The citys police department would be split into four major divisions the north, south, east and west precincts would be located at strategic locations to ensure that the department is accessible to citizens across the city. The budget should accommodate costs incurred in procuring supplies for these four facilities which would serve as offices for the citys police department. A designer will have to be hired to design the officers badge and uniform. Care has to be taken to ensure that the uniform is comfortable as well as dignified to command the respect of the public. While this will cost about 15000, an additional cost of about 65,000 will be incurred in procuring footwear, batons, handcuffs, flashlights, night-vision goggles, holsters and other office supplies for the officers.
The Chief of police would head the citys police department, while the captains of various departments would report to the chief (Los Angeles Police Department 1). The lieutenants of each unit in turn would be answerable to their department captain. Each lieutenant would be responsible for marshalling the detectives and police officers under his command. The SWAT (special weapons and tactics) taskforce is a critical unit that averts disaster through the use of specialized machinery. A computer expert will also have to be deployed to combat cyber crime and gauge online threats of terrorism. While an animal trainer will be deployed to train dogs in the canine unit, a pilot will be recruited to fly the departments helicopter. Other support staffs in the department include receptionists, artists that draw sketches of suspects, clerks responsible for safely storing evidence and forensic experts that analyze evidence (City of Brooklyn Park Police Department 1).
In todays electronic age, the police department would require a website that would help interact with the people of the city. This website could serve as a feedback mechanism as it would be instrumental in collecting suggestion and comments from the general public. It would also serve as a notice board that makes the citizens aware of safety measures, achievements and threats assessed by the department. It could also list the phone numbers of police officers to simplify the communication process. The cost of developing and maintaining the website would come to 5000.
The department would need computers to store and recover data pertaining to criminal records and database of previous crimes. Computers are also an essential tool for conducting forensic research. Other IT functions include document imaging and maintaining an intranet for the department. The total cost of installing computer systems will reach about 55,000. Other electronic equipment such as tracking devices, lie detectors and recording equipment are the critical to process of acquiring evidence, investigating and capturing law offenders. A card-access system will also have to be put in place to restrict access to the police departments premises. The cost of acquiring these electronic devices would total to approximately 250,000.
While the duty of police officers is to primarily protect citizens, sometimes weapons such machines guns, pistols and tasers are required to immobilize violent offenders. These budgeting of weapons needs to be carefully planned, as purchasing excess of weapons would be prove to be a futile exercise while shortage of weapons spells disaster. The cost of buying weapons should work out to 350,000. The procurement of safety equipment such as mob-control gear, bullet-proof vests, bomb-diffusion kits, gas masks, metal detectors, fire-extinguishers and first-aid kits are also equally critical. These devices are expensive and could cost up to 150,000. However, they are worth as they help protect invaluable lives and uphold order by preventing riots from getting out of hand. Care should also be taken to ensure that weapon contracts are given to the right companies. Internal affairs should be on the lookout for irregularities as these contracts invite a lot of bribes and favoritism.
Choosing a hybrid vehicle as a squad car has many strategic advantages. It gains the publics respect by sending out the message that the police department is environment-conscious. It also helps in cutting down fuel costs on the long run. Eight Nissan Altima Hybrids and Eight Toyota Prius cars would be purchased to serve as squad cars for police officers. In addition to the sixteen squad cars, four Ford Explorer SUVs would also be purchased for the department to navigate through rough terrain in the outer limits of the city. This pushes the total cost of vehicles to 520,000.
Two officers would share a car while patrolling the streets. Six Honda VFR motorcycles costing a total of 90,000 would also be purchased in order to help police officers move quickly through traffic during accidents and traffic jams. It can also be used while performing security duty for dignitaries and important politicians that visit the city. The importance of buying a helicopter for the police department is manifold. It would be essential while carrying out searches of missing people and pursing a suspect during a chase. Thus, a R44 Raven I helicopter equipped with night vision, surveillance cameras, radar system, tear gas dispensers and searchlights, flashing light beacons, winches and winch cables would be purchased for about by 333,000 by the police department (Robinson Helicopters Company 1).
The police department would also have four well-trained horses, one at each precinct, to add a touch of elegance to the department. The police department would also be deployed with eight German Shepherds and two Bloodhounds in its canine unit. These dogs are specially trained to sniff blood and drugs, thereby helping officers perform their jobs (Moore 2). In addition to these ten canines, the SWAT team will have four separate German Shepherds trained to sniff bombs.
Just like any other organization, the primary challenge while starting a new police department is to hire talented police officers. The hiring process involves interviewing candidates that have passed psychological evaluation, physical fitness tests and competitive civil service exams. Following recruitment, the next crucial step is training. This includes briefing on job duties, code of conduct as well as standard operating procedures. Training happens on the job as a new officer is paired with an experienced officer. Off the job training occurs when special workshops are conducted to help officers in using weapons, investigation methods, studying suspects cues and psychological profile. Resource management and leadership training will also have to be provided to captains and lieutenants to improve the functioning of their teams. Due to the nature of the job, police officers are usually encouraged to attend seminars on stress management and other forms of psychological counseling. The training process is likely to cost the department about 120,000.
Conducting community outreach programs such as clean streets, anti-drug campaigns and joint police community partnership are essential to gain public support. The internal affairs department is necessary to investigate and weed out misconduct in the police department, which is again critical to maintain a healthy public perception. Arranging award ceremonies to recognize and honor officers that excel in their jobs is necessary to maintain the morale of law-enforcement officers. These non-critical functions would cost the department about 110,000. The total amount of expenses incurred in starting up the new police department amounts to just over 5 million, which is within the allocated budget of 5.1 million. This would mean that the remaining money left can be saved up for contingencies.
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