LIT 2 - Rena: police coordination in crises Flashcards
Rena: What are some challenges that can lead to information loss when multiple reports are being received and processed in a high-pressure environment?
High volume of incoming information: When many reports come in quickly, it can be difficult to process and register everything accurately.
Decoding and registration processes: Summarising detailed information into a brief log entry can lead to the loss of crucial details. For example, subtle details about a description or direction of travel might be omitted.
Oral communication: Relying on spoken communication can be precarious as information has an ephemeral existence and is subject to interpretation each time it is relayed. Think of the ‘telephone game’ where a message changes as it’s passed along.
Rena: Explain the difference between intra-organisational and inter-organisational coordination of information in the police force.
Intra-organisational coordination: This refers to how information is shared and acted upon within a single police organisation, such as the Oslo police in this case. It involves communication between different departments or units within the same force.
Inter-organisational coordination: This involves the sharing of information and collaboration between different police organisations, such as the Oslo police communicating with other police districts (e.g., Asker and Bærum, Romerike, Follo, Vestfold) or the national police agency (Kripos).
Rena: What factors can hinder proactive action by the police in response to critical information received during a crisis?
Lack of clear command: If there isn’t a designated leader with the authority to direct actions, important information might not be acted upon swiftly.
Poor coordination between different command levels: For example, a disconnect between the Operations Centre and the Crisis Command Group can lead to delays in acting on information.
Timing of information receipt: Information received late in the incident might be deemed less of a priority compared to immediate concerns like tending to the injured or securing the scene.
Ambiguous or uncertain information: If the relevance or reliability of the information is unclear, officers might hesitate to take decisive action.
Rena: How can limitations in communication technology impact information sharing during a crisis?
Reliance on limited channels: If the primary method of sharing information is oral (phone calls), it can be slow and prone to errors.
Lack of functionality in systems: Even if digital systems exist, if they lack essential features (like a search function in the log system) or if operators are not proficient in using all functionalities, it can impede effective information retrieval and sharing.
Incompatibility between systems: Difficulties in sharing information seamlessly between different agencies or districts due to disparate systems can cause delays and loss of detail.
Rena: What does it mean for someone to be loosely coupled with important information during a crisis, and what can cause this?
Loose coupling: This means that although someone might have been aware of a piece of information, it hasn’t become a central part of their understanding of the situation or their ongoing actions. They might not fully appreciate its significance or integrate it into their decision-making.
Causes of loose coupling:
- Being preoccupied with other urgent tasks.
- Information overload and the difficulty of seeing connections between different pieces of information.
- Uncertainty about the reliability or importance of the information.
- Ineffective communication where key details are lost or the significance is not clearly conveyed.
Rena: What does it mean for someone to be loosely coupled with important information during a crisis, and what can cause this?What is the basic context of the paper?
This paper examines the Oslo police’s coordination of information in the immediate aftermath of a bomb explosion at the government complex. It specifically analyses how the police handled eyewitness reports of an armed man in uniform and a car, including a specific car-tip with a registration number.
Rena: What does it mean for someone to be loosely coupled with important information during a crisis, and what can cause this?What were the reasons for loss or transformation of information?
Several factors contributed to this:
1. Oral Communication: The heavy reliance on talking on the phone meant information was vulnerable to being misheard, misinterpreted, or forgotten.
2. Decoding and Registration: Important specifics could be unintentionally left out when summarising detailed eyewitness accounts.
3. Lack of System Functionality: The police log system (PO-log) lacked a search function, making it difficult to find and connect information.
4. Uncertainty and Interpretation: Police personnel might have been unsure how significant the initial reports were.
5. Loose Coupling: Individuals might have been aware of the information but not fully grasped its importance.
6. Limited Pre-existing Practices: There were limited established procedures for rapidly sharing and acting upon critical information.
Rena: What does it mean for someone to be loosely coupled with important information during a crisis, and what can cause this?What is an example of how oral communication affected information sharing?
The reliance on talking on the phone meant information was vulnerable to being misheard, misinterpreted, or forgotten, much like a game of ‘Chinese Whispers’.
Rena: What does it mean for someone to be loosely coupled with important information during a crisis, and what can cause this?How did the lack of system functionality impact information handling?
The police log system (PO-log) lacked a search function and was constantly updated, making it difficult for operators to easily find and connect different pieces of information.
Rena: What does it mean for someone to be loosely coupled with important information during a crisis, and what can cause this?What does ‘loose coupling’ refer to in the context of this paper?
Loose coupling refers to individuals being aware of the information but not fully grasping its importance or integrating it into their actions due to being overwhelmed with other tasks.
