Chapter 1: Planning and Decision Making (SGT/2015)

Question 1

Planning

Answer 1

-mgt needs to anticipate and shape events,
not just respond to them
-competent planning is a sure sign of good
police administration and the first step in
accurate decision making
-planning isn’t just thinking, its taking action

Question 2

5 Approaches to Planning

Answer 2

1. Synoptic planning: traditional style. Based on problem-
   oriented approach.
   -11 step process that can be generalized into 4 steps
   -preparing to plan
   -making a choice between alternatives
   -implementation
   -evaluation
2. Incremental Planning: concludes long-range planning
   is too difficult and bad
3. Transactive Planning: face-to-face interaction
4. Advocacy Planning: defending the interests of the weak
5. Radical Planning:

Question 3

Types of Plans

Answer 3

-Administrative or mgt plans
-allocation of resources, personnel mgt, mission
statement
-Procedural plans
-written directive system
-Operational plans
-actions to be taken by line units
-Tactical plans
-emergency plans

Question 4

Decision Making

Answer 4

1. ID and define the problem
2. Ascertain all info regarding the problem (unrealistic to know all info)
3. List all possible alternatives and means to solving the problem
4. Analyze the alternatives and assess the facts
5. Select the appropriate alternatives and find the answer
   (this is a rational model for decision making. There are psychological or emotional models for decision making as well)

Question 5

Group Problem Solving

Answer 5

-is more beneficial if you avoid the pitfalls
-Advantages
-greater total knowledge and information
-greater number of approaches to a problem
-participation in problem solving increases
acceptance
-better comprehension of the decision
-Disadvantages
-social pressure
-individual domination
-conflicting secondary goals: winning the argument
-groupthink: group focuses on a shared rationalization
that bolsters the least objectionable alternative as a
solution
-Factors that can be assets or liabilities
-disagreement: can lead to hard feelings or resolution
-conflicting vs. mutual interests
-risk taking: groups will reach risky decisions easier
than individuals
-time requirements
-who changes: some members of the group must
change

Question 6

Brainstorming

Answer 6

• sessions should be 40-60 minutes
  
  • generally don’t discuss problem until session
  • problem stated clearly
  • use a small conference table for easy communication

Question 7

Common Errors in Decision Making

Answer 7

-cognitive nearsightedness: decisions based on immediate
needs w/o looking at long-range issues
-Assumption that the future will repeat itself:
-Oversimplification: deal with symptom of problem vs. actual
cause
-Overreliance on One’s own experience: a person’s own
experience may not be the best guide.
-Preconceived Notions: only see facts that support their
decision.
-Unwilling to experiment: pressure for immediate large-scale
action often deters small experimental projects
-Reluctance to Decide