Getting With the "Program" at the LAPD

I was spending time with my dad this week in Los Angeles and came across an interesting article in the Daily News. It seems that Los Angeles City government is finally coming to its senses and will institute a dramatic change in the way the L.A. Police Department (LAPD) schedules shifts for its officers. This marks the turning point away from rigid scheduling schemes and puts the LAPD in league with other progressive organizations that realize that higher productivity can be realized by matching the right shift with the right person.

Up to now, the LAPD has used 8-hour schedules for its officers. This is a fairly common system, allowing for two days off per week. One of the problems with many police departments is that they are understaffed, contributing to excessive overtime. Add the stress of the job, and many feel that the 5-2 schedule is not conducive to productivity, morale, and retention. Enter flexible shifts.

The mayor (James Hahn) is proposing to phase in a system whereby 10 and 12-hour shifts will be added to the regular 8 hour shifts, allowing the officers a sort of smorgasbord of choices. In a big city such as LA, the higher staffing levels could easily support a system where enough employees would be available for all the alternatives.

The main benefit of the flexible system is that the officers get to choose a shift that fits their own needs and proclivities. For instance, some officers who commute long distances could likely opt for 12-hour shifts where they get more days off per pay period.

Studies have shown that certain types of people perform better on certain shift schemes, and we have discussed this in previous articles. The objective of course is to fill each shift systems with personnel most suited to that schedule. This will undoubtedly result in higher morale, higher productivity, and higher retention rates.

The details of implementing this system was sketchy in the article, which was mostly concerned with telling us which city politicians were for and against the scheme. In Los Angeles, almost every decision is a political one. (Please pardon my editorializing for a moment.)

The new multi-shift system will require a sophisticated management system with integrating software for shift changes, swaps, holiday time, overtime, emergency time off, vacations, sick time, etc. and all the other factors that go into filling shifts. Trust me. I’ve been “there”, and it gets very complicated.

Another factor is the method in which the shift schedules are assigned. This would depend on the applicable labor rules. Most likely, a seniority system would allocate shifts after the officers had a chance to “bid” on the schedules of their choice. This means that the system will mainly benefit older workers.

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