City of Austin

Homeland SecurityTask Force

Austin PoliceDepartment

Austin FireDepartment

Austin Police Department

• Since 9/11 has created

• Homeland Defense Unit and presently they guard our Power and Water Plants.

• Police Civil Defense Battalion, consisting of a well-trained corps of volunteers prepared to respond quickly to supplement the work of APD Officers.

Already has in place other units that respond to emergency and are subject to emergency call ups

• Crown Management Team (CMT) ready for anything: political riots, domestic attacks and panic from threat of attacks.

• Swat: prepared for the unexpected and always on call.

Austin Police Department

Austin Police Department

• Patrol Officers, District Representatives, etc are all now prepared for a biological attack through training and special clothing and equipment issue.

• Patrol Officers are the 1st responders to a domestic or foreign attack.

• Patrol Officers are commonly held over on late calls (critical incidents, traffic fatalities, etc)

IDENTIFY PROBLEMS

1. Quality of life issues

• stress on and off the job

• take preventative measures

• hardships

IDENTIFY PROBLEMS

1. Quality of life issues

2. Unexpected changes

• real problems in APD

• hardships

IDENTIFY PROBLEMS

1. Quality of life issues

2. Unexpected changes

3. Getting recruits and Keeping cadets

• out of town recruiting

• hardships

IDENTIFY PROBLEMS

1. Quality of life issues

2. Unexpected changes

3. Getting recruits and Keeping cadets

4. Shift work

• changing hours

• family growth or family move

Analyze

Why do we have these problems and what can we do about them?

Theories

Quality of Life issues

• Attribution Theory

• Expectancy Theory

• Motivation through Consequences

Theories

Unexpected Changes

• Equity Theory

• Socialization Theory

Theories

Getting Recruits and Keeping Cadets

• Adult Development Theory

• Expectancy Theory

Theories

Shift work

• Attribution Theory

• Equity Theory

• Socialization Theory

Respond

What do we do? How do we respond to these type of hardships and keep morale,

cohesion and a trained officer with the police department?

Strategies

Quality of life issues

• Utilize preventative measures against all problems that cause stress in an officer. Stress that will cause him to not work to his full potential.

• Preventative measures are just as important as reactionary measures to emergencies.

Strategies

Quality of life issues & all theories used

Preventative issues

• Police Psychiatrist

• Employee Assistance Program

• Victim Service

Strategies

Quality of life issues & all theories used

MTC - positive & negative reinforcement

self regulation

Strategies

Unexpected Changes & all theories used

• Managing Conflict is important because once the source of the individual’s conflict (low work performance, distraction, stress) is identified then they can either be a strength or weakness for the group.

Strategies

Getting recruits and keeping cadets & all theories • Managing Conflict - knowing all new officers

with families are faced with this hardship. Officers hours weather on patrol or anywhere in dept.

• Adequate daycare is hard to find. High Cost and convenience are two trouble areas.

Strategy

Shift work & all theories used

• Restore perception of equity with a manner that is consistent with the organizational goal.

• Prevent the only alternative is to leave the field.

ASSESS

How will this change stress in the department? How will this change officers

perception of working in Austin? How will this alleviate hardships?

Follow up

• As of 6/4/02 there are 1358 sworn officers in Austin Police Department

• 750 of them are patrol officers• 47 corporals on patrol shifts.1. Conduct Survey to see if there is a need or desire

from the Department Employees: On 3/14/02 a survey was sent to patrol, District Reps, traffic office, human resources, communications, and CE Detective units.

Follow - up• Survey• Would you like to see private child care offered at APD?• Do you have children ages 6 week - 6 years old?• 409 responses were returned.• Out of the 409 - 59% would like to see child care offered at APD

(and had additional comments to offer)• 31% would like to see child care offered at APD (but had no

additional comments to offer)• 8% would not like to see child care offered at APD (and had

additional comments to offer)• 2% would not like to see child care offered at APD (but had no

additional comments to offer)

Survey ResultsSurvey of Day Care Wants in APD

31%

59%

2%

8%

officers answered yes with comments

officers answered yes with no comments

officers answered no with comments

officers answered no with no comments

I currently pay $1000 a month and if it were reasonable priced, I would definitely use it. It could also be a positive perk for becoming an Austin Police Officer.

Its about time-This dept has tons of married officers and their lives are all re-arranged due to these shift hours.

I don’t have child care but I will need some in a few months when my wife gives birth.

Log overdu

e

This will help parents instead of having to use sick time, as patrol is currently short-handed already. This would keep more officers on the street.

I think it will

increase work

production

I have no kids but I see fellow officers suffering trying to make arrangements for their kids.

Follow up

2. Answer Concernsa. Liability

• Contract out for Day Care Centers

• Company On-site Daycare in Austin

• Licensed and Accredited by NAEYC.

Follow up

b. Location

• 715 E. 8th Street, 4th floor.• Communications will be moving into new building and

this area will be available for use.• No plans or arrangements made for any other use of

the space.• Centrally located until the idea can be visited for other

sites. • Feedback resulted in a need for a location centrally

located between south sub and central and north sub and central.

Follow up

c. Cost

• Stepping Stone has a working relationship with Wells Fargo. Financing other locations cost for re-design.

• No direct cost for the Department. Just provide the location.

• Subsidize the cost to employees – making it a better choice than the high cost that Austin Families face.

• Currently there is in place a city Voucher System and APD, AFD employees do not qualify.

Follow up

c. Cost

• Currently 38 applications are on file from APD/AFD with Health Plus Child Care Program. Only 3 were denied.

• But out of the 38 only 3 were firemen and police officers.

Follow up

Other ways to Assess the problem

3. Routine checks on socialization Encourage direct feedback from officers

4. Performance of work – improved or decreased. (evaluations)

5. Ensure that all available resources through the Department are utilized.