More effective crime reduction relies on a stronger relationship between supervisors and line officers. Below are ten ideas for first line supervisors to help their officers implement the strategies provided in this App and elsewhere:
1. Consider a working-group approach with your units. Meet regularly to determine conditions and problems, work on existing and new strategies, and develop ideas for implementing strategies in-between calls for service.
2. Analyze the amount of non-committed time in your squad on an average day. Determine the style of each officer in your unit in terms of how they use their non-committed time and encourage them to adapt their own styles and interests to various strategies.
3. Acknowledge and recognize officers who use these strategies, and help them record the use of these strategies on their monthly performance measures. Develop regular exchanges with officers, providing them with feedback and suggestions.
4. Review and discuss “Refreshers” with officers as a group. For the “Improving Exchanges with Citizens” strategies, try roll playing with officers in specific scenarios.
5. Understand the body of knowledge regarding effective measures police can take to reduce crime and increase trust, confidence, and satisfaction among citizens (see the many resources provided in this app).
6. Help connect officers with crime analytic resources. Many of the strategies within this App require officers to access crime analysis, crime maps, repeat offender information, etc.
7. If crime analysis is not readily available, help officers develop alternatives in which to identify problem places or conditions. For example, identifying specific addresses that generate high levels of calls for service, collecting and examining past incident reports, or asking community leaders about specific problem places or people.
8. Be a resource for Addressing Citizen Calls for Service (3-1-1 calls). Know where to access past 3-1-1 calls so that officers can follow up with them in their non-committed time.
9. Conduct strategies with officers and debrief implementation with them. Discuss their perspectives on the success or failure of implementing certain strategies and provide feedback.
10. Encourage officers to be proactive, place-based, and problem-oriented. Encourage officers to consider the consequences of their actions with citizens and the community.
In an effort to provide helpful suggestions in areas that have not yet been fully studied or evaluated, we have included ideas for responses and activities that may not yet be considered evidence-based or evidence-informed. Therefore, not all actions and strategies included within this App are evidence-based or evidence-informed.