Organizational Assessment

of the

Covington Police Department

April 1, 2017

Submitted by:

Chief Gregg E. Jarvies (Ret.)

Management Consulting Services LLC

Hillsborough, North Carolina

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their

assistance and contributions to this assessment.

Richard Douglas

Covington City Manager

J. B. Broughman

Covington Chief of Police

Dr. Norman Westerberg

UCR/IBR Program Manager

Virginia State Police

Ms. Sharon Gray

Manager, Field Inspections & Audits

Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services

Bluefield Police Department

Bridgewater Police Department

Buena Vista Police Department

Emporia Police Department

Farmville Police Department

Franklin Police Department

Galax Police Department

Lexington Police Department

Norton Police Department

Poquoson Police Department

And, most especially, the men and women of the Covington Police Department

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword................................................................................................................1

Executive Summary..............................................................................................2

Findings, Analyses, and Recommendations

A. Internal Communications..................................................................5

B. Accountability....................................................................................10

C. Staffing and Resource Allocation....................................................15

D. Policies and Procedures....................................................................22

E. Training and Career Development..................................................26

F. Equipment..........................................................................................31

Conclusion...........................................................................................................35

Appendices

A. Summary of Recommendations

B. Covington PD Employee Survey

C. Covington PD Employee Interview Form

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FOREWORD

This report contains findings and analyses pertaining to many of the critical administrative and

operational components of the Covington Police Department. The findings, observations and

recommendations contained in the report pertain to issues identified by stakeholders and the

report's author as negatively affecting the overall performance of the agency or those in the

author's expert opinion that are preventing the department from being the progressive and

professional police agency the residents of Covington and the employees of the Covington

Police Department deserve.

When agency assessments are conducted it is likely that the final report will focus more on

deficiencies and areas needing improvement than on areas of good, professional performance.

Such a focus should not be construed on its face to be an indictment of the agency, its leaders

or its employees. Instead, those who review the assessment findings should do so with the

understanding that in order for an agency to seek and attain improvement it is necessary to focus

primarily on the performance areas needing the most attention.

It is important for readers to remember that the organization consists of many dedicated, loyal

and hard-working public servants who have expressed their desire to see the agency progress,

modernize and become the best police agency possible.

The assessment presented herein resulted from over forty-three hours of on-site interviews with

full-time and part-time employees, a review of twenty-nine job-related surveys submitted by

employees, extensive discussions with the city manager, a review of over two hundred pages of

documents, and communications with agency executives from ten comparably-sized police

agencies in the state as well as representatives of the Virginia State Police and the Virginia

Department of Criminal Justice Services.

It is impossible in a short amount of time to identify and assess all issues or propose

recommendations for all facets of a community's police department. Thus this assessment has

focused on issues of primary importance to the effective and efficient operation of the sgency.

It is the responsibility of the author to identify those primary performance issues, conduct the

most thorough assessment possible within the constraints of the contract, provide thorough and

honest feedback, and make recommendations based on his law enforcement experiences and on

generally accepted principles and practices of the law enforcement profession. It is the opinion

of the author that the following report meets these criteria and expectations.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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Between January 15, 2017 and March 31, 2017 the author conducted an organizational

assessment of the Covington Police Department. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with

City Manager Richard Douglas and all agency employees. Written surveys were completed by

twenty-nine employees, agency policy and budget documents were reviewed, statistics were

collected from the department and the Virginia State Police and compared to data collected

from similarly-sized and/or neighboring police agencies, and research was conducted into

current and best practices applicable to the Covington Police Department. Based on the totality

of information compiled and reviewed by the author the following observations and conclusions

are offered:

The Covington Police Department is meeting its obligation to its citizens by providing timely

and responsive services in a professional manner. Its employees are committed to serving the

needs of its external stakeholders with professionalism. However, this provision of public

service masks an agency that is floundering without direction or purpose. Perhaps it can best

be summed up by a comment made by an employee during his face-to-face interview: "the

department has no rules, no structure and no accountability."

Of course any time public sector employees are offered an opportunity to vent one must be

careful to weigh their contributions with an air of caution and circumspection thus the quote

above may be a bit of a generalized overstatement. However, a majority of those interviewed

suggested that the department is beset by a lack of effective communications among its

command staff and between commanders, supervisors and employees, a lack of adherence to

rules, policies and job descriptions, an overabundance of supervisors and commanders as

compared to rank-and-file employees, inconsistent or non-existent accountability, unacceptable

levels of sick leave use, and a scarcity of strategy and planning in guiding the department's day-

to-day operations.

During their interview employees were asked to apply a numerical value to the current morale

level of the department (with "1" representing terrible and "10" representing outstanding). The

average rating provided was a value of "4.8". Among sworn employees the average rating

provided was a value of "3.6". Only ten of the thirty-one employees interviewed gave a rating

higher than average.

The Covington Police Department is in desperate need of an infusion of energy, vision and

decisiveness. This new era of change and vitality must start at the top. Chief Broughman must

instill in his employees the desire to change, improve and work together as a team. He must

model those behaviors and hold all employees accountable to be a part of the change rather than

an impediment. The chief must also accept responsibility for ensuring that the changes take

place in an environment of mutual trust and fairness.

Significant changes are needed in practically all aspects of the agency's administrative and

operational functions. Some changes will be slight, others more comprehensive. Some will take

time while others can be accomplished without unnecessary delay. A few may have a fiscal

impact on the city's budget while many can be realized without significant monetary

consequence. However, no matter the scope, time or financial impact of changes that may be

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forthcoming the agency and its leadership team must first take steps to establish a firm

foundation upon which such changes will rest.

This foundation must first and foremost be based on mutual trust and respect especially among

the agency's three command officers, all of whom are talented and experienced individuals.

Communications between and among all levels of the organization must be repaired. The

organizational structure of the department must ensure consistency in both the upward and

downward information flow and must clearly delineate lines of responsibility and authority.

Systems must be developed and implemented to ensure standards of accountability are applied

in a consistent and fair manner. Strategies, objectives and goals must be established to guide

the agency and its employees toward common and measurable achievements. Policies and

directives must be current and followed. Schedules must be applied in a way to maximize the

effectiveness and productivity of the department.

Employees must play an active and productive role in the achievement of the department's goals

and objectives. They must work closely together as a team. They must accept that their service

as an employee of the Covington Police Department comes with the expectation that they will

adhere to the policies and procedures established within the organization. They should expect

that their adherence to policies and procedures will be met with approval and that any lack of

adherence will be met with the application of fair, equitable and commensurate consequences.

Employees must be confident that their input and contributions to the success of the agency are

valued and that their needs and expectations will be given credence as decisions are made and

policies are formulated.

Upon this new foundation of trust, teamwork and accountability the agency can begin the task

of re-building itself into the strong and reputable agency it once was. Based on the results of

this assessment it is clear that improvements to several principal operational and administrative

performance sectors are needed, including: internal communications, accountability standards

and practices, organizational structure, resource allocation, policy development, training and

career progression, and equipment inventory.

Some of the deficiencies detailed in this report result from a lack of leadership not only at the

highest levels of the organization but throughout the supervisory ranks. Others result from

ineffective communications, a poorly implemented organizational structure, an overall lack of

accountability for behaviors inconsistent with town and department policies, and a work

environment that contributes to a sense of frustration and defeatism that permeates many facets

of the organization. Still others have come from an apparent resistance to growth and process

improvement necessary in the ever-changing arena of 21st century policing.

Many senior police executives serving smaller communities have a tendency to stick with what

is comfortable, especially when it comes to traditional policing practices and procedures.

Limited personnel resources, lower crime rates, smaller budgets and turnover caused by officers

leaving for larger agencies all contribute to a belief that a smaller agency is hamstrung in its

ability to be flexible and creative in the way it polices its community. However, this trend is

changing as a new generation of police executives comes on board. Planning, community

policing, flexible resource allocation practices and better training have replaced the policy

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driven, reactive, enforcement-oriented, and "ride around and wait for the radio call" traditions

of the past. Chief Broughman and his leadership team must re-boot their approach to policing

and organizational excellence and replace its traditions and practices of the past with modern

ideas, programs and principles that will more effectively meet the needs of the agency and the

community.

This summary may seem to point to a police organization that is beyond repair. To the contrary,

while the department does indeed have its share of issues that must be addressed it is staffed by

a group of men and women who, for the most part, recognize that change is needed and who

have expressed an interest in seeing the Covington Police Department once again become a

productive and effective public safety service provider. These men and women are led by a

chief who recognizes the need to improve and has indicated his commitment to leading his

agency to organizational excellence.

Change needs to come to the Covington Police Department. The willingness of the city to

conduct this assessment is indicative of its desire to see its police department grow and improve.

This willingness must be accompanied by a commitment to provide the support necessary to

bring about the changes needed to allow the Covington Police Department to reach its potential

as a modern, professional and productive police organization. With the support - coupled with

patience - of the city manager, other city department heads, elected officials, community leaders

and the citizens of Covington the police department's future is bright.

FINDINGS, ANALYSES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5

A. INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS - Communications delivered upward often go

unanswered. Employees often submit concerns, questions and issues to command officers

with whom they are most comfortable, often bypassing official channels. Indecision,

procrastination and conflict avoidance are terms used by many employees to describe the

agency's decision making processes. A lack of effective communications often allows

perception to overrule reality.

Findings:

Communications between certain command officers are often delivered by e-mail

despite the fact that offices are less than twenty feet apart.

Seventy-five percent of employees indicated that the lack of effective communications

among the three command officers has negatively affected the productivity of the

agency.

A regularly scheduled command staff meeting was last held three months ago.

Questions pertaining to particular operational functions are often directed to a command

officer not otherwise in charge of the affected work unit.

A majority of employees expressed frustration that many inquiries directed to the

command staff receive either no response, a delayed response or a response of "it's being

looked into."

The overabundance of supervisory and command officers enhances the likelihood that

decisions will be referred to someone else.

The failure to effectively share information with employees leads to those employees

perceiving rather than knowing what may actually be accurate and/or true.

The lack of effective communications, particularly among commanders, inhibits the

ability of agency employees to know, understand and follow a clear operational path or

strategy.

Analysis:

The ineffective communications processes that permeate the agency form the basis for most of

the deficiencies addressed in this report. When an agency's three command officers rarely get

together for formal meetings, when months lapse between staff meetings, when e-mails are the

preferred delivery method between two commanders who work less than twenty feet apart,

when responses to inquiries from employees often go unanswered or, at the very least, are

answered days or weeks after submission, there should be little surprise that the department is

floundering.

Just under one-half of employees indicated that it was useless or practically useless to request

information or answers from commanders since the typical responses are "I'll look into it" or "I

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don't have the authority to answer that" or "you'll have to talk to _____(fill in the blank)."

According to most employees the problem is not with access to the commanders but rather their

response or lack of same. Many employees indicated in their interview that decisions about

discipline, assignments, schedules and even promotions are often made in such a way as to

protect against hurting someone's feelings. While others disagreed with this perception, the fact

that it exists in the minds of so many is indicative of the poor messaging in the agency. The

lack of accurate feedback and information often leads to confusion, second-guessing and

incorrect assumptions.

The relationship between the three command officers, referred to by various employees as

"toxic", "dysfunctional", "terrible" or "not productive", has had a negative impact on the trust

and confidence employees have in their leaders. Over sixty percent of the employees expressed

doubt that the department would improve unless the relationships among the three command

officers improve. These relationships have pitted employees against employees with many

choosing sides as to who might be to blame for the department's poor communications.

The lack of coherent messaging from the top of the organization leaves many employees

guessing about the direction of the agency, assuming who might have the responsibility and/or

authority to address issues of interest or concern to them, and hearing multiple and disparate

messages from different sources. And even if effective upward and downward messaging was

to occur the convoluted organizational structure (to be discussed in greater detail in Sections B

and C) and the overabundance of command and supervisory officers in relation to the number

of first-line employees would in all likelihood diffuse and dilute messages before they made

their way up or down the chain of command.

Meetings among command officers are rare with the last one reported to be in November or

December of 2016. Some meetings have been held with employees but attendance is voluntary

and no minutes or documented results of those meetings have been distributed for the benefit

of those who could not or did not attend. Mandatory meetings with all commanders and

supervisors in attendance do not occur. Projects such as accreditation, grant-funded

acquisitions, schedule revisions, the relocation of the dispatch center, evidence and property

audits and others have been "underway" for months and sometimes years but never seem to

come to fruition.

In a quote attributed to Francis Bacon in 1597 and to Thomas Jefferson in 1817, "knowledge is

power." In the case of the Covington PD, information is power. The more information is shared

in a timely and accurate manner the greater the likelihood that employees will feel a sense of

belonging and direction. The more information is shared the better the chance that employees

will know what is happening rather than having to make assumptions. Even more important,

the more information that's delivered in a cohesive message from all three command officers

the more likely it is that the agency will be able to grow and excel.

A few of the recommendations that follow may seem almost juvenile in nature and perhaps not

what one might expect in a report about communications in a public safety organization staffed

by adults. However, unless the relationships among the three command officers improve and

until they can set aside their differences there is, in the author's opinion, little hope that

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significant improvement will be realized in the communications processes - or any other critical

component - of the Covington PD.

Recommendations:

1. Engage the three department command officers in a mediation session to air grievances,

repair working relationships and reach consensus on achieving agency goals.

There seems to be no dispute that the working relationship of the chief, lieutenant and first

sergeant is fragile. Whether it is broken beyond repair is up to the three of them.

These are three men with a wealth of talent and experience who have demonstrated an inability

or unwillingness to focus those positive attributes on the needs of the agency. It is clear that

each of them individually believes they are doing what is best for the department and its

employees. Collectively, however, they do not seem to be able or willing to meld their

considerable skills, knowledge and abilities to work as a cohesive and collaborative team.

When over seventy-five percent of employees indicated their awareness of the relative

dysfunction of the command team it is a problem that cannot be ignored.

If these three individuals are to continue to serve as the agency's command team they must be

able to work together in a constructive manner and in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect.

Because it does not appear that such a working relationship will occur on its own, there is clearly

a need for outside counsel.

A professional with an extensive background in building effective work groups and mitigating

impediments to effective interpersonal communications should be contracted to evaluate the

underlying contributors to the current impasse and develop a short and long-term strategy to

create and fortify a solid work group of command officers. This will in all likelihood not be a

one-time meeting with an expectation at the end that "everything's good." Instead the process

will likely entail several sessions and follow-ups over a six to twelve-month period. The

professional contracted to conduct these sessions need not have a law enforcement background

but it certainly would help.

This recommendation is not something that any of the three command officers is likely to

welcome. Each of them has decades of experience. Engaging in professional mediation

sessions will require each of them to recognize that they have played some role in the current

schism among the command team members. If it was apparent to this author that the three

individuals could put aside their issues of mistrust and disrespect and agree to work closely as

a team with the best interests of the city and agency at heart this recommendation would not

have been in the report. If the city manager is convinced that no professional mediator is needed

it is certainly his decision to allow the three commanders to make the necessary changes on

their own.

2. Schedule weekly command meetings.

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Meetings with the three command officers should be scheduled on the same day and at the same

time every week. The meetings should follow a prepared agenda with items determined in

advance by the chief, lieutenant and first sergeant. Depending on the subject matters to be

discussed the on-duty supervisor should take part in some portion of the meeting. If one of the

commanders is scheduled to be absent from duty on the meeting date a subordinate should be

assigned to attend the meeting in his place. The meetings should be cancelled only in the event

of an emergency.

The agenda items should always include long-term projects (the budget, grants, accreditation),

short-term issues (monthly crime reports, on-going personnel matters, projects with upcoming

due dates) and day-to-day updates (meetings scheduled for the week, community outreach

programs, citizen requests for service).

Prior to each meeting the command officers should seek input from their subordinates about

topics they would like included in the agenda. As schedules permit, subordinates should be

welcomed to attend meetings to address their item(s) of interest.

Once these meetings become a part of the norm the chief might consider holding these meetings

every two weeks. However, for at the least the next twelve months the meetings should be held

weekly.

3. Develop a communications network to strengthen outreach to first-line supervisors and

rank-and-file employees.

It is clear that employees, both civilian and sworn, do not have confidence that their concerns

are being heard and/or answered. This breakdown could be attributed to the department's loose

chain of command, the uncertainty regarding the responsibilities of the command officers

(especially the lieutenant and first sergeant), the apparent willingness of some to "pass the buck"

to someone else rather than making a decision themselves, or in the case of some employees

the uncertainty of who their supervisor may be from one day to the next.

The issues of loose chain of command, uncertainty regarding the responsibilities and authority

of the command officers and questions pertaining to the alignment of supervisors and

subordinates will be addressed in greater detail in Sections B and C. However, there are some

fundamental ways to address concerns of ineffective communications between senior officers

and subordinates.

Every quarter command officers could host a meeting with employees selected by their peers

to represent them. These "shift representatives", who would serve a rotating term to be decided

by their peers, would seek input from those they represent and take that input to the quarterly

meetings. As with the command meetings the sessions would include a formal agenda to keep

the gathering from becoming an unmanageable gripe session consisting of personal grievances.

Not only would an agenda guide the meeting but one shift representative would agree to prepare

minutes of the meeting. These minutes would ensure that all employees would be kept in the

loop regarding the issues discussed, the scope of the discussion and possible resolutions that

may be forthcoming.

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To enhance confidence that inquiries submitted to command officers are heard and answered in

a timely manner a policy should be implemented requiring that a written inquiry be answered

in writing within five business days. While many might feel that such a stringent system is

unnecessary in a small department it is apparent from the employee interviews and surveys that

such a process is necessary until such time as it becomes organic and no longer requires such a

level of formality and structure.

4. Develop a tracking system for on-going projects.

Procrastination was a word used often by employees to describe the decision-making processes

in the agency. It is apparent that too many projects and issues get lost among other distractions

that may or may not be of equal importance. Shift schedules for dispatchers, agency

accreditation and policy development are just a few of many that have been on the chief's plate

for a while and never seem to get significant traction.

Whatever the reasons for delay and distraction it is important to have a tracking system to keep

important projects at the forefront and instill a level of confidence among internal and external

stakeholders that the administration is focused on matters of importance affecting the city, the

agency and employees.

Chief Broughman should consider formulating a "pending projects" list. This list would serve

as a tangible reminder of what projects are underway, who's assigned as the primary contact for

each project, the due date for the project and progress being made toward the project's

completion. The list would be published via e-mail and memorandum to all employees and

would be updated after every command meeting. This pending projects list would serve two

primary purposes. First, it's constant presence would help keep projects from becoming "lost"

due to other distractions or due to disinterest and second, it would keep employees up-to-date

on how projects are progressing, ensuring those employees that issues of importance to them

and to the agency have not been forgotten.

5. Change the physical layout of commanding officers' workspaces.

This recommendation might seem trite and artificial but it would send a message that, at least

on the surface, the chief, lieutenant and first sergeant are working more closely together.

Currently the lieutenant's office is separated from the chief's by the investigator's office. The

office of the first sergeant is located downstairs. Chief Broughman should direct the lieutenant

to move his office into the space currently occupied by the investigator and that the first sergeant

move his office to that now occupied by the lieutenant.

Furthermore, the chief should enforce a protocol that all office doors stay open unless the office

is unoccupied or the occupant is engaged in confidential and/or private conversations with a

guest or on the phone. Perhaps open doors and closer proximity to each others will encourage

the commanders to engage in more face-to-face conversations, if for no other purpose than to

exchange pleasantries.

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B. ACCOUNTABILITY - The department does not have mechanisms in place to track

employee performance. Work schedules and assignments inhibit effective oversight by

supervisors and commanders. Policy violations have gone unpunished. No clear lines of

authority or responsibility exist within the organizational structure. The high ratio of

supervisors to subordinates clouds individual responsibilities and lines of accountability.

Findings:

Known policy violations have not resulted in appropriate disciplinary sanctions.

Eighty-four percent of employees indicate that the lack of accountability in the

department is a critical problem.

The department does not have an employee evaluation system in place.

Most employees have not undergone a performance evaluation in at least four years.

Employees working around-the-clock are supervised by individuals working daylight

hours on weekdays.

Six sergeants oversee the work of five patrol officers.

Patrol sergeants work a different shift rotation than the officers they supervise.

The 911 dispatchers do not have a supervisor or coordinator.

The 911 dispatchers do not appear on the agency's organizational chart.

The responsibilities, authority and functions of the lieutenant and first sergeant are not

consistent with their job descriptions or the structure of the organizational chart.

Analysis:

Uncertainty and a lack of clarity reign supreme with regard to accountability in the Covington

Police Department. The lack of accountability was the number one problem mentioned by

employees in their interviews and surveys. The reasons were many and varied. Many

employees blamed the organization of the agency's command structure. Others mentioned the

lack of disciplinary action taken by the chief and command personnel against employees who

violated policies. Still others indicated that the overabundance of supervisors and commanders

engendered a practice of "no one being in charge" with supervisors and commanders deferring

action to others and/or assuming that someone else is responsible for the employee in question.

Author's Note: Sixty-one percent of Covington officers hold a position of supervisor or

commander, compared to an average of 37% among similarly-sized agencies that submitted

comparative data for this assessment. Some employees also believe that the application of

accountability standards and discipline is inconsistent and based not on the violation but instead

11

on who the violator may be. No matter the underlying reasons it is clear than the performance

and behaviors of all employees of the department are not adequately monitored and those who

are underperforming or in violation of procedures and policies are not consistently held

accountable.

The best employees want to be held accountable for their behavior. They want to be recognized

for excellent performance and expect to be held accountable for performance and behavior that

don't meet the standards and principles of the agency. If they are to be held accountable all

employees want to operate under a system of fair and equitable expectations and standards.

Before employees are held accountable they must first have a clear set of expectations to meet

and an equally clear understanding of who will be evaluating their performance.

The department does not set goals and objectives. Without agency-wide goals the organization

cannot establish performance expectations or objectives for its employees. This leads to an

environment in which employees come to work, perform tasks that either: a) they assume match

the expectations of their supervisors, or b) they undertake based on past practices and traditions.

Most officers report that unless memoranda or e-mails are received requesting specific

objectives for the workday (i.e. traffic enforcement on particular streets or close patrols in

neighborhoods) they come to work, patrol the city, handle their assignments and operate without

significant direction.

Without the existence of standardized performance expectations and measurement tools it is

practically impossible for employees to know exactly what is expected of them, how they are

supposed to behave and what consequences will be faced if they fail to act appropriately. It is

difficult for supervisors to hold subordinates accountable - and apply discipline - when no

consistent and reliable standards exist. Likewise, it is difficult to hold command staff

accountable when they choose to act in accordance with unwritten and often unenforced

standards of performance that could change from day to day or from one commander to the

next. Finally, it is frustrating for supervisors to attempt to hold subordinates accountable when

they don't get the support from their command officers or when others have committed similar

offenses and not been held accountable by those same command officers.

Unwritten, informal and unenforced standards of performance lead to poor control, poor

behavior, and a lack of discipline and oversight. They also lead to inconsistencies in

performance, behavior and accountability, allowing each employee, supervisor and command

officer to act and perform within their own personal set of standards.

Even if agency goals and expectations are established the schedules worked by command and

supervisory officers would not allow for sufficient oversight and control. Author's note: The

issue of control is not meant to assume that employees are not doing their job. Rather it is

imperative that supervisors be held responsible for the performance of their subordinates. They

cannot be held responsible for, nor can they conduct performance evaluations on, subordinates

whose performance they have not observed on a regular basis. The five patrol officers work a

different shift rotation than the six patrol sergeants. They do not work under the same supervisor

on a regular basis. Even if a performance evaluation system is developed, performance

standards established and supervisors trained how to coach, mentor and evaluate employee

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performance the fluctuating nature of the sergeants' and officers' work schedules would make it

difficult to accurately assess the annual or semi-annual performance of the subordinate officers.

Likewise, the first sergeant who oversees the patrol sergeants and by extension the five patrol

officers works daytime hours, Monday through Thursday. It is unreasonable and impractical to

expect the first sergeant to have a clear picture of his sergeants' performance in the field and

unfair to the sergeants to be evaluated by someone who has observed less than half their work

performance during the year. The issue of scheduling will be addressed in greater detail in

Section C of the report.

The department's communications officers find themselves in an even more confusing situation

as far as oversight and accountability are concerned. Their unit doesn't have a supervisor. When

sworn personnel were asked during their interview who supervises the dispatchers many replied

"I don't know." Some guessed the first sergeant. Others guessed the on-duty sergeant. All but

one dispatcher replied "no one." It was generally agreed that the first sergeant handles their

administrative needs (schedules, vacation requests) but it appears no one is directly responsible

for management of the communications unit.

Perhaps most important of all, the equitable application of work standards and accountability

protocols will not be possible if the roles, responsibilities, expectations and authority levels of

the command staff are not clarified and enforced. If employees don't have a clear understanding

of which commander they report to and which commander is overseeing their work product the

best performance evaluation system in the world will not prove effective. The current

assignments and responsibilities of the command officers are not consistent with their job

descriptions or even with the lines of command established on the organizational chart. Chief

Broughman has allowed his subordinate commanders to determine which job assignments they

choose to manage without any regard for the overall needs of the agency, and some of the

assigned responsibilities have not been accompanied by the requisite authority.

Though it may prove difficult to repair the various broken lines of communications discussed

in Section A, the establishment of consistent, fair and job-related accountability processes may

prove to be more complicated both in scope and the commitment of time and effort.

Recommendations:

1. Develop agency and individual work plans and objectives on an annual basis.

Together with the city manager, Chief Broughman and the command staff should develop

agency work plans and objectives each year in conjunction with the department's budget

planning process. These plans should be developed with the input of department employees

and should focus on the needs of both internal and external stakeholders.

Individual work plans and expectations based on agency goals should be developed for all

employees from the chief to the least senior employee. These individual goals should be a mix

of performance expectations consistent with agency objectives combined with individual targets

specific to the needs of the employee. For example, a command officer's work plans could

include policy development, division training achievements, recruiting success, grant planning,

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and the overall performance achievements of the work units under his command. A supervisor's

work plan could include a focus on traffic crash reductions, a reduction of sick leave use or

overtime among his or her employees, the care and maintenance of evidence and property, the

quality of the evaluations prepared for his subordinates and, on a personal level, attendance at

one or more supervisory training schools. A first-line employee could be evaluated on his or

her attendance, the number of warrants served, the number of citizen commendations, the

number of visits to schools and citizen groups and, on a personal level, the number of training

hours gained above and beyond the state minimum.

2. Develop and implement a performance evaluation system.

It is not an easy task to develop a valid and reliable evaluation tool specific to the police

department. It will likely take the services of an outside subject matter expert and could take

up to six months to develop and implement. In the meanwhile, the city may have a tool in its

arsenal that will suffice until the new instrument is in place. While self-evaluations, like those

done in the latter stages of 2016, would not be this author's preferred interim method, they

would suffice if the evaluation was actually used as an evaluation tool and not used simply as

a cover for satisfying the requirement to do performance evaluations.

Commanders and supervisors must be trained how to mentor, coach and evaluate employees.

They must understand and appreciate the consistent and proper application of positive and

negative discipline. They must be held accountable for the manner in which they oversee, guide

and evaluate the performance of their subordinates. One component of a supervisor's

performance evaluation should be how effectively they evaluated the performance of their

subordinates.

The evaluation process should not be a one-time-a-year endeavor. It is an on-going process that

must entail regular coaching and update sessions with each subordinate throughout the year.

3. Enforce available disciplinary protocols when warranted.

It is clear that in the past two years members of the command staff were made aware of policy

violations and inappropriate employee behavior that were not met with appropriate disciplinary

sanctions - or in one or two cases little response at all. According to several employees critical

comments about the agency and individuals were posted on social media yet according to the

records provided to the author little or no action was taken. Sick leave abuse is a common

problem but little has been done to hold those who abuse sick leave accountable. Officers were

overheard in a public setting criticizing fellow officers and others were observed being

insubordinate to superior officers yet according to the records made available to this author no

disciplinary action was taken.

More order and oversight are needed in the department. Policy violations and other behaviors

that undermine the effectiveness of the agency and its individual employees must be met with

appropriate sanctions. If the chief does not take action in accordance with city and agency

policies he cannot expect his subordinate commanders and supervisors to do so.

14

4. Clarify and codify the responsibilities, authority and expectations of agency command

officers.

Within the next thirty to sixty days City Manager Douglas, Chief Broughman, Lieutenant Ferris

and First Sergeant Dawson must meet and reach consensus on the specific roles and

responsibilities to be assigned to each of the three command officers. Ultimately it must be the

decision of Mr. Douglas what roles and functions he expects of his chief. Likewise it is the

chief's decision what roles and responsibilities he expects each of his subordinate commanders

to manage. It is important when assigning these functions that the chief also assign the requisite

authority necessary for the commanders to effectively manage the units and job requirements

for which they will be held accountable. The division of labor should ensure that each of the

three commanders receive an equitable level of oversight and functional responsibilities.

The responsibilities and job functions must be codified in an up-to-date organizational chart

which outlines reporting structures and lines of command and supervision.

5. Align work schedules of commanders and supervisors to allow for necessary and

appropriate levels of oversight.

A more detailed review of work schedules can be found in Section C. However, for the purposes

of enhancing accountability in the Covington PD it is critical that the schedules of command

and supervisory personnel allow for the greatest possible level of oversight and control over

employees they will be evaluating. This coordination of schedules should also enhance the

working relationship between employees and their supervisor.

6. Establish and promote processes that recognize and reward outstanding performance.

Far too often accountability focuses only on poor performance and negative discipline. Of equal

importance, particularly to employees who feel their contributions are ignored or given no

greater credence than the performance of the poor or average employee, is positive recognition.

The department has a policy on rewards and recognition and there was some discussion at last

fall's department meeting about establishing a recognition system. This discussion is

encouraging and should not be allowed to fall by the wayside. Employees should be intimately

involved in developing the recognition process.

The department could host an annual awards ceremony. Chief Broughman could ask the sheriff

to provide coverage of the city while the awards ceremony takes place. Ribbons and

achievement medals could be awarded, employees of the year recognized and academic

achievements honored. Employees could use this opportunity to recognize their peers for

outstanding service to the agency and the city. Hosting such an event at the end of 2017 would

be the perfect opportunity for Chief Broughman to celebrate the changes that have occurred in

the department. Business people, citizens and family members alike would be invited to share

in the achievements of the chief and his employees. Refreshments could be served and door

prizes given away. What a great way to send 2017 off with a positive message.

15

C. STAFFING AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION - The department's eighteen sworn

positions are sufficient to handle the call volume and investigative workload. Changes in

work schedules and the allocation of personnel resources would provide a more efficient

and equitable distribution of workload and enhanced oversight in the patrol division.

Overtime expenditures and sick leave usage need to be brought under control. The

communications unit needs a coordinator.

Findings:

The allocation of eleven officers to patrol duties, including six sergeants and five first-

line officers could provide more efficient coverage if schedules and workload were

realigned.

Excessive sick leave usage, including indications of abuse, significantly affects the

consistency and adequacy of coverage provided by all units in the agency.

Sergeants work a different rotation than the officers they supervise, reducing

accountability and inhibiting the effective distribution of workload.

Since FY 2014/2015 overtime expenditures have averaged $69,919, exceeding budgeted

allocations by 75%.

In the first six months of FY2016/2017 one-third of work-related overtime expenditures

resulted from sick leave use by employees.

Current shift schedules for patrol officers and sergeants inhibit critical accountability

needs, are significantly impacted by sick leave abuse and account for excessive levels

of overtime expenditures.

The schedules of the lieutenant and particularly the first sergeant do not allow for

sufficient levels of oversight.

The work schedule for dispatchers is not conducive to a healthy and productive work

unit.

The lack of a coordinator position for the communications unit negatively affects the

efficiency and productivity of the unit.

Analysis:

There are many different methods to determine a community's crime rate and an equal number

of accepted methods to determine a police department's workload and staffing needs. Most of

these require a level of in-depth research and computations well beyond the scope of this report.

Statistics and empirical studies can provide a framework for comparative purposes but such

studies don't take into account a community's needs and expectations. Methods and formulas

based on population or crime occurrences are often used but may not be the best indicators of

16

workload and staffing needs because they don't take into consideration factors such as socio-

economics, geography, citizen expectations, training needs, traffic volumes, self-initiated

activities, and nuisance and low-level crimes not tracked and reported by the FBI or the Virginia

State Police. The data provided in this section of the report are offered only for illustrative and

fundamental comparison purposes.

The charts below illustrate the number of officers per 1,000 population, the number of Group

A offenses per capita, the number of Group A offenses per officer and the number of Group A

offenses per investigator for Covington and other similarly-sized communities and agencies in

Virginia. These figures were derived from reports provided by the Virginia State Police, the

Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services and by agency chief executives. Note that

Group A offenses include serious crimes such as homicide, robbery, sex offenses, burglary,

larceny/theft, weapons offenses and motor vehicle theft. Author's note: Figures for the number

of officers and investigators in each department were provided by the agencies and reflect

budgeted positions rather than actual numbers currently employed.

OFFICERS PER THOUSAND

JURISDICTION POPULATION

NUMBER OF FT

OFFICERS

# OF OFFICERS PER

1,000

Norton 3,946 16 4.05

Emporia 6,082 23 3.78

Franklin 8,535 30 3.51

Galax 7,043 24 3.41

Bluefield 5,302 17 3.20

Farmville 8,229 25 3.04

Covington 6,198 18 2.90

Lexington 7,410 18 2.43

Buena Vista 6,817 16 2.34

Poquoson 12,359 24 1.94

Bridgewater 5,951 9 1.51

Once again it must be noted that the "Officers Per Population" statistics are an inexact means

to measure community and agency needs. Criteria such as geographic size, number of single

family homes, retail versus residential properties, types and numbers of crime, and community

expectations also affect the actual number of officers needed per agency.

GROUP A OFFENSES PER CAPITA

JURISDICTION POPULATION 2015 GROUP A OFFENSES

GROUP A OFFENSES

PER CAPITA

Emporia 6,082 761 125.1

Bedford 6,466 716 110.7

Franklin 8,535 902 105.7

Norton 3,946 377 95.5

17

Galax 7,043 667 94.7

Bluefield 5,302 442 83.4

Farmville 8,229 552 67.1

Covington 6,198 357 57.6

Buena Vista 6,817 403 32.6

Lexington 7,410 125 16.9

As inexact as officers-per-population data may be, the "Group A Offenses Per Capita" statistics

shown above also present an incomplete picture of staffing needs. Some communities are beset

by higher levels of serious crimes while others deal more with nuisance or petty criminal

offenses. Some agencies often focus more on traffic enforcement, drug interdiction and

business-related crimes while others may focus more on property and nuisance-level offenses.

GROUP A OFFENSES PER OFFICER

JURISDICTION FT OFFICERS 2015 GROUP A OFFENSES

GROUP A OFFENSES PER

OFFICER

Bedford 21 716 34.1

Emporia 23 761 33.1

Franklin 30 902 30.1

Galax 24 667 27.8

Bluefield 17 442 26.0

Marion 19 492 25.9

Norton 16 377 23.6

Farmville 25 552 22.1

Covington 18 357 19.8

Poquoson 24 403 16.8

Buena Vista 16 132 8.3

Lexington 18 125 6.6

Regarding "Group A Offenses Per Officer" above, departments may need to allocate officers to

different assignments or different schedules rather than simply adding more officers.

Incarceration rates, successful prosecutions, crime prevention strategies, community reporting

ratios, patrol methods and case management protocols are all factors that are as likely as staffing

to affect these crime statistics.

Finally, the chart below illustrates the number of Group A offenses per investigator. Note that

some of the agencies listed below assign patrol officers to investigate minor offenses. Others,

like Covington, have investigators who are assigned to task forces and other duties that may

detract from their primary investigative functions.

GROUP A OFFENSES PER INVESTIGATOR

JURISDICTION

FT

INVESTIGATORS 2015 GROUP A OFFENSES

GROUP A OFFENSES PER

INVESTIGATOR

18

Bluefield 1 442 442.0

Covington 1 357 357.0

Franklin 3 902 300.6

Galax 3 667 222.3

Norton 2 377 188.5

Buena Vista 1 132 132.0

Emporia 6 761 126.8

Farmville 5 552 110.4

Poquoson 4 403 100.8

Lexington 2 125 62.5

In addition to the raw numbers and ratios presented above, a second useful indicator of workload

and staffing needs in the Covington PD was data derived from officers' activity sheets. These

records appear to indicate that the patrol officers had sufficient time to adequately manage the

workload to which they were assigned while the sole criminal investigator may be approaching

an unmanageable caseload. In fact, the activity sheets showed that the workload among patrol

personnel was not equally distributed. With proper oversight and supervision a more equitable

distribution of workload would allow ample opportunity for officers to have less directed time

and more time to work on community policing and crime prevention initiatives. Author's note:

A review of 2016 activity sheets indicated that only one-tenth of one percent (.1%) of officers'

time was spent on crime prevention activities.

Perhaps more important than an evaluation of staffing numbers is a review of how personnel

are scheduled and assigned. The current schedule rotations for patrol sergeants and officers are

different. Scheduling supervisors and first-line officers for each work day can be a confusing

process especially when having to take into account officer training, vacation leave, and last

minute sick call-ins. During this author's visit in late February there was actually a day when

not a single officer had been scheduled to work, necessitating an officer to report for duty on

his day off. While certainly not a routine occurrence it does illustrate the fact that ensuring

adequate coverage on the street is a daily task. During this same visit there were two

consecutive days when up to ten officers were working during the day (chief, lieutenant, first

sergeant, two school resources officers, one task force investigator, one criminal investigator

and three officers on patrol) while only two officers were scheduled to work after 9:00 PM. Of

course, this is not unheard of when administrators and officers on specialized duty are working

but perhaps the scheduling of officers should take these factors into account.

The fact that six sergeants and only five first-line officers are assigned to the patrol division

also complicates coverage on the street and response to calls. Rather than having one supervisor

working alongside his or her officers on a regular basis (as is the norm in many, if not most,

police organizations) it is often the case that a Covington patrol unit on duty could have two or

even three sergeants working together. This is not an effective use of officers being paid to

supervise subordinates. Also, officers report that when two sergeants and only one patrol officer

are working there is often a tendency - though certainly there are exceptions - for the sergeants

to assign many of the calls to the lower ranking officer, creating a sense among some sergeants

and officers that "rank has its privileges." The police department is too small to have an

19

inequitable distribution of workload. A change in scheduling will likely result in stricter

accountability, a more equal distribution of workload and an elimination of the sense among

many patrol officers - and some sergeants - that on patrol either "everyone is in charge or no

one is in charge."

Over fifty percent of employees indicated that excessive sick leave use by some employees is

having a negative impact on morale. In response to a question posed during their interview

many employees expressed frustration that they often have to give up their time off to cover for

someone who calls in sick at the last minute. Many respondents also indicated that there are

several employees who abuse their sick leave, for example predictably calling in sick on the

day before or first day back from a three or four day break or on the first day of hunting season.

Many mentioned the lack of a city-wide sick leave policy (certainly needed). This author's

experience is that the existence of a policy is important but only to hold accountable those

employees proven to be abusing sick leave. Equally important is command oversight and an

"early warning system" for employees who are demonstrating tendencies of abuse.

A review of sick leave usage by sworn employees revealed that sixty-two percent of all sick

leave accrued since their hire date had been used. Fourteen of the seventeen officers employed

on January 1, 2017 had used over fifty percent of their available sick leave. Seven of the

seventeen had used over 75% of their accrued time and three had exhausted over 90% of their

available time. Certainly numbers can be skewed, leading to misinterpretations of what might

otherwise be considered excessive sick leave use. Chronic illness, elder care, major surgery,

care of a newborn etc. are all legitimate explanations for some of the numbers delineated above.

However, no matter the reasons or circumstances, call backs due to sick leave use accounted

for one-third of all work-related overtime (approximately $9,888) expended in the first six

months of the current fiscal year, more than any other factor except for holiday time

reimbursement.

In FY 2014/2015 the city budgeted $40,000 for police department overtime. The agency

expended $82,573. In FY 2015/2016 the city once again budgeted $40,000 and the department

spent $57,266. In the first seven months of the current fiscal year the department has already

exceeded the $40,000 budget, having spent $49,096. One officer reported that he had worked

over 225 hours of overtime in 2016. These expenditures significantly impact the ability of the

agency to increase training opportunities, pay for capital needs and grants, purchase equipment

and vehicles, and perhaps even hire additional employees.

Excessive sick leave use contributes to the overtime problem. So too does the lack of oversight.

The lack of supervisory consistency and continuity over subordinates means that multiple

supervisors have to manage each employee's overtime usage (or in the case of the

communications unit - no supervisor). A shift schedule that allows one supervisor to oversee a

distinct group of employees would help in keeping track of, and perhaps reducing, overtime.

The city also needs to re-evaluate its work period rules used for computing overtime. Section

9.1 of the Code of Virginia allows cities to adopt any work period for the purposes of computing

overtime as long as the work period is consistent and recurring. The Fair Labor Standards Act

offers guidelines for overtime payments for actual hours worked in a pay cycle and for the

20

provision of compensatory time. Establishing a 160-hour or 168-hour work period as many

Virginia cities do would allow ample time for extra hours worked in a pay period to be

remediated with time off rather than overtime payments.

The department's dispatchers work a rotating schedule that provides limited time off and

requires seven days of work in a row followed by only two or three days off. Their schedule,

rarely worked by public safety personnel since the mid-1980's, has negative effects on health,

safety, sleep schedules and family time. This impact is exacerbated by their work environment,

a very cramped and poorly ventilated room.

As noted earlier the dispatchers do not have a direct supervisor. They report to the first sergeant

for administrative purposes and to the on-duty sergeant while at work. They do not have

someone to represent them to the chief nor do they have someone to oversee their work

performance. The fact that this unit is not even listed on the department's organizational chart

would certainly lead one to believe - as it has many dispatchers - that, in the words of a

dispatcher, the unit is a "red-headed stepchild."

Recommendations:

1. Consider a schedule change for sergeants and patrol officers.

The current four-day, ten hours per day schedule is one of two routinely used law enforcement

schedules, the other being the 12-hour shift. The current Covington PD schedule allows for a

"swing" or "overlap" shift to cover evening hours, often considered the busiest times of the day.

However, the four-ten shift also carries with it a myriad of scheduling difficulties for a small

department that typically has only three officers working per shift, especially when at least two

of the officers are likely to be sergeants who work a different rotation that the first-line patrol

officers. Also, without a detailed study of workload and time-of-day data there is no

documentation to support the contention that evenings in Covington are busier than other times

of the day.

The city and department could consider transitioning to a twelve-hour shift. Personnel

assignments would be easier to manage. There would be two shifts per day rather than three.

The same supervisor would work with the same officers every day thus improving

accountability standards, providing greater levels of oversight, managing workload assignments

and distribution more effectively, and facilitating the implementation of a reliable and

functional performance evaluation system. With seven days off in every fourteen-day period,

five days off in every alternating seven-day period and no more than three days worked in a

row it is likely that sick leave could be reduced.

If squads on the 12-hour shift were to consist of three officers (including at least one sergeant)

one additional officer would be needed on patrol. If the department desired a relatively quick

implementation it could decide to move one of the current school resource officers back to

patrol and share the remaining SRO among three schools. Otherwise the agency could wait

until an additional officer was hired. This author believes that the cost of a new officer could

be offset by a reduction in overtime arising from this new schedule.

21

For an evaluation of different shift options the author recommends The Shift Length Experiment

available on the website of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police at www.vachiefs.org.

2. Evaluate new work periods and overtime regulations.

The city should examine whether it would be more cost effective to establish a 160-hour or 168-

hour work period. It should also consider an overtime system that aligns with allowable FLSA

standards regulating overtime payments. The city should consider establishing a policy that

grants overtime for actual hours worked rather than total hours on the pay sheet.

3. Increase operational staffing and oversight by implementing flexible work schedules

and assignments for the lieutenant and first sergeant.

With limited options for increasing the visibility of its police officers the department should

consider assigning both the lieutenant and first sergeant to uniformed patrol duty for eight to

ten hours per month. This should be done without necessitating the need for overtime or

compensatory payments to either individual. The presence of the senior commanders on the

street in uniform would instill a sense of pride and teamwork among employees who may have

limited opportunities to interact with two experienced and knowledgeable officers. Other

benefits: it would increase the agency's visibility in the community; it would allow the

commanders to sharpen their skills that may be dulled from forty hours per week of desk duty;

and it would perhaps heal some of the rifts that exist among the command staff and between the

command staff and officers in the field.

Also, the commander of the patrol division, whether that be the first sergeant or lieutenant,

should spend less time behind a desk and at least fifty to sixty percent of their time in the field

working all shifts and rotations.

4. Conduct a comprehensive review of the department's communications function.

The review of the communication's unit should include the need for a unit supervisor or

coordinator, dispatcher work schedules, the physical work space, and hardware and software

capabilities.

This review might require the services of a subject matter expert when examining potential

technological upgrades but issues of scheduling, work space improvements and the addition of

a supervisor position could be done by current staff, perhaps under the oversight of Lt. Ferris.

5. Examine whether a second investigator position may be needed.

The "Group A Offenses Per Investigator" chart in this section indicates a comparatively high

workload for the department's lone, full-time criminal investigator. While this data does not

support the immediate addition of a second investigator it does suggest the department should

examine what types of cases the investigator is actually managing, how many are initiated

and/or handled by the investigator assigned to the task force, how many and what types of cases

22

are initiated and/or managed by patrol officers, and whether a more effective case management

and tracking system may be needed.

Perhaps the addition of a patrol officer position to facilitate the implementation of a twelve-

hour schedule would free up one or two senior patrol officers to assist the investigator while

also fulfilling their patrol responsibilities.

6. Evaluate the feasibility of creating an auxiliary officer unit.

It will likely prove difficult for Covington to establish and maintain an auxiliary unit of part-

time officers. With no adjoining or nearby cities or towns there is a scarcity of certified officers

upon which to draw. Perhaps contractual agreements could be arranged between Alleghany

County and the City of Covington that would allow deputies to serve as auxiliary officers for

the city when emergencies or staffing shortages arise. The city should also evaluate the

possibility of forming a citizen volunteer group that could assist with internal administrative

functions, freeing up sworn officers for law enforcement functions.

D. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES - The current status of department policies is

acceptable. Though policies are relatively comprehensive, several additional policies need

to be added and/or updated. On-going legal review of policies is encouraged. Though

employees receive training on some policies, questions remain as to whether most policies

are understood and enforced.

Findings:

The majority of circumstances likely to be encountered by employees are covered by

policy.

Training is conducted on some policies throughout the year.

While policies are effective as of the summer of 2016 many need updating.

High-liability policies need legal review at least every twenty-four months.

The department does not have policies on the use of social media, training, promotions

or career progression.

Rules of conduct policies are not routinely enforced.

Policy ADM.07.01 regulating job assignments, reporting lines, job descriptions and the

allocated number of positions is not current or followed.

Analysis:

One of the most common and significant deficiencies found in agencies throughout the many

years this author has conducted organizational assessments is the poor, outdated and legally

23

questionable status of their policies and procedures. This is not the case with the Covington

Police Department. Overall, the policies are current and comprehensive. Employees reported

they do receive training on certain policies throughout the year. However, there are deficiencies

that must be addressed.

Several policies need to be added. There is no policy for the use of social media nor are there

policies regulating training, career development or promotions (to be addressed in greater detail

in Section E). Many need updating, including the high-liability policies governing high-speed

vehicle operations and use of force as well as department organization and evidence and

property.

The department is to be commended for having a limit on the speed an officer can travel over

the posted speed limit during emergency vehicle operations (20 MPH) but there is no such limit

in the vehicle pursuit policy. How fast is the department willing to allow its officers to go when

in pursuit? Have the officers been trained to operate a vehicle at speeds of 80 or 90 MPH or

higher? Have the police vehicles been maintained to ensure that they can be operated safely at

high speeds? Is the agency ready to accept the loss of innocent lives if for some reason the lack

of training or vehicle maintenance were to cause the death of a motorist or pedestrian? It is not

legally required that a cap be placed on pursuit speeds. The current policy does caution the

officer to consider all information available to him or her before undertaking a pursuit. The city

should review the policy together with agency command personnel and legal counsel to ensure

they are comfortable both with the policy and potential liability exposure.

The use of force policy contains a definition and description of the progressive use of force

continuum ranging from verbal instruction to deadly force. There are some pertinent

components that are missing or need further attention. There is no provision for tracking

officers who have demonstrated a propensity for using inappropriate levels of force, commonly

referred to as an Early Warning System. No specific direction is provided regarding who will

conduct a criminal investigation (when needed) or an external investigation when the use of

deadly force results in serious injury or death. There are also no details regarding who will sit

on the board of inquiry assembled by the chief to review serious incidents of use of force.

Other than high-liability policies there is perhaps no policy that can cause a chief more

headaches, and the city more potential liability exposure, than the evidence policy. One piece

of missing evidence, one complaint of missing money or one measurement of narcotics that

comes up a gram short can bring the integrity of the department and employees into question.

Evidentiary mistakes and oversights can result in the overturning of criminal convictions and

the release of criminals back onto the street. The department's current evidence tracking and

storage processes leave the city and department facing such potential consequences.

It must be stated up front that the department, under the instruction of Chief Broughman, is in

the midst of conducting an inventory of the department's property and evidence. However, the

process has been ongoing for a while and is not likely to be completed soon. Also, even after

the current audit is finished, the processes now used for evidence classification, storage and

retrieval will likely raise similar concerns about the inventory and accuracy of evidence.

Officers now store evidence in individual lockers rather than in a centralized evidence

24

repository. It is unclear who the department's evidence custodian might be. There is no camera

in the room where evidence is kept. No audit that matches evidence to evidence records has

been conducted on a regular basis. The policy and practices pertaining to evidence must be

changed without delay.

Social media is a fabulous conduit for the sharing of information. Used properly it is an

effective tool through which the agency can communicate with citizens and employees.

However, as has been evidenced throughout the last few years in public sector organizations it

is also a tool that has been misused and has wreaked havoc on levels of public confidence in

many such organizations. Several employees, including at least two supervisors, reported

during their interviews that they are aware of instances when police department employees have

posted negative messages about the agency and specific individuals. It also appears that at least

one command officer knew of one or two of the postings. Though the employee could have

been disciplined under the department's current rules of conduct (PER. 09.01) no action was

taken. A social media policy is needed.

Many of the issues raised earlier in the report pertaining to ineffective communications,

reporting structures and unclear job responsibilities are encapsulated in ADM. 07.01, the policy

that outlines job descriptions, the organizational structure and the number of supervisory

positions allocated for the agency. Though the policy is less than a year old it incorrectly notes

in Section III (A)(3) that the department has four sergeants and nine officers (there are currently

eight sergeants and seven officers). As noted earlier in the report the organizational chart

doesn't even indicate the presence of the department's dispatchers. The policy's job descriptions

for the lieutenant and first sergeant are not current (though in the author's opinion the existing

job descriptions would be an appropriate guide to re-establish those command responsibilities

as recommended earlier in the report).

Recommendations:

1. Conduct a review of all high-liability policies within three months with recurring

reviews at least every twenty-four months. Conduct a review of all other policies within

one year with recurring updates every three years.

Together with legal counsel, and if necessary a subject matter expert, a review of all high-

liability policies should be completed within ninety days. The review should ensure that

policies such as vehicle operations, use of force, use of weapons, search and seizure, and

evidence protocols are legally defensible, accurate and complete. Once all policies are up-to-

date employees should be trained and tested on same. Recurring updates should be conducted

every two years and/or whenever court decisions or other legal revisions dictate.

All other policies should be reviewed for accuracy and completeness within the next year. For

example, Section (A), Subsection (C) of the department's use of force policy requires that an

officer deploy chemical agents only after "consultation with the chief of police/sheriff." Such

25

oversights, though minor, could lead someone to question the legitimacy or accuracy of the

agency's policies.

A social media policy should be developed and implemented without unnecessary delay.

The department should also conduct a quick review of ADM.07.01. The policy should be

updated without delay and changed to accurately reflect current positions, reporting structures

and job descriptions.

Resources available to assist with policy development and review include the Virginia

Association of Chiefs of Police (www.vachiefs.org), the Virginia Department of Criminal

Justice Services (www.dcjs.virginia.gov) and the Smaller Law Enforcement Agency Program

of the International Association of Chief of Police (www.iacp.org), a program for agencies

serving populations under 50,000.

2. The city should create a definitive and enforceable sick leave policy.

The creation of a sick leave policy for all city employees will not be the magic solution to the

problem of excessive sick leave use and abuse. However, if written in a way that is both

definitive and enforceable, and if it includes specifics pertaining not only to extended absences

but to trends and tendencies on sick leave use it will serve as a strong foundation upon which

to hold abusers accountable.

3. Re-organize and re-number policies to enhance focus on high-liability policies.

The policy manual (or digital layout of policies) should be restructured so that all high-liability

policies are captured in one section of the manual and all other policies are organized by topic

and level of importance. For example, the mission statement, code of ethics and rules of conduct

should be in the front followed by high-liability policies and then others in order of importance.

The vehicle pursuit policy should not positioned between policies about police bicycles and

body armor.

4. Pursuant to employee training on policies, enforce them.

Having up-to-date and legally viable policies serves no purpose if employees are not aware of,

trained in and able to demonstrate their ability to apply such policies. They also serve no

purpose if they are not enforced.

A training protocol should be developed to ensure that employees are aware of and have a clear

understanding of agency policies. This protocol should require every employee to spend fifteen

minutes per week reviewing agency policies. Twice per year a brief test should be given to

each employee to evaluate their knowledge of applicable agency policies and the manner in

which they are to be applied. Some topics, such as pursuit driving, discharge of a firearm, and

use of force should be tested without the presence of reference materials since those types of

calls usually require split-second decisions without the luxury of referring to the policy. Other

less critical policies could be tested under less stringent guidelines.

26

The department's policy on discipline (PER.09.02) should be followed when inappropriate

performance or behavior are observed. The policy is adequate. Discipline - both positive and

negative - must be applied in a fair and consistent manner. The department should maintain an

"Early Warning System" to track employees who have demonstrated tendencies of recurring

inappropriate conduct and to mitigate such conduct.

5. Conduct an immediate audit of evidence and property.

The organization is to be commended for initiating the audit currently underway. However,

because that audit is not likely to be completed in the next month or two it is important for the

chief to initiate a "sampling" audit of property and evidence, especially weapons, drugs and

cash. It is recommended that Lt. Ferris and First Sergeant Dawson conduct this audit. A random

sampling of perhaps twenty to thirty evidence forms or incident reports associated with the

seizure of evidence and property should be drawn from the department's records network. The

two commanders should then verify that the evidence indicated on the reports is accounted for,

marked correctly and accurate in detail (amount, size, serial number etc.). The audit should also

include a "reverse" sampling of evidence and property found in the evidence room. Ferris and

Dawson should check department records to confirm that proper documentation accompanies

the sampled items.

E. TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT - The department is committed to

training though no formal training protocol exists. There is no career progression plan to

develop employee skills, knowledge and abilities and link those attributes to agency needs

or individual career goals. No performance evaluation system exists to evaluate training

needs. Promotion practices are not codified or implemented in a systematic or consistent

basis.

Findings:

Training records indicate that officers are current with state-mandated training.

The training budget is adequate for current training needs but will not allow for advanced

or executive development training.

There is no system in place to determine or coordinate the long-term training needs of the

agency or individual officers.

No succession plan or career progression plan is in place to determine how younger

employees can enhance their skills and knowledge to prepare them for upward mobility in

the agency.

Training for civilian employees, particularly dispatchers, is inadequate.

A standardized promotional process does not exist.

27

No incentive or recognition program exists to promote the importance of training and

reward employees who improve themselves through training.

Analysis:

Perhaps more than any other component in the law enforcement profession training is critical

in the development of employees, the effectiveness of the agency in meeting its mission and

objectives, the morale of employees, retention rates, recruitment success, protection against

liability claims and successful lawsuits, and the maintenance of constancy and consistency in

the organization as transitions in leadership and command occur.

The majority of employees gave the department high marks for its emphasis on training. Most

- but not all - indicated that the department makes a concerted effort to provide not only training

that is needed but training that is requested by officers. Dispatchers did express concerns about

the lack of their training opportunities. This may be the result of not having a supervisor to

oversee their training needs.

The department is to be commended for its dedication to training but there is certainly room for

improvement. When asked how they seek approval for training many officers indicated they

asked the first sergeant. Others indicated they went straight to the chief. First Sergeant Dawson

was identified by many as the department's informal training coordinator but apparently no one

has been formally designated as such.

The assignment of training opportunities for employees is somewhat haphazard. Some courses

are selected based on agency need. Others are granted in response to employee requests. Some

sergeants promoted in the past year have received supervisory training. Few of the senior

sergeants have received advanced supervisory or leadership training. Agency training records

indicate that none of the three command officers have received advanced executive

development training since 2008.

A formal policy would provide order and structure governing how training assignments are

determined, who attends the training and how the new skills and knowledge are applied to the

employee's current job assignment.

The training budget is adequate but future enhancements in training opportunities will likely

require incremental increases in FY 2018 and beyond to ensure that career development needs

are met. While some types of advanced technical and management training can be expensive

and result in excessive amounts of time away from work, most of the training now needed by

Covington officers can be obtained through regional academies, the community college system

and the Virginia Chiefs Association. Significant cost savings could be realized if the department

teamed with other agencies to bring instructors to the area. This would allow for several officers

to receive training rather than sending one officer to an out-of-town training site.

As noted in the chart below, the training budget for the Covington PD is comparable to training

budgets for similarly sized agencies and other nearby jurisdictions though there is certainly

28

evidence to support a budget increase in the next few years. Of course, there is likely to be

more support for such a request if a training program is developed and future training needs are

proven.

TRAINING BUDGET PER OFFICER

JURISDICTION TRAINING BUDGET NUMBER OF OFFICERS

BUDGET PER

OFFICER

Lexington $19,000 18 $1,055

Bridgewater $9,000 9 $1,000

Emporia $18,500 23 $804

Buena Vista * $12,000 16 $750

Bluefield $12,000 17 $705

Galax * $15,270 24 $636

Covington $10,500 18 $583

Franklin $13,000 30 $433

Norton $5,000 16 $312

Poquoson $7,000 24 $292

Farmville $6,000 25 $240

* Includes funds allocated to the regional training academy

The three command officers in the department are either currently eligible to retire or could do

so in the near future. Yet there does not appear to have been any attempt to develop mid-level

supervisors to ascend into positions of greater responsibility and authority. A career progression

plan would identify officers suitable for and/or interested in career advancement and should

include a process that tailors individual programs to ensure that these officers will receive the

training and mentoring needed to advance. No such program currently exists. A career

progression plan will provide a road map for each officer to receive the training needed to

achieve his or her professional goals, whether those goals include supervisory responsibilities,

advanced technical competence or simply being the best first-line officer they can be for the

citizens of Covington.

It is important to remember that civilian employees must also be included in the career

progression process. Though training opportunities may not be as numerous as those for sworn

officers the department should be aggressive at seeking out whatever opportunities do exist.

After all, if the study of the communications unit recommended in Section C results in the

assignment of a coordinator position and/or or multiple supervisor positions the incumbent

dispatchers should be prepared to fill those slots.

Within the last eighteen months six officers were promoted to the rank of sergeant. During their

interviews many officers, including current sergeants, expressed concerns about the promotion

process and the criteria used by the chief to select the successful candidates. Many sworn and

civilian employees indicated that prior to the process they were not aware of exactly how many

29

sergeant positions would be filled. Most indicated that they had "heard" or were "under the

impression" that four or five might be promoted.

A standard promotional process is needed. Such a process typically involves a defined

application process and schedule, a set of documented testing and assessment instruments, and

a specific timetable for filling a pre-determined number of vacancies. Unlike in the latest

Covington process evaluators should not be agency employees but should instead be individuals

who do not know the candidates. This would be a strong statement that the agency is making a

concerted effort to remove as much bias as possible from the process.

The lack of a performance evaluation system was addressed in Section B. Far too often agencies

use evaluations only as a means to gauge the level of pay raise a particular employee will

receive. An often ignored but perhaps more important use for performance evaluations is the

tracking of performance deficiencies resulting not from lack of effort but more from the lack of

knowledge, awareness and training. Evaluations should be used not only to measure employee

performance but to determine individual and organizational training needs.

Recommendations:

1. A training program should be developed.

A system should be developed to plan for and implement training in an organized and

methodical manner. Such a system could include an assessment of agency and employee

training needs, a plan to expand the training currently offered, a three-to-five year training plan

for the agency and each of its employees (including civilian personnel), a leadership

development plan for each officer interested in competing for higher ranks within the agency,

a plan to work with regional partners to offer joint training and a records management system

to track past and future training of all personnel.

Most agencies throughout the state would be more than willing to share their training plans.

The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice

Services would also be excellent resources to help in this endeavor. Many law enforcement

software providers have stand-alone modules that would help in the development and

maintenance of training records and career tracks. The expense of providing some of the

training may require additional funds; the development of the training plan should not.

2. Develop and implement a career progression system.

The agency must plan for the future. Based solely on a review of current training records few

members of the department have received the training necessary to ascend to positions of

command. While technical training in areas such as crime scene investigation, radar training

and crash investigation are important to the first-line officer they do not prepare officers for

supervisory and management responsibilities. Included in the training plan noted above there

should be a component in place to identify future leaders (both those who express an interest

and those identified through performance evaluations and direct observation) and to develop

collective and individualized curricula to prepare them for future leadership opportunities.

30

This career progression plan should not be limited only to those seeking additional leadership

responsibilities. Not everyone should be or wants to be a supervisor or command officer.

However, every employee has some level of desire to be recognized for their achievements in

the workplace. Likewise, every police agency needs highly trained technicians.

From the employee's first day on the job the career progression program should chart his or her

career development plan. This plan, modeled off a standard college curriculum, should start

with "general college" training, the building blocks for every inexperienced officer. Once the

basic training courses are completed by every officer (basic criminal investigations, Intoxilyzer,

crash investigation, community policing) the core course track is developed based on the

particular needs and/or career choices of the officer. This type of career progression model

facilitates planning, assists in preparing future training budgets and is a recruitment tool that

attracts officers looking for an agency that is serious about training and career development.

The agency, with the support of the city, should create a system of incentives to recognize the

achievements of its employees. The system should consist of monetary and non-monetary

incentives. In addition to training achievements the incentive plan should recognize years of

service, attainment of college and advanced training credits, and job performance. Examples

of recognition: a stripe on the officer's sleeve, a change in title (i.e. POIII, Communicator III),

a small cash bonus, a chance to be at the front of the line when new equipment is handed out,

priority in attending advanced training and recognition at an annual awards ceremony.

Many small to mid-size agencies in the state have career progression programs. The author's

former department, the Chapel Hill (NC) Police Department, has such a program and would be

glad to share it with Chief Broughman. Though their program may be a bit more involved than

what's needed in Covington it is certainly one upon which a local version can be modeled.

3. Develop and adhere to a defined promotion process.

The department must establish a promotional policy that establishes a formal process for

promoting officers upward through the chain of command. The policy should stipulate

eligibility criteria, application processes, testing and measurement standards, and timelines for

each component of the process. The policy should also stipulate how candidate performances

are measured and by whom.

F. EQUIPMENT - With the exception of vehicles the department's equipment is in

reasonably good condition. There is no fleet or equipment management system to plan

for future equipment and budgetary needs. A review of the agency's technological

capabilities is needed.

Findings:

Only two of the department's thirteen vehicles have less than 50,000 miles on the

odometer.

Patrol officers have limited options for spare vehicles when a primary vehicle is out of

service.

31

Two vehicles are currently on order to replace high mileage units.

There is no maintenance and inventory program to facilitate future equipment and

vehicle acquisitions.

The department does not have mobile data terminals in their vehicles.

Hardware and software in the dispatch center need updating.

A majority of officers indicated a desire for take-home vehicles.

Analysis:

Except for the vehicle fleet, which received extremely low ratings, the majority of sworn

personnel expressed overall satisfaction with the department's equipment. The issuance of body

cameras to all sworn personnel is to be commended. Many communications officers expressed

concerns about some of the technology available to them (particularly the CAD software).

Author's note: As recommended in Section C a comprehensive review of the communications

unit should be conducted. A point of concern for the department should be that much of the

equipment, including weapons, radio equipment and some in-car cameras, will soon reach the

end of its useful or recommended life span.

Only two of the department's thirteen vehicles have less than 50,000 miles on the odometer.

Nine of the thirteen have been driven over 75,500 miles. Six have been driven over 100,000

miles. Two vehicles are on order. Officers report that when a vehicle is out for service, which

according to the majority of those interviewed happens far too frequently, a spare patrol car is

often unavailable, meaning that officers must use a car assigned to one of the school resource

officers or the lieutenant.

It's important to remember that police vehicles serve as an officer's office. Officers are in their

car up to ten hours a day in all kinds of weather and all kinds of driving conditions. Interiors get

worn through daily use, paint and cosmetic features decay with age, dings and scrapes add up.

Officers want to operate a vehicle in which they can be proud. Plus, the police vehicle is perhaps

the most visible "billboard" the town has in its public relations arsenal.

Many of the cars are driven twenty-four hours a day with little down time except for

maintenance. Also, with vehicles rolling all hours of the day and night there is always an

urgency to get maintenance done quickly and on-demand. Getting the cars back on the road

with little down time is difficult when maintenance crews also have to service all other city

vehicles.

In FY 2014/2015 only $22,857 was earmarked for vehicle purchases. In the following year the

total was $1,500. In this current budget year a total of $62,684 is budgeted. With vehicles

being the largest capital item in the agency's budget the city should look for more creative and

cost effective ways to purchase vehicles and enhance the department's fleet.

32

A majority of sworn employees expressed a desire for the department to implement a one-car,

one-officer take-home policy. This type of program is used by some neighboring agencies and

is certainly an attractive recruitment tool, not to mention a cost savings to individual officers.

It is the opinion of this author that the department should first concentrate on expanding its fleet

to a level that would allow its primary patrol vehicles to "rest" for twelve hours of each day.

This would mean patrol officers would share their vehicle with only one other officer rather

than three or four.

Technological capabilities and hardware are critical to the effective operation of today's police

agency. Hardware and software components must be practical for police work and must be kept

current. The ability of the department to communicate with its local, statewide and national

partners is critical for effective police operations and for officer safety. Software allowing for

such communications is constantly improving. The city should conduct annual reviews of its

technological capabilities and provide funding streams as needed.

Covington PD vehicles do not have mobile data terminals. While not all officers expressed a

desire to have them in their car such systems do provide for improved communications and

dispatch capabilities, enhance officer safety by allowing officers to check criminal histories and

warrant status without the need to contact dispatchers, and allow officers to enter their police

reports while in the car, eliminating the need for an officer to leave the streets to do his or her

paperwork. Terminals are not inexpensive and would require some software upgrades to the

agency's communications network but their viability should be a consideration as the city and

department assess their future technology needs. While state and federal funding for law

enforcement grants has decreased in the last few years there are still several funding sources for

law enforcement technology upgrades. The city recently had the opportunity to purchase

mobile data terminals through a matching grant (with a significant match required on the part

of the city). Hopefully Covington's fiscal picture in the future will allow for other grant options.

Enhancing the vehicle fleet and technological capabilities is expensive. Having an inventory

management system would provide long-range planning for both equipment and budgetary

needs. It would also allow the city manager, elected officials and the police chief to project

needs before an urgent purchase is necessary. Such a system would also allow the city manager

and his staff to evaluate the current and future costs of purchasing new equipment versus trying

to maintain the old and would allow the city to assess the value of leasing versus buying large

capital items.

Recommendations:

1. Develop and implement an equipment and supplies replacement protocol.

The city and department should create a plan for equipment purchasing and replacement. The

plan should span at least five to seven years and must be flexible to account for unforeseen

needs or fluctuations in the local economy. Standards should be established to more easily

determine when and under what conditions a particular item will be replaced. Standards should

33

also be developed to ensure that the equipment purchased meets accepted levels of compliance

for use by police agencies.

Chief Broughman should work with city staff to develop a long-range budget plan to ensure

that funding for critical items is available when needed. He should also engage agency

employees in preparing the list of current and future needs.

Finally, the chief and members of his department must practice due diligence when developing

their needs assessment and replacement plan. They must understand that the city's limited funds

provide for all city services and department needs, not just those of the police department. The

chief must balance the needs of his agency with the availability of city funds. When the two

don't balance equally he should be prepared to seek additional funding through federal, state

and private grants such as those the agency now has with the Byrne Grant and the Bullet Proof

Vest grant programs.

2. Update the vehicle fleet.

In addition to the two vehicles currently on order the Covington PD should consider purchasing

four more vehicles over the next three to four years - if not sooner. If for no other reasons than

officer and citizen safety, patrol officers should not be expected to operate a car with over

100,000 miles on same, preferably no more than 85,000. Since FY 2014/2015 (including the

first six months of the current fiscal year) the city has spent over $87,000 on police vehicle

maintenance. While some of these expenditures were for routine maintenance certainly a

significant portion were for expanded maintenance done to keep vehicles "moving" for as long

as possible.

The city and department should develop a vehicle replacement program that includes a threshold

at which point purchasing a new vehicle is deemed to be more cost effective than maintaining

an old one.

Buying a fully equipped police vehicle is certainly not cheap. The city should look into leasing

and alternative financing options that might allow the city to better manage its annual capital

outlay while at the same time bringing its police fleet up to desired levels. Financing costs

could be offset by reductions in annual maintenance expenditures. In addition to several

commercial firms that provide police fleet financing both General Motors (www.gm.fleet.com)

and Ford (www.fleet.ford.com) offer fleet financing options.

34

Author's note: Report data regarding agency staffing levels, training budgets and personnel

assignments were provided by agency executives and/or derived from the 2015 Crime Report

prepared by the Virginia State Police. Data pertaining to crime and offense numbers, and

population figures were derived from the 2015 Crime Report.

CONCLUSION

The Covington Police Department is fortunate to have a police chief who cares about his

community and about his employees. It is also fortunate to have an experienced cadre of men

and women who provide excellent police services to their stakeholders. While many are

frustrated with various facets of the agency's administrative and operational performance they

have for the most part not allowed those frustrations to interfere with their duties and

responsibilities. However, if internal communications don't improve, if accountability issues

are not addressed and if progress toward mitigating other agency deficiencies is not made in a

timely and constructive manner it is likely the department will begin to encounter impediments

that could negatively impact its ability to provide the quality of service expected of a modern,

professional police agency.

Change in the police department must start with an infusion of energy from the chief and his

commanders. There will be little hope for long-lasting improvement unless command officers

commit to working as a collaborative team with a singular focus on what's best for the agency.

Chief Broughman has indicated his willingness to bring about positive changes in the agency

and to accept accountability for his role in ensuring that such changes occur. All employees

must commit to doing their share to help in this endeavor and must be equally willing to be held

accountable for failing to do so. In return, the city and department must support and recognize

agency members for their efforts.

35

The City of Covington sought this organizational assessment and now has a set of

recommendations for improvement. It must provide financial support as needed within the

strictures of its overall budget picture. It must be patient and not expect all changes to occur

overnight. Some may take a month or so, others perhaps a year or more. The city manager and

elected officials must ensure that the change process is constant and continual. Progress toward

excellence must never be allowed to stop or falter. The change process must be ongoing with

regular evaluations and goal setting.

Covington should feel fortunate that its police department is not inalterably broken but rather is

in need of some repair and fine tuning. It has a strong foundation resting on the backs of men

and women who have expressed a willingness to be a part of the solution rather than the

problem. The department has many challenges ahead but none that can't be managed with

appropriate levels of support, guidance, commitment and effort.

The chief and his employees are ready to move forward. It is now time to change, grow and

excel.

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS

The recommendations proposed in the assessment report are listed below. They are not

presented in order of priority or importance. Such determinations are within the purview of

city and agency leaders. The author will be glad to offer his opinions if requested by the city.

o Engage the three department command officers in a mediation session to air

grievances, repair working relationships and reach consensus on achieving

agency goals.

o Schedule weekly command meetings.

o Develop a communications network to strengthen outreach to first-line

supervisors and rank-and-file employees.

o Develop a tracking system for on-going projects.

o Change the physical layout of commanding officers' workspaces.

o Develop agency and individual work plans and objectives on an annual basis.

o Develop and implement a performance evaluation system.

o Enforce available disciplinary protocols when warranted.

o Clarify and codify the responsibilities, authority and expectations of agency

command officers.

o Align work schedules of commanders and supervisors to allow for necessary

and appropriate levels of oversight.

o Establish and promote processes that recognize and reward outstanding

performance.

o Consider schedule change for sergeants and patrol officers.

o Evaluate new work periods and overtime regulations.

o Increase operational staffing and oversight by implementing flexible work

schedules and assignments for the lieutenant and first sergeant.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS (cont.)

o Conduct a comprehensive review of the department's communications

function.

o Examine whether a second investigator position may be needed.

o Evaluate the feasibility of creating an auxiliary officer unit.

o Conduct a review of all agency policies with oversight scheduled on a regular

and consistent basis.

o Create a definitive and enforceable sick leave policy.

o Restructure the policies to enhance focus on high-liability policies.

o Pursuant to employee training on policies, enforce them.

o Conduct an immediate audit of evidence and property.

o Develop a comprehensive training program.

o Develop and implement a career progression system.

o Develop and adhere to a defined promotion process.

o Develop and implement an equipment and supplies replacement protocol.

o Update the vehicle fleet.

APPENDIX B

COVINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT

EMPLOYEE SURVEY

NAME: RANK:

ASSIGNMENT: YEARS WITH CPD:

YEARS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE: TYPICAL WORK SCHEDULE: (DAYS OF WEEK/HOURS)

Please provide as much detail as you feel is necessary and appropriate. Use additional sheets if needed. Describe your basic duties with the Covington PD.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

For a typical month, list the percentage of time you spend on each of your basic job functions. For example:

random patrol - 30%; case investigations/follow-up - 25%; traffic enforcement - 10%; communications - 70%;

animal control response - 50%; training - 2%; administrative duties - 65%; meetings - 15%; court - 3%; vehicle

maintenance - 1%. Please make sure the percentages add up to 100%.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

During a typical month how often do you work a schedule other than your primary one? For example, how often

are you scheduled to work night shift but end up working day shift OR asked to work a different shift without

significant prior notice? What are the typical reasons for your schedule changes (staffing shortages, called back

for critical incidents, court, training)?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Is staffing at the Covington PD adequate? If not, what changes would you make? Please note any changes you

would recommend in the current organizational structure of the agency.

What processes are in place to evaluate your on-the-job performance? How do you know you are doing a good

job and that you are meeting the expectations of the agency?

_________________________________________________________________________________________

On average how many hours per month do you spend in training? Describe the format of this training (on-line,

roll call, classroom, off-site).

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Describe the leadership and career development opportunities available to you at the Covington PD. How often

are you offered the opportunity to receive advanced training?

________________________________________________________________________________________

Describe the effectiveness of communications within the agency. What words would you use to describe the

style, tenor and methods of upwards and downwards communications in the agency (for example only: open,

tense, easy, unproductive, informal, negative, comfortable etc.)

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Using a scale of 1 to 10 (with "1" being extremely uncomfortable and "10" being extremely comfortable), how

comfortable do you feel bringing issues - both positive and negative - to your direct supervisor or the chief?

Please elaborate.

To your direct supervisor: ________

To the chief:________

Without identifying individuals by name, rank or position, what are the best qualities possessed by the command

and supervisory personnel of the Department?

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Without identifying individuals by name, rank or position, what leadership attributes among the agency's

command and supervisory personnel could use some improvement?

__________________________________________________________________________________________

What is the public's perception of the Covington PD? What are the processes by which you communicate with

the members of the community? How do you get their feedback regarding whether they are satisfied with your

service delivery?

_________________________________________________________________________________________

How would you describe the overall state of the equipment in the Covington PD (vehicles, weapons, laptops,

uniforms, cameras, radios)? Please offer two or three recommendations you have to improve the agency's

equipment situation.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Describe how you are made aware of department strategies to minimize crime, reduce traffic offenses, enhance

public safety, enhance service delivery to the public. How do you know how you are supposed to spend your

day at work?

How often are you given the opportunity to participate in and/or contribute to a task, assignment or

responsibility that is different and unique from your routine, day-to-day activities?

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you believe you are held accountable in a fair and reasonable manner for the work you perform or are

expected to perform on a regular basis? Do you believe others are held equally accountable? Explain.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

What three things (or more) do you like most about working at the Covington PD?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

List three things (or more) that the Covington PD and/or City of Covington could do to make the police

department a more effective and efficient law enforcement organization.

Feel free to make any additional comments to address issues not contained in this survey and/or issues that you

think I should know about to make my review of the Covington PD accurate, thorough and fair. Use additional

pages if needed You will have an opportunity to discuss these issues and others at the upcoming face-to-face

interviews.

APPENDIX C

COVINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT

EMPLOYEE INTERVIEW

NAME:_______________________________________

On a one to ten scale, with one being terrible and ten being outstanding, how would you describe morale within the

department? Why did you apply that ranking?

How would you improve morale within the agency?

Describe your chain of command. Who do you report to? Who is your immediate supervisor? Who do you go

to for days off, requests for information? For supervisors, who do you supervise on a regular basis?

The agency has 11 supervisory personnel and only 7 first-line personnel. Why is there a need for so many

supervisors? Does the high number of supervisors cause a problem with supervision and accountability?

Who supervises the communications officers?

Describe the effectiveness of communications within the agency. How certain are you that requests upward

through the chain will receive a response? What could be done to improve communications within the

department?

Are there conflicts between the command officers? If so, do these conflicts cause problems in the effectiveness

and productivity of the department?

What processes are used to determine how personnel are assigned to specialty positions and/or promoted to

higher level positions?

Is sick leave abuse a problem in the agency? Explain.

Your policies and procedures look pretty comprehensive. Are they followed? Is anyone ever disciplined for

failing to follow them? Are you ever tested on them?

Describe your relationships with other agencies. Joint training? Task forces? Traffic enforcement?

Anything else you'd like to add to make sure I have all the information I need to make my review accurate,

thorough and fair?