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Police Operations and Data Analysis Report, Morgan Hill, California
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Examining the winter and summer seasonal differences in workload an interesting anomaly is
observed. During the summer months, the amount of time dedicated to out-of-service activities
increases dramatically. A comparison of the gray shaded areas in Figures 3-1 and 3-3 to the ones in
Figures 3-5 and 3-7 illustrates a marked increase in out-of-service time. The CPSM data analysis
report calculated that the MHPD averaged 12.1 “non-call” activities during February 2015, and that
figure more than doubled to 25.5 during the month of August 2015.
It seems that the reason behind this more than 100 percent increase in out-of-service time is to
properly record the amount of time spent off-patrol by officers in the MHPD. This raises two
important issues. First, it is critical that MHPD officers account for their time. Without a proper
accounting of time it is impossible to understand the workload faced by officers on patrol, and this
is critical for making staffing decision. In this regard the department should be commended for
making this a priority. Second, it seems that an inordinate amount of time is spent off-patrol on
administrative matters. On the one hand it is excellent to accurately document time, but on the
other this accurate documentation is highlighting an important issue that must be addressed. It
seems that MHPD officers spend too much time off-patrol dealing with the administrative
responsibilities of their job.
Administrative responsibilities with respect to properly handing CFS cannot be ignored. However,
the time dedicated to these responsibilities should not be the biggest commitment of resources by
patrol officers. There are safety and tactical concerns about having officers prepare reports from
inside their vehicles, in direct contact with the public; where officers prepare reports should be a
consideration. The MHPD, however, needs to take a much closer look at the amount of time spent
by officers being off-patrol and writing reports in the headquarters facility. Every minute off-patrol
diminishes the effectiveness of the patrol function. Report writing and other administrative time
must be spent judiciously and supervisors need to be mindful about officers inside headquarters
off-patrol. Also, anecdotal reports indicate that supervisors spend a large share of their shifts off-
patrol doing a myriad of administrative tasks. The responsibility of the sergeants and corporals
should be leadership and supervision of their subordinates. That primary responsibility cannot be
done effectively from a desk at headquarters. It must be done on patrol where officers are led
through action, not pushed by reports.
The administrative burden also impacts the supervisors in patrol. The sergeants and corporals
reported numerous collateral assignments that distract them from their primary responsibilities.
Anecdotal reports from patrol supervisors indicate that more than 80 percent of their day is spent
on administrative duties and there is little time to actually go on patrol and supervise operations
from the field.
In order to alleviate this condition, it is recommended that an additional position be allocated to
Field Operations. CPSM recommends assigning one sergeant to work directly for the Field
Operations captain. This position would be responsible for the administrative requirements of the
division, which would include most of the collateral duties now assigned to patrol supervisors, as
well as strategic and operational planning and special events. At present, the only administrative
sergeant position reports to the Special Operations Division commander. That sergeant is