inefficiency. Eight-hour, ten-hour, and twelve-hour work schedules exist, and are in use by many police departments across the U.S., and which take advantage of shift length and start/end times to meet the needs of the community and the department. The plan in place in South Orange appears to do little in the form of service
4 Police Foundation, The Shift Length Experiment: What we know about 8-, 10-, and 12- hour shifts in policing, 2012.

delivery and costs the village and the SOPD substantially more than necessary to provide police services.
Therefore, it is strongly recommended that the department seek to modify the shift schedule to more appropriately align the schedule to meet the demands of the community. An example of an alternative shift schedule is provided in Appendix A. This schedule relies on 10:40 minute shifts, but uses four start times instead of three, and reduces supervisory staffing by four lieutenants. There are numerous options available that are superior alternatives to the current patrol shift schedule in place in the SOPD. These alternatives should be pursued aggressively.
Recommendation:
Take immediate steps to change the current shift schedule in place in the SOPD and create one that is aligned better with service demands.
C. Supervision
Inspection of the SOPD table of organization reveals a very low supervisor to subordinate staffing ratio. Span of control, or the ratio of subordinates to supervisors, is an important characteristic of an organization and indicates the amount of supervision and direction given to individual employees. In the SOPD patrol shifts, the span of control from lieutenant to sergeant is 1:1, and for sergeant to police officer it is 1:5 (and 1:4 in shifts with the vacancies). This is a very low span of control and the SOPD should examine closely these supervisory ratios to afford greater responsibilities for all ranking officers in the department. In particular, an organizational span of

control where one supervisor is responsible for only one subordinate should be adjusted to increase the span of control.
A potential solution to this condition is to realign the patrol schedule (and the other units in the department) to create a structure that diffuses supervisory responsibility appropriately. This recommendation should be taken into consideration with a realignment of the patrol shift schedule to create a more efficient work model (scheduling and supervision) for the entire organization. In other words, the organization is “top heavy” with an excess number of ranking officers. The SOPD should explore organizational restructuring to align staffing resources more efficiently and reduce the number of supervisors in each rank.
D. Deployment
Although some police administrators suggest that there are national standards for the number of officers per thousand residents, that is not the case. The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) states that ready-made, universally applicable patrol staffing standards do not exist. Furthermore, ratios such as officers-per-thousand population are inappropriate to use as the basis for staffing decisions.
According to Public Management magazine, “A key resource is discretionary patrol time, or the time available for officers to make self-initiated stops, advise a victim in how to prevent the next crime, or call property owners, neighbors, or local agencies to report problems or request assistance. Understanding discretionary time, and how it is used, is vital. Yet most police departments do not compile such data effectively. To be sure, this is

not easy to do and, in some departments may require improvements in management information systems.”5
Essentially, “discretionary time” on patrol is the amount of time available each day where officers are not committed to handling CFS and workload demands from the public. It is “discretionary” and intended to be used at the discretion of the officer to address problems in the community and be available in the event of emergencies. Discretionary time, or non-committed time, can be used for a whole host of proactive and community policing type activities. First, non-committed time allows officers to patrol locations prone to crime, disorder, and traffic problems. Routine patrol not dedicated to calls for service is a deterrent to crime and disorder. It is impossible to calculate the deterrent value of this effort, but it is a valuable resource to have available. Also, when not responding to CFS, officers can interact with the community, attend school and community meetings, perform proactive enforcement in trouble areas. Furthermore, non-committed time allows officers to demonstrate a strong presence in visible areas of the community. When there is no discretionary time, however, officers are entirely committed to service demands, do not get the chance to address other community problems that do not arise through 911, and are not available in times of serious emergency. The lack of discretionary time indicates a department is understaffed. Conversely, when there is too much discretionary time officers are idle. This is an indication that the department is overstaffed.
Staffing decisions, particularly in patrol, must be based on actual workload. Once the actual workload is determined the amount of discretionary time is determined and then staffing decisions can be made consistent with the department’s policing philosophy and the community’s ability to fund it. The
5 John Campbell, Joseph Brann, and David Williams, “Officer-per-Thousand Formulas and Other Policy Myths,” Public Management 86 (March 2004): 2227.

SOPD is a full-service police department, and the philosophy is to address essentially all requests for service in a community policing style. With this in mind it is necessary to look at workload to understand the impact of this style of policing in the context of community demand.
To understand actual workload (the time required to complete certain activities) it is critical to review total reported events within the context of how the events originated, such as through directed patrol, administrative tasks, officer-initiated activities, and citizen-initiated activities. Doing this analysis allows identification of activities that are really “calls” from those activities that are some other event.
Understanding the difference between the various types of police department events and the staffing implications is critical to determining deployment needs. This portion of the study looks at the total deployed hours of the police department with a comparison to the time being spent to currently provide services.
From an organizational standpoint, it is important to have uniformed patrol resources available at all times of the day to deal with issues such as proactive enforcement and community policing. Patrol is generally the most visible and most available resource in policing and the ability to harness this resource is critical for successful operations.
1. Saturation Threshold and Rule of 60
From an officer’s standpoint, once a certain level of CFS activity is reached, the officer’s focus shifts to a CFS-based reactionary mode. Once a threshold is reached, the patrol officer’s mindset begins to shift from one that looks for ways to deal with crime and quality-of-life conditions in the community to one that continually prepares for the next CFS. After saturation, officers

cease proactive policing and engage in a reactionary style of policing. The outlook becomes “Why act proactively when my actions are only going to be interrupted by a CFS?” Uncommitted time is spent waiting for the next call. Sixty percent of time spent responding to calls for service is believed to be the saturation threshold.
In general, a “Rule of 60” can be applied to evaluate patrol staffing. The “Rule of 60” has two parts. The first part maintains that 60 percent of the sworn officers in a department should be dedicated to the patrol function, and the second part maintains that no more than 60 percent of manpower should be “saturated” by workload demands from the community.
a. Rule of 60 – Part 1
According to the SOPD “Table of Organization” dated 05/01/2012, patrol in the SOPD is staffed by one captain, six lieutenants (one vacancy), six sergeants, and twenty-seven police officers assigned to a CFS response capacity. These thirty-nine sworn officers represent 76 percent of the fifty- one sworn officers in the SOPD. This percentage is higher than the 60 percent benchmark for patrol staffing for an agency the size of the SOPD. Adding in the sworn personnel (one sergeant and one police officer) assigned to the traffic bureau and this percentage gets even higher. With the traffic bureau included, there are 41 of 51 sworn personnel assigned to CFS response, or 80 percent.
According to these statistics, the SOPD does not adhere to the first component of the “Rule of 60.” The patrol function has a very high percentage of sworn personnel and the staffing of the agency is not balanced appropriately.

b. Rule of 60 – Part 2
The second part of the “Rule of 60” examines workload and discretionary time and suggests that no more than 60 percent of time should be committed to calls for service. In other words, ICMA suggests that no more than 60 percent of available patrol officer time be spent responding to the service demands of the community. The remaining 40 percent of the time is the “discretionary time” for officers to be available to address community problems and be available for serious emergencies. This Rule of 60 for patrol deployment does not mean the remaining 40 percent of time is downtime or break time. It is simply a reflection of the point at which patrol officer time is “saturated” by CFS.
c. Saturation Index
This ratio of dedicated time compared to discretionary time is referred to as the “Saturation Index” (SI). It is ICMA’s contention that patrol staffing is optimally deployed when the SI is in the 60 percent range. A SI greater than 60 percent indicates that the patrol manpower is largely reactive, and overburdened with CFS and workload demands. A SI of somewhat less than 60 percent indicates that patrol manpower is optimally staffed. SI levels much lower than 60 percent, however, indicate patrol resources that are underutilized, and signals an opportunity for a reduction in patrol resources or reallocation of police personnel.
Departments must be cautious in interpreting the SI too narrowly. For example, one should not conclude that SI can never exceed 60 percent at any time during the day, or that in any given hour no more than 60 percent of any officer’s time be committed to CFS. The SI at 60 percent is intended to be a benchmark to evaluate service demands on patrol staffing. When SI levels exceed 60 percent for substantial periods of a given shift, or at isolated and specific times during the day, then decisions should be made to

reallocate or realign personnel to reduce the SI to levels below 60. Lastly, this is not a hard-and-fast rule, but a benchmark to be used in evaluating staffing decisions.
The ICMA data analysis in the second part of this report provides a rich overview of CFS and staffing demands experienced by the SOPD. The analysis here looks specifically at patrol deployment and how to maximize the personnel resources of the SOPD to meet the demands of calls for service while also engaging in proactive policing to combat crime, disorder, and traffic issues in the community.
Figures 1 to 8 illustrate workload, staffing, and the “saturation” of patrol resources in the SOPD during the two months in 2011 on which we focused. By “saturation” we mean the amount of time officers spend on patrol handling service demands from the community. In other words, how much of the day is “saturated” with workload demands. This “saturation” is the comparison of workload with available manpower over the course of an average day during the months selected.
The figures represent the manpower and demand during weekdays and weekends during the months of February and August, 2011. Examination of these figures permits exploration of the second part of the Rule of 60. Again, the Rule of 60 examines the relationship between total work and total patrol, and to comply with this rule, total work should be less than 60 percent of total patrol.

Figure 1. Deployment and Main Workload, Weekdays, Winter 2011
Hour 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Personnel
Added patrol
Patrol
Directed patrol work
Out-of-service work
Police-initiated work
Other-initiated work
Figure 2. Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekdays, Winter 2011
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
100
80
60
40
20
0
Hour
Percentage
Other-initiated
Most (+ Self-initiated & Out-of-service)
Total (+ Directed patrol)

Workload v. Deployment – Weekdays – Winter 2011
Avg. Workload: 1.2 officers per hour
Avg. % Deployed (SI): 17 percent
Low SI: 5 percent
Low SI Time: 0730 hours
Peak SI: 34 percent
Peak SI Time: 1830 hours
Figures 1 and 2 present the patrol workload demands and SI for weekdays in winter 2011. As the figures indicate, the SI never exceeds the 60 percent threshold. In fact, on average, approximately one officer is required on the average weekday in winter to meet the service demands from CFS in South Orange. The SI ranges from a low of approximately 5 percent at 7:30 a.m. to a high of 34 percent at 6:30 p.m., with a daily average of 13 percent. Note that direct public demand for services indicated by the solid blue line (other-initiated) in Figure 2 demonstrates that at all times during the weekdays in winter, the SOPD has more than adequate, even surplus, patrol resources to meet that demand.

Figure 3. Deployment and Main Workload, Weekends, Winter 2011
Hour 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Personnel
Added patrol
Patrol
Out-of-service work
Figure 4. Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekends, Winter 2011
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
100
80
60
40
20
0
Hour
Percentage
Other-initiated

Workload v. Deployment – Weekends – Winter 2011
Low SI: 5 percent
Peak SI: 57 percent
Figures 3 and 4 present the patrol workload demands and SI for weekends in winter 2011. As the figures indicate, the SI never exceeds the 60 percent threshold. The SI ranges from a low of approximately 5 percent at 7:30 a.m. to a high of 57 percent at 7:30 p.m., with a daily average of 14 percent. Note that direct public demand for services indicated by the solid blue line (other-initiated) in Figure 4 demonstrates that at all times during the weekdays in winter, the SOPD has more than adequate, even surplus, patrol resources to meet that demand.

Figure 5. Deployment and Main Workload, Weekdays, Summer 2011
Hour 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23
10
8
6
4
2
0
Personnel
Added patrol
Patrol
Out-of-service work
Figure 6. Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekdays, Summer 2011
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
100
80
60
40
20
0
Hour
Percentage
Other-initiated

Workload v. Deployment – Weekdays – Summer 2011
Low SI: 3 percent
Peak SI: 44 percent
Figures 5 and 6 present the patrol workload demands and SI for weekdays in Summer 2011. As the figures indicate, the SI never exceeds the 60 percent threshold. In fact, on average, less than one officer is required on the average weekday in summer to meet the service demands from CFS in South Orange. The SI ranges from a low of approximately 5 percent at 6:30 a.m. to a high of 44 percent at 7:15 p.m., with a daily average of 18 percent. Note that direct public demand for services indicated by the solid blue line (other-initiated) in Figure 6 demonstrates that at all times during the weekdays in February, the SOPD has more than adequate, even surplus, patrol resources to meet that demand.

Figure 7. Deployment and Main Workload, Weekends, Summer 2011
Hour 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Personnel
Added patrol
Patrol
Out-of-service work
Figure 8. Workload Percentage by Hour, Weekends, Summer 2011
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22
100
80
60
40
20
0
Hour
Percentage
Other-initiated

Workload v. Deployment – Weekends – Summer 2011
Low SI: 4 percent
Peak SI: 44 percent
Figures 7 and 8 present the patrol workload demands and SI for weekends in summer 2011. As the figures indicate, the SI never exceeds the 60 percent threshold. In fact, on average, less than one officer is required on the average weekend in summer to meet the service demands from CFS in South Orange. The SI ranges from a low of approximately 4 percent at 8:15 a.m. to a high of 44 percent at 8:30 p.m., with a daily average of 20 percent. Note that direct public demand for services indicated by the solid blue line (other-initiated) in Figure 8 demonstrates that at all times during the weekdays in February, the SOPD has more than adequate, even surplus, patrol resources to meet that demand.
In Figures 2, 4, 6, and 8, the patrol resources available are denoted by the dashed green line at the top. The 100 percent value indicates the total police officer hours available during the 24-hour period. This amount varies during the day consistent with the staffing of the shifts, but at any given hour the total amount of available manpower will equal 100.
The red dashed line fixed at the 60 percent level represents the saturation index (SI). As discussed above, this is the point at which patrol resources become largely reactive as CFS and workload demands consume a larger and larger portion of available time. The blue line represents workload

generated by calls for service from the public and the solid black line represents total workload experienced by the SOPD.
Looking at the comparisons of the green, red, and black lines in the SI figures, and comparing workload to available staffing, the data indicate that there is an abundance of patrol resources available to meet the service demands from CFS in South Orange. This means that there is an abundance of non-committed time available for the officers to perform community- policing activities, proactive enforcement, and create a strong visible presence in the community. For each period under review, it is demonstrated that less than one officer on average is necessary to handle demand. In fact, the SI never exceeds 60 percent and only peaks at 44 percent during weekends in the summer. This information easily permits the conclusion that the patrol shifts in the SOPD are overstaffed. ICMA is not recommending that police officer staffing be reduced to one officer per shift; however, a closer examination of staffing minimums should be conducted with an eye towards reducing overall patrol staff.
2. Minimum Manning
Currently, the SOPD relies on a “hard” minimum manning level of four police units on patrol. When vacancies occur in the shift schedule due to illness, vacation, etc., the department incurs overtime to backfill those positions to maintain the minimum manning level of four units on patrol. Examination of the patrol saturation index indicates that during many extended periods during the day, four units on patrol is an excessive and inefficient. However, consideration must be given to the sustained operational demands of Seton Hall University and the proximity of South Orange to high-crime communities. Although the CFS volume and patrol saturation do not warrant four units on patrol, other factors indicate that this level is reasonable. It is

recommended that the “hard” minimum be modified and supervisors be given the authority to adjust this level (up or down) as they think appropriate.
E. Desk Officer
Presently, the SOPD staffs a “desk officer” position. Generally, this position is held by the shift lieutenant, or sergeant if the lieutenant is absent, and is responsible for patrol operations during that shift. The position is staffed every day, twenty-four hours, seven days each week. The position is fixed at the SOPD headquarters and supervises the communications dispatcher, handles walk-in and call-in complaints to the station house, and is responsible for processing other administrative matters, including arrests. It is strongly recommended that this position be eliminated from the patrol staffing model in place in the SOPD and alternative supervisory coverage be designed.
Based on the workload and staffing analysis, ICMA recommends that only one supervisor is necessary to manage patrol operations in South Orange. This supervisor should be primarily on patrol and assigned to the headquarters facility only when necessary. Assigning a lieutenant to the “desk” is inefficient, and considering there are eight hours of overlap each day this could translate into two lieutenants assigned to the “desk” for one- third of the day. Immediate steps should be taken to change this staffing model.
Recommendation:
Eliminate the position of desk officer in the agency.

Other recommendations appear later on in this report that pertain to the police facility and records management. These recommendations must be integrated with the recommendation here to eliminate the desk officer position.
In brief, the police facility needs to be remodeled and walk-in complaints accepted only during limited hours during the day. After business hours, a comfortable and secure waiting area should be established with telephone communication with the police dispatcher to summon assistance if necessary. This would eliminate the need for a supervisor to be inside the station house; the supervisor could respond only as required. The combination of these actions will result in better and more efficient service delivery to the South Orange community.
F. Community Relations/Special Investigations
The Community Relations and Special Investigations Unit is staffed by one sergeant and one part-time civilian. The responsibilities of the sworn sergeant are many and varied, and include:
 Special events permits
 Licensing of taxis
 Special event overtime assignments
 Liaison for the county domestic response team
 Liaison for a group home facility
 Neighborhood watch program coordinator (security checks/security surveys), for six neighborhood programs
 Liaison officer for Seton Hall (public events/student issues)
 Presentations and tours of police facility
 Liaison with senior citizen groups
 Road construction (overtime assignments)

 Security assignments (fixed posts at Seton Hall and movie theatre)
 Citizen complaints
 Relieves desk officer
 Fleet maintenance (The civilian member of the unit handles all fleet maintenance responsibilities. There are eighteen marked and nine unmarked vehicles (total of twenty-seven vehicles) and two trailers that are utilized by the South Orange Police Department. These vehicles are maintained by Maplewood Township through a contract for service agreement.
 In-car cameras in patrol vehicles (these are not in supervisor cars)
 Mobil data terminals in patrol cars (these are not in supervisor cars)
 Automated external defibrillators (AEDs), of which four units are in use. They are changed from in-service cars at shift change.
Recommendation:
Disband the community relations/special investigations unit and merge operations with the traffic bureau to create a new Special Operations Unit (see below).
G. Traffic Bureau
The SOPD staffs a traffic bureau consisting of one sergeant, one police officer, one traffic control officer, and twenty-two school crossing guards. The bureau personnel act as liaison to the U.S. and N.J. Departments of Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the N.J. Department of Transportation, AAA, N.J. State Police, and numerous other traffic organizations throughout the state. Bureau personnel perform numerous enforcement operations in the town, as well as respond to community complaints regarding traffic. They perform tow truck inspections, process

impounds, coordinate the school crossing program, process accident reports, maintain the intoxalyzer equipment, provide lectures on traffic safety, and handle numerous traffic related events and operations during the year. In general, the scope and breadth of the bureau’s operation is impressive.
One serious shortcoming of the traffic bureau is the administration and staffing of school crossing assignments. This is not a criticism of the current bureau, it is a criticism of the department’s deployment decisions with respect to these assignments. Each school day, the SOPD staffs school crossing posts that provide safe passage across streets at four schools in the community. Responsibility for this assignment rests with the twenty-two school crossing guards assigned to the traffic bureau. During times when a shortage of crossing guards prohibits coverage at the school crossings, the SOPD relies on full-duty, sworn police officers as school crossing guards.
ICMA strongly recommends that the assignment of sworn police officers to school crossing responsibilities cease immediately.
The traffic bureau must complete one or all of the following measures to change the current situation:
1. Identify more eligible school crossing guards to substitute during times of absence of the regularly assigned guards, and/or
2. Coordinate with school officials to notify them to provide coverage at school crossings when the regularly assigned school crossing guard is absent, and/or
3. Prioritize the posts and ensure that all priority posts are covered and leave vacant posts of lower priority.
Before school starts in the fall of 2012, the SOPD must develop and implement a program that alleviates full-duty, sworn police officers from performing school crossing guard functions.

Similarly, the SOPD staffs a per-diem position of traffic control officer. This position’s function is to provide traffic control at the intersection of South Orange Avenue and Scotland Road-Valley Street. This position adds no value to the traffic safety mission of the SOPD and should be discontinued immediately. The money used to fund this position can be redirected and spent on other more pressing issues facing the department.
The SOPD traffic bureau also needs to embrace more vigorously strategic planning initiatives aimed at improving traffic safety in South Orange. Presently, the bureau works diligently at providing enforcement, engineering, and education programs designed to improve traffic safety. The recommendation is to focus these efforts to a greater extent, and rely on a more focused identification of the specific problems, and then use resources to target those problems in a coordinated and integrated fashion.
Recommendations:
 Immediately discontinue the use of sworn personnel assigned to school crossing and develop a plan that alleviates sworn personnel of this responsibility.
 Immediately discontinue staffing the traffic control officer position.
 Develop an integrated traffic safety plan to coordinate traffic safety enforcement, education, and engineering initiatives.
H. Special Operations
SOPD operations are not balanced. As was mentioned in the discussion on patrol staffing, too many resources are in the patrol division and there is too much emphasis on responding to CFS and reactive policing. Best practices in

contemporary policing call for police organizations to have some form of organizational capacity that operates in a proactive fashion. It is recommended, therefore, that the SOPD create a new unit that will be responsible for fixed geographic areas in the community and which will be available to mobilize to address chronic or immediate community problems.
The unit would be created by collapsing the traffic bureau and the community relations functions of the sergeant assigned to community relations/special investigations (this unit would be disbanded). The new unit should be staffed by one sergeant and five police officers. The officers would have geographic responsibility for community policing in each of the four patrol zones currently designated by the SOPD. The fifth police officer will be assigned specifically as the traffic safety officer. Therefore, the current traffic bureau and community relations/special investigations unit would merge into one integrated unit/bureau. The duties and responsibilities of this new unit would be as follows:
 Crime prevention
 Personal and facility security
 Liaisons to organized community groups
 Block watchers
 Response to long-term and chronic crime and quality-of-life issues
 School resource officers
 Anticrime and plain-clothes operations
 Proactive enforcement
 Driver safety programs
The unit would act as liaison to the organized community from the department and be available to conduct proactive enforcement operations at the direction of the unit supervisor and/or chief. The personnel assigned would have both individual responsibility for specific areas in South Orange

and collective responsibility to engage in proactive enforcement. Also, the creation and staffing of this unit provides the SOPD with greater balance and the ability to operate outside the structure of CFS response and reactive criminal investigations.
Recommendation:
Create a Special Operations Unit staffed by one sergeant and five police officers.
I. Technology on Patrol
The SOPD employs the standard technology for patrol operations. Each patrol vehicle contains audio/video and computer technology; officers have the capability to access department systems and prepare reports remotely; and four cars each shift have an automated external defibrillator (AED). Supervisory vehicles, however, are not similarly equipped and are missing the computer and AED.
One piece of equipment that should be considered for inclusion in patrol vehicles are automatic license plate readers. Recent research has shown that license plate readers are very effective tools for apprehending auto thieves and recovering stolen vehicles. They cost around $25,000 per device, but can check license plates about ten times faster than an officer manually checking license plates. Their use can result in double the number of arrests and recoveries of stolen vehicles.6 Agencies that employ LPR technology report that over the next five years they plan on increasing the deployment of LPR to equip approximately 25 percent of their patrol cars. It is strongly
6 Police Executive Research Forum study of LPR effectiveness in the Mesa, AZ police dept.

recommended that the SOPD implement this technology and install LPR in at least one marked patrol car in each service area.
The SOPD is near installation of an automatic license plate reader at a fixed location. This site is a busy thoroughfare between South Orange and Newark and a likely route for stolen vehicles and travel by criminal suspects. Ideally, a high-resolution camera should be installed at this location instead of the LPR. Furthermore, the department should consider investing in additional video surveillance technology throughout the village and should site cameras at other main thoroughfares that are main routes of access and egress from South Orange, as well as the downtown area. The expense of purchase and installation of these devices is small in comparison to the value added in security, safety, and enhanced criminal investigative capabilities. In the absence of additional surveillance technology, however, the decision to mount the LPR in a fixed location is sound. The recommended mix of technology in this area is to mount fixed video cameras at strategic locations and deploy the LPR technology in the police cars on patrol.
Recommendations:
 Equip marked patrol cars with license plate readers.
 Expand the use of video surveillance technology to strategic locations in the community.
 Equip supervisory vehicles with the identical equipment found in patrol units.

V. Detective Bureau
The South Orange Police Department’s Detective Bureau provides full investigative services. The detectives investigate all of the criminal complaints that are reported to the police department, including all felony and misdemeanor cases and other incidents or situations that may require some type of investigative service. If the department encounters a homicide or other major felony the Essex County Prosecutor has the authority to take the lead and supervise these cases. The County Prosecutor’s Office is staffed with investigators and crime scene personnel who routinely play a leading role in all homicides and major case investigations within the county. The County Prosecutor’s Office does receive support in these investigations from all of the police agencies within the county.
The detective bureau is staffed by one captain, one lieutenant, one sergeant, and four detectives. The detectives are laterally transferred into the division from patrol, and do not assume a permanent rank of detective. They serve in this position until such time as the chief of police determines that reassignment is appropriate.
Detectives are assigned to follow-up all reported crimes regardless of the type of offense. All crime victims are contacted by the assigned detective as part of the case follow-up procedure. The detective bureau is forwarded copies of all of the crime reports on a daily basis. The detective lieutenant reviews these reports and based on his assessment the cases are assigned to the individual detectives. There is no case solvability process currently in use. Cases are assigned solely on the basis of the lieutenant’s review.
The detective bureau does not utilize an investigative tracking system. The detective lieutenant has the ability to determine case load levels from his communication with the detectives on a regular basis. There is no method in

use to determine the number of cases each detective solves or the number of cases each one is assigned. If information is needed as to what detective was assigned to a case this information can be obtained through a records search, but is not readily available.
The detectives work a nine hour and thirty minute shift. Their work schedule is four days on and three days off. The detectives have either Monday or Friday off and each of them works one afternoon shift per month. This schedule also requires that they work one Saturday per month and also have the on-call duty for that weekend. When the on-call detective is called out there is a minimum of four hours overtime. The detective has the option to take the overtime in cash or compensatory time.
The detective bureau is a small investigative unit that is willing and capable to handle criminal investigations within its jurisdiction. The detectives themselves and the department’s leadership do recognize the limitations placed upon them by their resources and by the statutory authority of the County Prosecutor’s Office. They are also willing to seek assistance from the Essex County Sheriff’s Department in the investigation of complex drug cases.
The detective bureau does not utilize a case assignment procedure that includes assessing each case on its solvability factors prior to assignment; it maintains a policy of assigning all reported offenses. The bureau does not track case assignments to the individual detective. There is also no procedure in place to track the investigative status of cases or to routinely access an individual detective’s disposition of cases.
Records can be obtained from the records management system after reports are submitted by the detectives. In general, these reports are submitted and filed at the conclusion of the case and this limits the supervisor’s ability to monitor the progress of the cases in real time. The lieutenant must rely on

his ability to communicate with the individual detective to monitor the status of an investigation.
The department does track case dispositions through “The BEAST” (Bar- coded Evidence Analysis Systems Tracking) property and evidence software package. This case tracking capability is utilized primarily to track evidence and property for destruction. It is not used to track the status of current case investigations.
The department takes pride in assigning all criminal complaints to a detective for investigative follow-up. This is an established practice that the officers within the department believe the public has come to expect. ICMA does recognize that this is a common practice in many medium- and small- sized departments throughout the United States. We also recognize that this practice is well intentioned and is part of the culture of many police departments. ICMA also recognizes that in times of economic difficulty continuing this practice may not be economically feasible.
The department should immediately adopt a policy of reviewing each case to determine if there are any factors present that could lead to identifying the offender and or the recovery of stolen property. If certain evidentiary facts are not available the cases should not be assigned. This will save valuable investigative hours and allow investigators to concentrate on cases that have investigative leads that will more likely be solved. A program that utilizes volunteers to contact crime victims of property crimes is an effective way to keep victims advised of the status of their case.
The detective lieutenant works diligently to keep track of the detectives’ investigations through personal contact. He would be much more effective in the management of his detectives and the cases that they are working if a computerized case assignment and case management system was utilized. There are software programs available that not only could be utilized by the

lieutenant but also by other authorized members of the department to routinely review individual cases. This would undoubtedly lead to more efficient use of the detectives’ time, and would create greater opportunities to successfully conclude cases. The detective bureau must abandon its current informal practice of investigative case management. Without proper screening and tracking mechanisms, it is difficult to determine caseload, clearances, and effective investigations. The detective commanders must explore the application of the records management system to determine if cases should be assigned, based upon accepted solvability factors, and then track cases to their conclusion to ensure appropriate investigations occur.
The current workspace used by the detectives, like the facility in general, is sub-par. The department is currently preparing to move the detective bureau to the main floor of the building The chief recognizes that the work space provided currently is not sufficient. The new space will provide an improved work area and easier access to the detective bureau for the public.
The detectives all have desktop computers that allow access to the department’s records management system. This also allows them to write reports and direct them to the lieutenant for review. The detectives indicate that one issue of concern to them is the radio communication issue that is discussed in the section on communication of this report.
The detectives have access to vehicles but do not have take-home vehicles.
Due to the fact that case assignments and case clearance information is not readily available, determining the appropriate staffing levels is difficult. However, after interviewing detectives, patrol officers, and supervisors and reviewing the department’s current investigative procedures, it would appear the current staffing level is appropriate.

A. Juvenile Aid Bureau
The juvenile aid bureau is staffed by one sergeant and one detective. They are assigned all of the criminal cases involving juveniles, including missing and runaway juveniles. The JAB is supervised by the sergeant but the sergeant reports to the lieutenant of detectives. In the past two years the JAB has investigated twenty-five runaway cases. Also in the past two years there have been a total of 160 arrests of juveniles within the department. In each of these cases a JAB detective or general assignment detective has been assigned to the follow-up. There is no computer tracking system in use by the department that tracks the progress of these cases. The detective bureau captain indicated that investigative information about important cases is known to all detectives regardless if they work in the JAB or not. He also indicated that the detective lieutenant knows who is assigned to cases and their dispositions.
In order to determine the effectiveness of this unit it is important to track the number of cases that are investigated by these detectives. These statistics could be used to determine the workload to make certain there is sufficient work for these two positions. The assignment of a sergeant to supervise one detective is problematic. The table of organization has the sergeant in this unit reporting directly to the investigative captain. The sergeant in the JAB does work closely with the lieutenant in the detective bureau and is often supervised by him.
Recommendations:
 Reorganize the investigative functions in the SOPD by merging the detective bureau with the juvenile aid bureau.
 Develop and implement an investigative case management system for all detective cases and operations.

B. Drug Investigations
The South Orange Police Department does not have a drug crime investigations unit. When drug crimes are reported they are assigned to an SOPD detective for follow-up. If the case requires a lengthy investigation and cannot be cleared by the SOPD detective, the Essex County Sheriff’s Department is contacted and the case is turned over to their bureau of narcotics to continue the investigation.
The SOPD tracks the status of the drug evidence sent to the state police to determine if a suspect has plead guilty or has requested a trial. The disposition of the case is also monitored to establish a time frame for destruction of the submitted drug evidence.
Observations/Recommendations
The South Orange Police Department does not have the resources to staff a drug investigations unit. Utilizing the sheriff’s drug investigations unit works well. Currently, there is not a formal procedure in place to receive information back from the Sheriff’s Department about information supplied by the SOPD. Information and intelligence gained from these investigations and arrests could prove to be very valuable to SOPD detectives and patrol officers.
The department should initiate a regularly scheduled intelligence meeting with the Essex County Sheriff’s drug investigations personnel. This would afford SOPD personnel the opportunity to receive updates and intelligence information regarding this type of criminal activity in South Orange. If the investigations are concluded this information should be distributed to SOPD patrol officers.

C. Crime Scene Investigations
The South Orange Police Department does not have a crime scene investigations unit. Crime scene work is handled by the SOPD detectives. Each detective is trained to examine crime scenes for fingerprints and how to process for fingerprints in the event they are located. The detectives are also trained to photograph crime and accident scenes. Each of the detectives has access to a camera and fingerprint processing equipment. In the event of a complex or major crime scene the department can request assistance from the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. The County Prosecutor has investigators and crime scene technicians available if needed.
There are no records maintained that record the number of crime scenes worked by the detectives or responses by the crime scene personnel from the County Prosecutors Office.
Recommendations/Observations
The South Orange Police Department does not have the resources available to create its own crime scene investigations unit. The current procedure of relying on the detectives to perform some crime scene services and then calling on the County Prosecutor’s Office to assist in more complex cases works well.
The proper handling of crime scenes and the evidence obtained from them is critical to the successful conclusion of investigations. ICMA would recommend that all of the detectives and uniform officers that are called upon to handle crime scene work should be given as much continual training as possible. The SOPD should provide updated training in the areas of latent

print recovery and crime scene photography. There also should be routine inspections of cameras and equipment.
The department should also make certain that written department policy addresses the proper procedures for the handling and processing of evidence and found property.
D. Property and Evidence
The evidence and found property retained by the department is stored in four separate locations. There are two evidence storage rooms located within the detective bureau office; a third evidence room is located in a room that is down the hallway very close to the detective bureau. A fourth storage area is located in the police department garage area; this is a caged area that contains evidence and property that is being purged from the system and at some point in the future will be removed for destruction. All of these locations are secure and can only be accessed by authorized persons. The lieutenant in charge of the detective bureau is also the evidence custodian.
All of the evidence and found property retained by the department is bar- coded and stored. The department utilizes “The BEAST” systemfor this function. This system is widely used by many law enforcement agencies nationwide. This system is recognized in the law enforcement profession as an efficient, reliable evidence management system.
The ICMA on-site team visited the evidence rooms with the officer in charge of all property and evidence, Lieutenant James Aiosa. Lieutenant Aiosa and two of his detectives are the only police employees authorized to handle evidence and property. The two evidence rooms located within the detective bureau could best be described as closets with sliding doors. The evidence

and property contained within these closets filled the entire space, and the items contained within were not easily accessed due to the limited space. The third evidence storage space was located in a hallway near the detective bureau. This location contains drug evidence and other large evidence and property items. There was a distinct, unpleasant odor easily detected upon opening the door. It was obvious that the room lacks proper ventilation. This room was also very full of evidence and property. The fourth storage area in the police department garage contained property that is being retained for disposal. The items are stored in a caged area that is secured, and, while the area is secure efforts should be made to dispose of these items in a timely manner.
Evidence and property retention is a critical responsibility of every law enforcement agency in the United States. It is no different within the SOPD. The primary concern with the evidence and property within the department is available space. With additional space the items stored could be more easily accessed and properly stored. Also, any storage room must be properly ventilated if drug evidence is to be retained for extended periods of time.
The department has recognized this issue and is in the process of moving the detective bureau to recently vacated space on the main floor of the police building. The plan calls for moving all evidence into the space that is now occupied by the detectives. This will allow for the consolidation of all of the property and evidence into a single location. As part of this plan the department should make certain there is proper ventilation of the room. If marijuana and other drugs are to be retained for long periods of time a separate drug room should also be part of the department’s plan. Security of

this facility must also be reviewed as part of this move. An electronic entry system should be considered. This will allow for the recording of entry to the room and identification of the person entering. A camera system that monitors access points should also be considered.
All currency that is retained by the department is retained in a safe. As an added measure of security, all jewelry is heat sealed in plastic bags before being stored. DNA evidence is stored in a refrigerator in the garage evidence storage area. The new allocation of space will allow the department to also separate items such as money, drugs, jewelry, and firearms into secure areas where they can be easily inventoried and accounted for on a routine basis. It will also allow the DNA storage location to be moved inside the building
ICMA recognizes that some of these recommendations are costly, but we also recognize that if evidence is compromised there is no second chance. Cases can be lost and with it public confidence in the department.
ICMA also recognizes that the department is aware of the needs in dealing with evidence and property is and putting forth an effort to improve its storage facility.
ICMA would also recommend a review of all evidence handling policies, procedures, and directives. This would be a very good time to document in detail the handling, storage, and disposal of evidence and property.

VI. Administrative & Personnel
In general, the organization and staffing of the SOPD administration is “top- heavy,” with an excess number of sworn officers in command positions. ICMA recommends a modified organizational structure that will eliminate positions, be most cost-effective, and improve the overall management of the department. Having two captains, in addition to the chief, responsible for operational and support functions in an organization the size of the SOPD is unnecessary. ICMA recommends reducing this rank to one captain, who will act as the principal executive officer for the chief of police.
In addition, the position of captain in charge of investigations should be changed to a lieutenant. This lieutenant should be responsible for investigations and special operations (see recommendation above). The combination of these two personnel changes eliminates managerial positions, broadens the span of control of mid-level managers, and increases operational efficiency.
Furthermore, a new position should be created for a lieutenant in charge of administration. The administrative lieutenant would report to the chief and be responsible for IT, fleet, building maintenance, communications, records, and training. The table of organization presented in Table 5 is a summary of these recommended changes.

Table 5. Recommended SOPD Table of Organization
Unit
Chief
Capt.
Lt.
Sgt.
PO/ Det
Total Sworn
Executive
1
Investigations and Admin. Div.
1
1
Subtotal Administration
1
1
1
3
Investigations
Investigations Admin.
1
Criminal Investigations
1
4
Special Operations
1
4
Subtotal Investigations
1
2
8
11
Patrol Operations
0700x1700
1
1
6
1100x2100
2
4
1700x0300
2
4
2100x0700
1
1
6
Subtotal Patrol
2
6
20
28
Total RECOMMENDED
1
1
4
8
28
42
Total CURRENT
1
2
6
9
32
50
Difference
-1
-2
-1
-4
-8
The next section of the report discusses the various administrative, support, and personnel functions of the department.
A. Training
The SOPD training program is handled by the operations commander, who retains all training records within his office. Due to a lack of funds there are few training opportunities available that require travel and overnight stays. All in-service training within the department is accomplished during the shift overlaps of the 10 hour and 40 minute work schedule.
Officers are required to complete the following training to retain their New Jersey Police Certification.
 CPR–every two years

 Firearms qualification–twice annually
 Use of force–twice annually, taught in conjunction with firearms qualification
 Domestic violence–annually
 Pursuit training–twice annually
 In-service training topics–Bias training, jail confinement.
The operations commander indicated that there is not a computerized management system in use to track training at this time. He stated that the department is currently exploring the possibility of utilizing a computerized system but no decision has been made. He also stated that there is no accurate accounting of training records currently available. Captain Heckel produced sign-in sheets of officers attending training programs, but there was no other information about the training classes readily available.
Captain Heckel indicated there are minimum standards for police training, but there is no reporting requirement to the State of New Jersey.
Police training is of critical importance to all members of a police organization. The South Orange Police Department has the ability to dedicate on-duty time to its training program that would be accommodated by the current shift schedule. The department should make a commitment to regularly schedule training that is meaningful and timely. Qualified and experienced instructors should be utilized whenever possible. A robust training program would serve the department very well.
The retention of police training records is very important to the department and to the officers who receive the training. Having the ability to recover and document training accomplishments will assist department managers in

determining an officer’s skill level for promotional opportunities and transfers to specialized positions within the organization. These records will also be very valuable if the department ever becomes involved in litigation where officer training becomes an issue. The department currently has a records management system that could be utilized to catalogue and store training records with little expense or difficulty. This should be pursued immediately.
All of the members of the department who were interviewed are interested in training opportunities both inside the department and outside. Increasing the training opportunities for the department would greatly enhance officers’ capabilities to deliver quality service to the public.
B. Information Management/Police Records
The information management section is staffed by two full-time records clerks and one part-time clerk. The records section is located on the main floor of the police building and there is an public access window that allows the public to communicate directly with staff members. All records generated by the department, both electronic and paper, are retained within the records section.
The department’s police vehicles are equipped with mobile data terminals (MDTs). Officers can write their reports from inside the police vehicles, including incident reports or accident reports. After completion, reports can be transmitted to the shift lieutenant. The lieutenant can then read the reports and either send them back to the officer for revisions or forward them to the information management office for filing. The officers can also hand-write reports if necessary. These reports are also forwarded to the lieutenant for review. After approval, these reports are then forward to the

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