Orison: In my department we have had chiefs who felt a need for quotas, enforcement standards, and required citations or zero tolerance.  In my experience these forms or enforcing productivity in your officers only lead to complaints and mutiny.  I feel this is in part to the officers being adults and the fact we are cops. We do not like being told what to do or having someone tell us how to do our jobs.  Being in a middle management position I now see the need to justify the officer’s positions not only to the community but to the city council. Tax payers want the full bang for their buck and city council can always use the budget someplace else.

I have taken a straight forward up front approach with the officers on my shift. Our current chief and city administrator both agree that an enforcement standard or quotas are not the way to go but they still need productivity from the officers. I have asked my officers for their opinions on how we can justify our jobs without a mandatory quota. My officers and I agree that we have to set standards for ourselves and each justify our job so that we are not forced to have a quota again. I think that if the police officers are given the truth and given the chance to set their own expectations and goals they will respond far better than being told you will do this or that. I also think that if there are rewards and recognition for the officers who are meeting and exceeding the expectations they will continue to work toward meeting their goals.