CHAPTER 8: THE POLICE LEADER AS A PLANNER

Question 1

THE POLICE LEADER AS A PLANNER

Managers define a planner as “one who plans.” To carry the exercise in definitions a little further, one generally finds the act of planning itself referred to as the preparation of some sort of scheme, design, or manner of operating, to achieve some _______ or objective.

Answer 1

end goal

Question 2

ELEMENTS OF A PLAN:

Every plan is a design for action aimed at reaching an end result
or objective. Regardless of what the proposed result or objective might be, the plan for getting there will contain certain elements that are common to each and every other plan, whether it involves how one \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ to an emergency police call or how one teaches an academy class in defensive tactics.

Answer 2

responds

Question 3

ELEMENTS OF A PLAN:

If his plan is aimed at the resolution of a particular problem, that problem must be _______ before he can successfully go about solving it.

Answer 3

identified

Question 4

ELEMENTS OF A PLAN:

If it is a problem for someone today, almost certainly it has been a problem for someone in the _____. It may be that someone else discovered a solution or made some observa-tions applicable to the current problem. The literature may well con-tain an accounting of previous efforts and their outcomes.

Answer 4

past

Question 5

ELEMENTS OF A PLAN:

It has been said that exceptional literary works are not written, they are ________. Some planning documents may already be in their final form the first time they are formulated, but most will require modifications to one extent or another.

Answer 5

rewritten

Question 6

ELEMENTS OF A PLAN:

There are other questions to be answered about any activated plan, in addition to the “Does it work?” query:

1. Does the change in operations or procedures create new, unanticipated difficulties?
2. Does it create new “people problems” while solving other problems anticipated by the plan? For example, a new work schedule eases deployment strains but puts new burdens on the officers’ family lives.
3. Is the plan only partially successful? Could it be ________ through further change?

Answer 6

improved

Question 7

ELEMENTS OF A PLAN:

It is worth stressing again that only the ignorant planner refuses to
change a plan simply because to do so would admit ______ or some imagined weakness on his part. Not only does the intelligent planner accept change as part of the planning process, he will seek out constructive criticism as well.

Answer 7

error

Question 8

ELEMENTS OF A PLAN:

Truly ______ planning calls for long-term as well as immediate
evaluation and critique. Granted, it is quite important to watch for immediately apparent difficulties, but it is equally necessary to moni-tor the plan and its changes for problems that may appear only after weeks, months, or even years of operation.

Answer 8

competent

Question 9

ELEMENTS OF A PLAN:

A year or so later, however, the planner may find that officer overtime and sick time have risen. Only long-term _________ of the 4–10 plan will expose problems and allow for the treatment of these difficulties.

Answer 9

monitoring

Question 10

WRITING PLAN OBJECTIVES:

Every planner should set concrete, _______ objectives in fulfilling
his planning responsibilities. Such planning goals and objectives are vital to the successful planner and his work.

Answer 10

tangible

Question 11

WRITING PLAN OBJECTIVES:

Common Characteristics:

1) Good Planning Objectives Are Specific.
2) Good Planning Objectives Are Tangible.
3) Good Planning Objectives Focus on Results.
4) Good Planning Objectives Are ________.
5) Good Planning Objectives Are Clear.
6) Good Planning Objectives Are Challenging But Not Idealistic.

Answer 11

significant

Question 12

WRITING PLAN OBJECTIVES:

Common Characteristics:

1) Good Planning Objectives Are Specific.

The effective planner spells out the “what” and “when” expectations very clearly. His objectives are constructed in a manner that leaves no room for ______ as to meanings or expectations.

Answer 12

doubt

Question 13

WRITING PLAN OBJECTIVES:

Common Characteristics:

1) Good Planning Objectives Are Specific.

Putting too much _______ into an objective only serves to make it less precise and more prone to misinterpretation.

Answer 13

wording

Question 14

WRITING PLAN OBJECTIVES:

Common Characteristics:

2) Good Planning Objectives Are Tangible.

a method should be devised that will allow for the identification of some realistic and ________ factors that can be measured in looking at the whole picture.

Answer 14

tangible

Question 15

WRITING PLAN OBJECTIVES:

Common Characteristics:

3) Good Planning Objectives Focus on Results.

______ is more important than output.

Answer 15

Outcome

Question 16

WRITING PLAN OBJECTIVES:

Common Characteristics:

4) Good Planning Objectives Are Significant.

Drawing up ________, vague, or otherwise meaningless objectives is a fruitless exercise that wastes everybody’s time and accomplishes little good.

Answer 16

unimportant

Question 17

WRITING PLAN OBJECTIVES:

Common Characteristics:

5) Good Planning Objectives Are Clear.

Complex terminology, professional slang, and legalistic jargon often serve to _______ an otherwise clear goal.

Answer 17

confuse

Question 18

WRITING PLAN OBJECTIVES:

Common Characteristics:

6) Good Planning Objectives Are Challenging But Not Idealistic.

He realizes that he often needs to do the job with _____, not greater, resources at hand. At the same time, the planner does not set objectives that are
already achieved, or nearly so. It is wrong to devise a planning objec-tive to meet what is certain to be accomplished anyway. This challenges no one.

Answer 18

less

Question 19

WRITING PLAN OBJECTIVES:

Common Characteristics:

6) Good Planning Objectives Are Challenging But Not Idealistic.

The ________ lofty must be avoided as surely as the ridiculously easy.

Answer 19

unrealistically

Question 20

PLANNING GOALS FOR EMPLOYEES

In planning employee goals and objectives, the supervisor should
be mindful of a few simple guidelines which have worked for supervisors many times before.

1) First of all, a well-planned employee objective is specific, concise, and to the point. Lengthy, complex, and involved objectives tend to confuse employee and supervisor alike.

2) Second, planning objectives should include some deadline for the
employee to meet as he directs his efforts.

3) Third, a good, written employee planning objective generally em-ploys action-oriented verbs.
- These terms may frequently be seen working in concise but clear-cut job objectives:
a) Increase knowledge of crime scene processing techniques.
b) Broaden experience in the field of interviewing skills.
c) Improve abilities in handling accident diagram preparation.
d) Gain additional understanding of hostage negotiation principles and procedures.

4) Fourth, employee objective planning should permit the establishment of only those objectives that are beneficial to both the police employee and the police agency.

5) Finally, whenever possible, employee planning objectives should
be mutually devised and approved by the employee and supervisor acting as a team.

Answer 20

guidelines to be mindful of which have worked for supervisors

Question 21

PROJECTS FOR THE BOSS

First of all, the planner must understand what is expected of him.
Exactly what is to be accomplished? If he is _____ he will write down the expectations and any instructions from his boss on how it is to be done.

Answer 21

wise

Question 22

PLANNING PERSONAL PRIORITIES

After all, he cannot do his best for his department or his people unless he also does right by himself. A _______ personal outlook and a positive job attitude should be the twin products of careful attention to his needs, too.

Answer 22

healthy

Question 23

PLANNING PERSONAL PRIORITIES

Good ______ management and smart organization skills will pay off every time for their police practitioner.

Answer 23

time

Question 24

PLANNING PERSONAL PRIORITIES:

A new patrol sergeant, for example, might prioritize his duties some-thing like this:

1. Learn about my subordinates’ strengths, weaknesses, and over-all personalities.
2. Learn the mechanics of my job: which forms and reports to complete and how; what do I need to report to my own boss and how do I do it?
3. Learn how I can improve the way I do my job as a supervisor: what training can I get; what can I learn from my fellow super-visors and my bosses?
4. Learn what it will take to master the next step on the organiza-tional ladder: how can I help my boss with his tasks, while grooming myself for someday assuming greater responsibilities?

Question 25

PLANNING PERSONAL PRIORITIES:

Good supervisors are opti-mistic when there is some reasonable basis for optimism. They do not, however, expect the sky to rain honey when the outhouse blows up. Idealism is nice, but it must be _______ with a dollop of patience and a stiff dose of reality.

Answer 25

tempered

Question 26

PLANNING PERSONAL PRIORITIES:

Simultaneously, the supervisor/planner with more than his share
of common sense recognizes that he is not of much use to anyone if he does not also take care of his own personal and ____________. It is when he plans carefully and wisely for himself that he can continue to be of most use to others.

Answer 26

professional planning

Question 27

SUMMARY

He knows that with a carefully thought-out action plan for the future, he can demonstrate his greatest value to the police organization as he _______ his own advancement and personal job satisfaction within the agency. That’s called planning for success.

Answer 27

maximizes

Question 28

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

1) All supervisors engage in ______ activities.

Answer 28

planning

Question 29

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

2) Planning can be personal, ________, or both.

Answer 29

organizational

Question 30

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

3) The objectives of a plan must be specific, _______, clear, significant, and results-focused

Answer 30

tangible

Question 31

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

4) Plan objectives should be challenging but not _________.

Answer 31

unrealistic

Question 32

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

5) Planning goals for employee ________ should, where possible, be done with input from the employee.

Answer 32

performance

Question 33

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

6) The supervisor planning a project or other assignment for his boss has an opportunity to _______ his career in the organization

Answer 33

advance

Question 34

POINTS TO REMEMBER:

7) Planning for his own development and career is a ______ part of the supervisor’s overall planning efforts.

Answer 34

valid