Technical Assistance for Smaller Police Departments
Strategic Planning

Chief David L. Kurz 
Durham Police Department 
86 Dover Rd. Durham, NH 03824 
(603) 868-2324 

Chiefs of Smaller Police Agency May 
Define Strategic Plan as: 


.A daunting and flat-out scary project! 


Why do a strategic plan?



Budgets 
 
Promotion 
 
Hiring 
 
Schedules 
 
Organization structure 
 
A living document that must remain flexible
 
Marketing tool 




CALEAs Standard for the 
formation of a Strategic Plan 

11.6.4 The agency has a current, multiyear plan which includes the following: 


long-term goals and operational objectives;

anticipated workload and population trends;

anticipated personnel levels;

anticipated capital improvements and equipment needs; and

provisions for review and revision as needed
(N/A O M M) 



How we developed a model we 
could use! 

. Community Survey 
. Internal Survey 
. One-day Planning Session 



Community Surveys 

. Keep it simple! 

. 50 questions may be 
the max 

. What is it you want to 
know? 

. Separate Daytime 
from Nightime 

. Separate perception 
from reality 



Community Survey 

. Are you attempting to garner support for an 
initiative? 

. What programs do you want to see? 

. Do you have confidence in the agency? 

. Minor demographical data, i.e., sex, age and 
neighborhood 



Phase II. 

Internal Survey 

. Pay attention to the 
organizations most 
valued commodity 
..our employees! 



Internal Survey consisted of: 

Police Mountain Bike Patrol 
. Consider the deployment of the Mountain Bike Officers separately and as part of the patrol shift. 
. Effectiveness 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 
. The changes you would make to current
operations in this area are: 
. What challenges currently face this function?



. What challenges will face this function in the

future? 



Phase III. 

One-Day Planning Session 

. Community dialogue 
contributing to the 
direction of the agency 



One-day Planning Session 
Goals 

. Citizens and police interact 

. Present a thumbnail sketch of the multitude 
of tasks the police perform in the 
community 

. Teach officers the value of asking the public 
their opinions 

. Teach citizens that the police value their 
input 



One-day Planning Session 
Accomplishments! 

. Enhanced departments marketing strategy 
. Garnered support for police initiatives 
. Determined and/or establish goals 
. Exposed officers to public speaking/presentation 



Putting It All Together 

Four Parts to Plan 

. Objectives 
. Performance Indicator 
. Targets 
. Strategies 



Objective 

.Accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law 
Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) is based upon 436 professional 
standards developed by a coalition ofpolice managers and 
professional organizations. The voluntary program provides 
guidance in the developmentof policies and procedures. 
Additionally, they furnish the organization with a proven 
management system of written directives as well as the ability to 
determine short and long term goal setting. Accreditation 
embodies the precepts of community-oriented policing as it 
fosters an environment whereby the community and the police 
work collaboratively addressing problems 



Performance Indicator 

.We have met all of our goals in this category.  The agency has 
become the first police department in New Hampshire to 
achieve Level III certification under New Hampshires system. 
First accredited 1999 and reaccredited in 2002, and 2005, the 
cycle will continue in April of 2008 when three police 
professionals from out-of-state police departments will arrive in 
Durham to confirm that we adhere to applicable standards. The 
agency has institutionalized the standards as a life-style 
demonstrating our commitment to delivering professional, 
cost-effective services to the community.  In addition, there is 
a level of assurance that any civil action against the department 
will be diminished. 



Targets 

. 2006  Maintain accreditation with actions and documents 
that demonstrate compliance with standards 

. 2007 Maintain accreditation with actions and documents 
that demonstrate compliance with standards 

. 2008 Prepare for re-accreditation and on-site assessment in 
April and review by Commission at its July meeting in 
Palm Beach, Florida 

. 2009 Maintain accreditation with actions and documents 
that demonstrate compliance with standards 

. 2010 Maintain accreditation with actions and documents 
that demonstrate compliance with standards 



Strategies 

 
Provide training for all department members ensuring compliance with standards 

 
Develop public forums that allow for interaction with the community ensuring compliance 

 
Proceed with self-assessment of agency methodology and policy 

 
Develop a plan that will assist the agency in successfully passing an on-site inspection 

 
Foster the philosophy of accreditation and institutionalize as a life-style 




Strategies 


Review workload assessments annually 
-	
Utilize tools such as the Community Survey to gauge extent of officer workload 

-	
Maintain high level of communication with Town Council ensuring that they are informed of officer workloads. 

-	
Review personnel allocations ensuring that the use of resources is maximized. 



Setting up the document 

. Introduction 
. Organizational Chart 
. Mission and Values Statement 
. Table of Contents 
. The nuts and bolts 
. System for review and revision 
. Thank you page! 





Our Strategic Plan allowed us to:

 
Effectively manage resources 

 
Provide accountability through measured results 

 
Have the ability to modify or change goals 

 
Obtain newly found respect for the members of the agency 

 
Build political consensus with the town council and community creating long-term support 

 
Establish the officers and staff as stakeholders while building their confidence 

 
Market the positive attributes of the department to the community 

 
Build a bridge between community and police while each learned from the other