Social Media and Civil Liability for Public Safety Professionals

The Internet is quickly becoming the medium of choice for interpersonal communication. Websites designed to allow users to post messages, blogs, and other forms of public electronic communications have become known as social media. The benefits of social media are many but so are the risks. As technology advances, so do issues of civil liability. How does society balance the interests of government with free speech in this new arena? What are the benefits of social media? What are the risks? What can be done to mitigate those risks?

Some examples of social media include Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube. Devices such as smart phones and the iPad facilitate speedy delivery of electronic messages and provide people instant access to social media, even in the workplace. These devices are often preloaded with software allowing the user to interface directly with social media applications. People all over the world can now share information almost instantaneously and the number of people using social media is growing at an exponential rate. Statistics demonstrate the speed at which social media is growing. “It took radio 38 years to reach 50 million users; Facebook added over 200 million users in less than a year. If Facebook were a country it would have the world’s third largest population ("IACP Center for Social Media").” People of all ages and walks of life are using social media to share and receive information with incredible speed.

The Benefits of Social Media

Many social media services are free to use and are capable of reaching large groups of people in a very short time. People now have a means of self expression that didn’t exist a decade ago. Social media, by its very nature, is an interactive means of communication and as a result, is inextricably linked to community policing and engagement. Law enforcement agencies have already begun to leverage the power of social media in a number of ways.

Ed Rogerson, a police Sergeant working in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire England, uses a service called “Twitter” to communicate with the citizens of his patrol beat. Using his cell phone, Rogerson posts messages to his Twitter page under the moniker of hotelalpha9. Twitter, known as a micro blogging tool, is limited to sending messages 140 characters in length but this is certainly enough for a brief informational message. Followers can receive Rogerson’s messages via text message, email or by navigating their Internet browser to http://Twitter.com/hotelalpha9. Rogerson has become one of the most popular beat cops in the UK with 2,769 followers. Citizens in Rogerson’s beat receive regular information about crime, crime prevention tips and other useful information. In one case Rogerson investigated thefts from autos and within minutes the citizens of his patrol area were warned to secure their belongings and watch for the suspects ("A/PS Ed Rogerson @hotelalpha9"). This police officer has managed to combine the power of social media and community engagement in a clever and effective way.

The Green Bay Police Department has recently begun to use Facebook as a means of engaging the public (http://facebook.com/greenbaypolice). On August 9, 2011 police posted a photograph of a suspect wanted in connection with the severe beating of a man at a downtown tavern. A citizen witness managed to obtain a photo of the suspect who was attending a party at the tavern that evening and provided it to the police. The suspect was unknown to police and traditional means of identifying him were unsuccessful. After several days of failed attempts to identify the man, Green Bay Police posted his photo on the department’s Facebook page. Within 24 hours the man turned himself in and the case was solved ("Green Bay Police Department").

Social media can also be an excellent investigative tool. Members of the public who post information about themselves or others provide a wealth of information to law enforcement. Green Bay Police recently investigated a case where a suspect stole a cell phone and a short time later posted a photo of himself on the victim’s Facebook page. Within minutes of receiving the image, police were able to identify the suspect.

Police throughout the world have begun to use social media in a wide variety of ways. Some examples include:

•  Investigating criminal activity

• Gang involvement, cyber bullying, and stalking, theft and illegal drug activity

• Community engagement

•  Public notification of events and meetings

• Posting photos of wanted persons

• Warning the public of scams and providing crime prevention information

• Seeking the public’s assistance in locating and identifying wanted subjects

• Notifying the public about hazards such as closed highways and traffic problems

• Recruitment and employment 

• Reaching out to potential candidates

• Vetting perspective employees by viewing their online profiles

The Risks of Social Media in Law Enforcement

While the benefits of social media are many, there are also pitfalls and liability risks for police agencies and their employees. Police agencies that publish information must be careful to follow established guidelines for the release of information. One danger of social media is that the task of designing and updating social media sites is commonly left in the hands of young, tech savvy employees who may have an excellent working knowledge of the technology but a limited knowledge of liability law.

Since Facebook is one of the most common forms of social media used by police, risks using Facebook merit further discussion. Depending on how an agency configures its Facebook page, users will likely have the ability to post comments. Many departments have opted to allow this feature to encourage community engagement and discussion. If police choose to do this they should be prepared to carefully monitor the posts. If comments are not closely moderated it may be possible for a person to post a defamatory or discriminating remark. Posters may violate another person’s right to privacy. By leaving such comments available for all to see, the department risks civil action and may be named a party in a civil lawsuit. 

Social media is one of the most effective ways to engage the public. But what method is the best? Between Facebook, Twitter, Nixle, the MyPD app for smart phones,and numerous others, is this all too confusing? How many should you use? Think of it this way, if you go to the store to buy spaghetti sauce, how many varieties are there? I would estimate 10-20 but ultimately we end up picking out one or two. People consume information in a variety of ways. The more varieties you have, the more people you will reach.

Personal use of Social Media

One area that is often overlooked with respect to social media is off duty conduct. Police officers, like most people, use social media to communicate with family and friends. However, there are risks when government employees make private use of social media. Careless and inappropriate posts can come back to haunt the officer and the agency they work for. Defense attorneys may use prejudicial or defamatory remarks impeach the officer as a witness in future trials (IACP).

Sexually explicit communications can serve not only as an embarrassment to the government agency, but may also give cause to civil liability. For example, in 2010 former Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz was sued in federal court for sending sexually suggestive text messages to a domestic violence victim. The case was filed in Milwaukee federal court, the plaintiff alleging that Kratz violated her constitutional rights to due process and equal protection (Cassens-Weiss 1).

A person who posts sexually explicit messages or photos that can be identified as a police officer, has the potential to damage the department’s reputation and erode public trust. Police agencies have a vested interest in halting such conduct and establishing clear policies that regulate behavior, on or off duty that may impact the effectiveness and reputation of the department.

Regulating off duty conduct of an employee can be complicated and controversial, especially when considering an employee’s rights to free speech and privacy. Recently the Supreme Court ruled on at least one aspect of privacy involving the communications of an employee. In Ontario v. Quon the court examined the issue of Fourth Amendment protections of employees of government agencies. A police officer was disciplined when his employer discovered that he had sent and received a number of sexually explicit messages while on duty. The department retrieved messages from the employees department issued pager. The court ruled that the search of the employee’s text messages did not constitute a violation of the employee’s Fourth Amendment rights. The court opined, “government searches to retrieve work-related materials or to investigate violations of workplace rules—searches of the sort that are regarded as reasonable and normal in the private-employer context”, (Ontario v. Quon, 560 U.S)

The issue of employee conduct and right to free speech under the First Amendment has also been tested in the courts. In Garcetti v. Ceballos the court concluded that an employee could be disciplined for statements that are made in an “official capacity”. This case involved a prosecutor wrote a memo recommending the dismissal of a criminal case. Cellebos, a deputy district attorney, was subsequently disciplined for issuing the memo and he argued that his employers retaliated against him. Cellebos brought a suit under 42U.S.C.§ 1983 alleging violations of his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The court found that the speech was not protected because it was generated as a result of Cellebos working in an “official capacity”. The court ruled, “When a citizen enters government service the citizen by necessity must accept certain limitations on his or her freedom.” The courts have generally ruled that an employee’s First Amendment rights can be limited in cases where important government interests are at stake. In the context of policing, the factors to be considered are the reputation of the department, the department’s ability to effectively police the community and the public trust (IACP). These examples can easily be defended as important government interests.

Recommendations

As we enter this new era of social media it is important to adapt policies and training to fit the times. It is unreasonable to prohibit employees from enjoying the many benefits social media has to offer. Employees should understand the unique situation they are in as being both guardians of society and private citizens. Few people realize that that any information posted online can be disseminated quickly and almost never redacted once released. Privacy settings change frequently, potentially exposing information employees believed to be private. It is important to train employees to effectively use social media as an investigative tool and a way to engage the community.

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is an excellent resource for best practices and model social media policies. In addition to a good department policy, it is also wise to adopt a take-down policy for a department’s Facebook page. A good take down policy will clearly explain what sort of posts are disallowed so there can be no debate over a person’s right to post inappropriate, disparaging or defamatory comments. The department should appoint specific persons who are familiar with the department’s policies regarding social media. Facebook should be monitored and moderated daily. Ideally these tasks would be performed in close association with the department’s public information officer (Stevens).

The brevity of this blog cannot do justice to the subject of social media. There are numerous social media venues that are available and only a few were discussed here. The most important points to remember are;

• Social media can be an extremely beneficial tool for law enforcement

• There are significant risks associated with these benefits

• Risks can be mitigated with policies and training

Social media is an effective tool but as one presenter at the SMILE conference said, "Be careful what you post, you can't put toothpaste back in the tube."

Resources

ConnectedCops.net
http://connectedcops.net/
Model Facebook takedown policy
http://connectedcops.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/FBTerms.pdf


International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
Model policies and training guides
http://www.iacpsocialmedia.org/GettingStarted


Cited Works

Cassens-Weiss, Debra. "Former Sexting DA Claims Immunity from Civil Suit by Domestic Abuse Victim." ABA Journal: Law News Now (2011): 1. Web. 21 Aug 2011. <http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/former_sexting_da_claims_immunity_from_civil_suit_by_domestic_abuse_victim/>.
Garcetti v. Ceballos - 04-473 (2006)


"Facebook." Green Bay Police Department. Green Bay Police Department, 21 Aug 2011. Web. 21 Aug 2011. <https://www.Facebook.com/GreenBayPolice>.

"Fun Facts." IACP Center for Social Media. International Association of Chiefs of Police, 2010. Web. 21 Aug 2011. <http://www.iacpsocialmedia.org/Resources/FunFacts.aspx>.
Ontario v. Quon - 08-1332 (2010)

"Social Media Concepts and Issues Paper." IACP National Law Enforcement Policy Center (2010): 5. Web. 21 Aug 2011.

Stevens, Lauri. "Social Media Quick Tip: Give Your Facebook Page a Takedown Policy." ConnectedCops.net. LAwS Communications, 15 Aug 2011. Web. 21 Aug 2011. <http://connectedcops.net/>.

"Twitter." A/PS Ed Rogerson @hotelalpha9. North Yorkshire Police, 21 Aug 2011. Web. 21 Aug 2011. <http://Twitter.com/hotelalpha9>.

Policing the Homeless: Part 2. Best Practices

One police department in Colorado Springs led the charge to solve a community problem relating to homeless encampments. In 2008 officials in Colorado Springs detected an increase in the number of persons living in homeless encampments. Social disorder, thefts and other petty crimes near encampments also increased. Police and nonprofit groups, attempting to maintain order, conducted regular cleanups of the encampments but, were met with resistance by civil rights advocates. Homeless advocacy groups and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) alleged the police were violating the civil rights of the homeless. The cleanups were discontinued and, as a result, conditions deteriorated with the accumulation of trash and human waste. Social disorder and petty crimes near the encampments increased. In response, the Colorado Springs Police Department formed a Homeless Outreach Team (HOT), a group of specially trained officers.

The HOT officers worked outside the traditional boundaries of policing and law enforcement. They developed a problem solving approach which involved a number of community partners including 9 homeless shelters. HOT worked to develop the trust of the homeless through frequent, nonthreatening personal contacts and made referrals to partnering service providers. HOT officers assisted the homeless in finding employment. Changes were made to a local ordinance prohibiting camping on public property, with the approval of the civil rights advocates. The approach resulted in 229 families being relocated to more appropriate shelter, 117 left the state to live with family members and 100 became self sufficient and problems surrounding the encampments have been significantly reduced (Iverson, Brett; McCormack, Daniel; Thomson, MJ.). The project won the 2010 Herman Goldstein Award for its innovation, community collaboration and problem solving.[1] You can learn more about this project at the Center for Problem Oriented Policing website at www.popcenter.org.

Another example of an initiative led by law enforcement occurred in Green Bay, Wisconsin between 1995 and 1999. Police were dealing with similar issues relating to chronic alcoholism and the homeless. Broadway was a dirty, neglected, run down street. The Broadway neighborhood was economically depressed and considered one of the most dangerous parts of the city. Decaying buildings, broken liquor bottles, drunks sleeping on park benches and rowdy taverns went unchecked for decades. Police developed a five part strategy in a project called, “Street Sweeping, Broadway Style”. In a multi-phased process that took just four years, Broadway was transformed into a booming business district and a destination spot in Green Bay. The process included changes in environmental design, increased regulation of liquor licenses, mobilizing citizens to attend city council meetings, using the court system to direct alcoholics to treatment, and gaining the cooperation of liquor stores to decline serving alcohol to habitual drunkards.

In an effort to mitigate problems resulting from excessive alcohol consumption, Green Bay Police implemented a “no serve list”. The list contained the names and photographs of individuals who had three or more alcohol related police contacts in a one year period of time. The list was provided to taverns, liquor stores, and convenience stores with a letter requesting the licensee to decline service to the individuals on the list. Four years after the project began, police calls dropped 65%, medical related rescue squad calls dropped 91%, and social disorder complaints dropped 85%. Like the Colorado Springs project, civil rights advocates objected to police initiatives in dealing with the problem. The ACLU argued, unsuccessfully, that the “no serve list” violated the rights of the individuals by denying them the ability to purchase a legal product.

In 2010 the Green Bay Police Department conducted a grant funded research project to evaluate the no serve list policy. Following the research project, the criteria were refined to include qualifying police contacts[2]. Three qualifying calls in a 12 month period will result in the subject being added to the no serve list. The list is reviewed twice a year and if there the criteria are not met, the name will be removed from the list. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy a survey was conducted of businesses in Green Bay who are licensed to sell alcohol. The survey results showed 58.5% had declined the sale of alcohol to someone on the list. Business owners appear to be supportive of the initiative, 86% agreed the list benefitted their business (Verheyen). Not surprisingly, the highest incidents of attempts to purchase and refusals came from a Green Bay neighborhood that contains a homeless shelter.

City officials in another Wisconsin community, the City of Madison, also chose to adopt the no serve list strategy. Madison however, adopted a slightly different approach. While Green Bay implemented a department policy, Madison adopted an ordinance. Additions to the Madison list are based on convictions for specific violations. Those individuals who are arrested for behavior problems such as disorderly conduct are charged with a modifier such as disorderly conduct while under the influence of alcohol.

While many communities have inquired about the no serve strategy, few have actually taken steps to adopt it. The main concern appears to be civil liability. This concern is not without merit and such a strategy should only be adopted after careful research and consideration. One Wisconsin case Wisconsin v. Constantineau repealed WI statutes which allowed for the public posting of “known habitual drunkards” which prohibited the sale of alcohol to the named individual. The Constantineau decision struck down the practice for two reasons; the court felt that publicly posting the notice and name of the individual stigmatized that person and, the process lacked due process.

Eventually Wisconsin law was modified and now, under WI statute 125.12(ag)3, the burden is placed on the licensee to decline sale of alcohol to “known habitual drunkards”. Interestingly, no other definition of known habitual drunkard can be found in Wisconsin Statutes. Green Bay’s procedure answers the court’s major concerns, stigmatization and lack of due process. While it is true that the no serve list is distributed to the licensees, it is not made public and is not “posted”. Secondly, due process requirements are met. In the Green Bay example since the burden is on the licensee, it would be a violation of the law requiring a licensee to decline serving the named individual. Any action against the licensee would require a hearing before the licensing committee, due process.

Recommendations

Upon review of successful initiatives reducing crime, the fear of crime and with respect to the rights of the homeless, the following are recommended best practices when policing the homeless

Analyze your local problem. 

• Data collection can take the form of surveys and analysis of calls for police service. Consider alternative sources of information such as rescue squad calls

• Identify and mobilize community partners such as neighborhood residents, mental health professions, Alcohol and Other drug Abuse (AODA) workers, shelters, homeless advocates and medical professionals. Law enforcement officers should be made aware of resources for the purpose of making referrals.

• Build trust between the homeless and the police through frequent unofficial contacts, interpersonal communication, and offers of assistance. Law enforcement officers cannot effectively police the homeless from squad cars; they must engage in face to face contact. Foot and bicycle patrols are highly recommended.

Enforce local ordinances when appropriate, clearly defining acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. Post signs and warnings such as “no open intoxicants” or “no trespassing” so that local social norms are reinforced.

Seek the assistance of liquor retailers in declining the sale of alcohol to intoxicated persons and known habitual drunkards. A no serve list strategy can be one tool to aid in your local problem. Before implementing such a policy you should seek legal advice.

• Modify the environment. Examples include the elimination of secluded areas, improved lighting, adding a railing to the center of park benches to prevent people from lying down, clearing out overgrown vegetation, and securing vacant buildings. Study and implementation of the science of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) can yield significant results with minimal resources.

• Evaluate your strategy. Call reduction is a valid measure of success but not the only measure. Satisfaction of the public is at least as important as a reduction in the demand for police resources. Community satisfaction can be measured through the use of surveys.

Conclusion

The Lessard decision and deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill are two factors which have contributed to homelessness in America. Behavior problems associated with chronic homelessness are frequently attributed to the mentally ill and substance abusers, resulting in police intervention. While advocates of civil liberties concern themselves with protecting the rights of individuals, the police must protect the rights of everyone. There is a delicate balance between the rights of the individual who suffers from mental illness or substance abuse and the rights of the public. By virtue of their role in society, the police often take the lead in developing strategies designed to mitigate this conflict. The emergence of Problem Oriented Policing (POP) and Community Oriented Policing (COP) philosophies has contributed to the development of successful strategies in policing the homeless. There is no one magic pill to resolve these issues. Best practices employ thoughtful analysis, multiple strategies and community partnerships.

Works Cited

Anonymous. "FYI." Message to William Bongle. 04 Nov 2010. E-mail.

Arneson, Michelle. "No serve stats." Message to William Bongle. 09 Nov 2010. E-mail.

"Center for Problem-Oriented Policing." The Herman Goldstein Award Projects. Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, Inc., 2010. Web. 27 Nov 2010. <http://www.popcenter.org/library/awards/goldstein/>.

Chamard, Sharon. United States. Homeless Encampments. Washington D.C.: Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, Inc., 2009. Print.

"Chronic Homelessness ." Community Planning & Development. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 27 May 2009. Web. 26 Nov 2010. <http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/homeless/chronic.cfm>.

Fuller Torrey, Edwin. The insanity offense: how America's failure to treat the seriously mentally ill endangers its citizens. New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Company, 2008. 95-98. Print.

Goldstein, Herman. Problem-oriented policing. McGraw-Hill Humanities Social Sciences Languages, 1990. 131. Print.

Iverson, Brett; McCormack, Daniel; Thomson, MJ. Homeless Outreach Team: Colorado Springs Police Department "Goldstein Awards 2010." Center for Problem-Oriented Policing.01 Nov 2010. Web. 14 Nov 2010. <http://www.popcenter.org/library/awards/goldstein/2010/10-37%28W%29.pdf>.

Lessard v. Schmidt 349 F. Supp. 1078 (E.D. Wis. 1972)

Scully, Steve; Bongle, William. "Street Sweeping, Broadway Style." Problem Oriented Policing; Crime-Specific Problems, Critical Issues and making POP Work. 2000. Corina Brito, Eugenia Gratto. Washington D.C.: Police Executive Research Forum, 2000. Print.

Verheyen, Karisa. "No Serve List: Procedures, analysis and more." (2011): Print.

Wisconsin V. Constantineau, 400 U. S. 433 (1971)

[1] “First introduced in 1993, The Herman Goldstein Award recognizes outstanding police officers and police agencies–both in the United States and around the world–that engage in innovative and effective problem–solving efforts and achieve measurable success in reducing specific crime, disorder, and public safety problems. This international competition is named after the founder of problem–oriented policing, University of Wisconsin emeritus Professor Herman Goldstein and administered by the Center for Problem–Oriented Policing.” ("Herman Goldstein Award Projects")

[2] Examples of qualifying reasons: Disruptive behavior, Alcohol Hold, Open intoxicants, emergency committal, and drunk driving. Some of the qualifiers that fall under the “other” category include Depositing of Human Waste and a Probation & Parole violations

Policing the Homeless: Part 1. Understanding the Problem

On a cold fall night in 1997, in Green Bay’s Broadway neighborhood, a homeless man fell asleep on the steps of a church after drinking a bottle of vodka. A few hours later he was dead. An autopsy revealed that he died of asphyxia; choking on his own vomit. The death was ruled natural, the result of chronic alcoholism.

Research suggests that many homeless people suffer from mental illness, drug addiction and alcoholism.  These characteristics often result in behaviors that draw police attention and as a result, the homeless have a higher frequency of police contact than the general population. Their behavior is often self destructive and harmful to others. Herman Goldstein, author of Problem Oriented Policing observed, “The police at times are forced to use ordinances or criminal statutes, a process that is unkind to the homeless, distasteful to the police and inappropriate for the criminal justice system.” Since these behaviors are often related to substance abuse or mental illness, the criminal justice system is ill equipped to handle these problems.

It is important to note that people become homeless for a variety of reasons including economic hardship. This can include working families and children who have suffered economic loss through no fault of their own and, most likely, will not have any contact with the police. This blog focuses on those who are chronically homeless and whose behavior somehow merits police attention. Since the police are likely to have frequent contact with this demographic of the homeless population, part 2 of this blog will review best practices and suggest alternative strategies in policing the homeless.

How we got here

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines a chronically homeless person as, “an unaccompanied disabled individual who has been continuously homeless for over one year. Factors that contribute to stereotypes about the homeless are behaviors such as sleeping on the streets, panhandling, disruptive and disorderly behavior, lack of personal hygiene, and defecation outdoors. Panhandlers can deter customers from patronizing local businesses. Because the homeless themselves are frequent victims of crime they tend to sleep in public places like parks during the daytime. Such behavior has a tendency to deter legitimate park usage and may result in complaints from the public.

Citizen concerns about the homeless can be fraught with stereotypes reinforced by the media and personal observations. One Green Bay resident who lives near a homeless shelter related this account in an email to city officials;

“The homeless alcoholics use containers so that they won't get stopped for public urination.  So, do not be naive and pick one up.  Several people I've talked with recently, since September, have noted an increase in the number of cans and bottles on the streets and in St. John's and Whitney Parks.  Being a draw for drunks doesn’t make me happy.” (Anonymous)

The message illustrates a perception many people have about the homeless and unfortunately the public may not differentiate between the mentally ill or substance abusers and a person who was displaced for economic reasons. The stigma of being labeled homeless seems to be closely associated with the stereotype of the New York’s squeegee men or as the Green Bay resident puts it, “homeless alcoholics”.

The Human Cost

Numerous studies confirm that a high percentage of people who suffer from mental illness and substance abuse are homeless. A 2007 survey conducted in Milwaukee revealed that 33% of the chronic homeless suffer from mental illness, 30% abuse drugs, and 30% abuse alcohol. In 2008, research conducted by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) states, “44% of seriously mentally ill individuals had been arrested.”  According to the 2008 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, chronic substance abusers accounted for 36.5% of the overall homeless population and 26.3% were classified as severely mentally ill.

Author E. Fuller Torrey explains why the mentally ill and substance abusers are such a prevalent part of the homeless population in his book, The Insanity Offense. De-institutionalization of the mentally ill began in the 1950’s with the discovery that anti psychotic drugs could alleviate the symptoms of mental illness. Substandard conditions in mental hospitals added to the momentum and over the next three decades over 75% of those once institutionalized were released. With the emptying of mental hospitals came an increase in prison populations. A study in 81 cities revealed “a direct correlation between the reduction of public psychiatric beds and an increase of arrests rates, crime rates and homelessness among the mentally ill.”  

In what was perceived at the time to be a victory for civil rights dealt another devastating blow to the mentally ill. A 1972 court case, Lessard v. Schmidt, reversed the seven hundred year old legal principle of parens patriae, which established a government’s responsibility to protect people who are unable to protect themselves. The Lessard case defined stricter criteria for declaring a person a danger to themselves or others. Researchers argue that the criteria are unrealistic and so restrictive that it prevents those suffering from mental illness from receiving the care they so desperately need. The Lessard case set in motion a chain of events that some argue has resulted in countless deaths that would have otherwise been preventable, something Torrey calls, “The Consequences of Unconstrained Civil Liberties”. The Insanity Offense presents a number of case studies where people diagnosed with mental illness go on to commit murder because their mental illness went untreated. Torrey asserts this occurred because the patients did not meet the criteria of immediate danger, a standard defined in the Lessard case. He argues that the legal system has failed to protect the mentally ill and the victims of these violent acts. Researchers George Kelling and Catherine Coles support Torrey’s theory in their book, Fixing Broken Windows. Kelling and Coles describe a “catch 22 system” that provides temporary treatment and once the individual responds the treatment, they are no longer an “immediate threat” and are therefore released to repeat the cycle.

One aspect of mental illness, especially paranoid schizophrenia, is that those afflicted often do not view themselves as being sick or requiring treatment, a condition known as anosognosia. This may explain why so many individuals afflicted with mental illness fail to take prescribed medication. Those who do not feel the need to take medication are free to disregard medical advice until their behavior steps outside of social norms and may become, in some cases, violent or self destructive. These individuals find it difficult to function within the confines of social norms and as a result, many become homeless. Research and case studies in Massachusetts, New York and Philadelphia suggest those suffering from mental illness who do not take prescribed medication are more likely to become homeless.

Chronic alcoholism is another affliction which impacts homelessness and police resources. In 2009 the Green Bay Police Department took 300 people into protective custody due to incapacitation from alcohol. Of these 300 people, 25% were involved in three or more police contacts in one year where alcohol was a factor. Examples of these contacts were disorderly behavior, depositing human waste in public, panhandling and possessing open intoxicants in a park. One individual alone accounted for 28 police contacts. Another Green Bay study of people who had frequent alcohol related contacts with the police revealed 25% were homeless. The research revealed two important details, a small percentage of the population accounts for a disproportionate amount of police contacts and, chronic alcoholics were more likely to be homeless than those who were not alcohol dependent.

One example in Green Bay involved a chronic alcoholic known as “Rooster”, a homeless man known to local residents and business owners as the town drunk. Rooster averaged three police contacts per week for behaviors such as aggressive panhandling and public urination. Beginning in the 1980’s Rooster was taken into protective custody and committed to the Brown County Mental Health Center over 80 times. The cost of each visit was estimated at over $1,200, totaling over $96,000 in treatment with no apparent change in behavior. Despite efforts of local law enforcement to seek court ordered committal for Rooster, he continued to live on the street until he succumbed to medical complications resulting from alcoholism and died. Unfortunately, this situation is not unique to Green Bay. A Boston study revealed that 92% of street deaths involved people who were chronic alcoholics who chose not to stay at local shelters.

This is a serious problem that affects all communities, but what can be done about it? In part 2, Effective Strategies and Best Practices I will examine how police across the nation are coping with this universal problem and suggest strategies that may help with your local problem.

Alcohol Control and Innovative Strategies to Reduce Underage Access to Alcohol

How easy is it for a teenager to buy alcohol in your community? Communities across the nation struggle with this issue and some are more successful than others in preventing youth access to alcohol. In Green Bay compliance check results at the end of 2010 hovered around 75%. This month, after 3 months without compliance checks, our rate dropped to 33%. A 2010 survey of Green Bay area teens revealed that 70% of those had been arrested for an underage drinking offense admitted to driving after consuming alcohol.  Yes, it’s a serious problem and one we must get serious about solving. In this report I am going to talk mainly about off premise sales, primarily from convenience stores and liquor stores. I will continue the discussion of underage access to bars and night clubs in a future blog.

                The problem is not unique to Green Bay and as a result, interested people from across the nation meet annually to discuss and develop best practices. One organization in particular, the Responsible Retailers Forum (RR Forum) has done some excellent work in this area.  This April I attended the RR Forum’s annual meeting which was hosted by the State of Utah Alcohol Control Board in Park City. I have to say this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The mountains and the accommodations were indescribable! 

Under the leadership of Dr. Brad Krevor, the RR Forum has built an impressive collaboration of stakeholders that have some connection to the alcohol industry or its regulation. This group includes representatives from a variety of state and local regulatory agencies, producers, distributors, prevention specialists and community advocates. The RR Forum publishes useful documents which should help anyone in the alcohol industry to conduct their business in a way that meets local community standards and complies with state and local laws. Some of their most notable work is the creation of recommended practices for both on premise and off premise sales. These documents are free and downloadable from the Forum’s website www.rrforum.org . ("Responsible Retailing Forum")

Control States

Utah is one of 18 of what are referred to as control states. After prohibition the individual states were given the option to control the sale of alcohol and became known as “control states”. Alternatively states that leave the distribution of alcohol to private industry are referred to as “open states” like my home state of Wisconsin. In the control model, the state is the sole distributor of all alcoholic beverages. Utah’s Executive Director of alcohol control describes the situation as managed conflict. He points to the agency’s competing goals; on one hand, the state has a responsibility to promote moderation and discourage excessive alcohol use. One the other hand, revenue generated from the sale of alcohol is a significant source of tax relief for the citizens. Last year’s sales were $280 million, $30 million was spent on operating costs and $100 million was returned to the general fund (Kellen).

Utah, like many other control states use revenue to promote responsible drinking campaigns. One such campaign is called Parents Empowered. The state of Utah claims this has been one of the most effective campaigns to date, offering parents a number of tools to both educate their kids and gain the knowledge needed to prevent teen alcohol access ("Parents Empowered").

Green Bay’s Efforts to Reduce Underage Drinking

Compliance checks are still the most common way to determine if businesses are checking ID’s and declining sales to underage people.  A common tactic for police and alcohol regulators is to send an underage person into a licensed establishment to see if they can buy alcohol. Under our traditional approach, both the clerk and licensee were issued citations when a sale was made to our underage buyer. Despite these efforts, our compliance rates were miserably low and citations eroded trust with shop owners who genuinely wanted to comply. Clerks were either not checking ID’s or, they were ignoring the red vertical ID’s clearly labeled “UNDER 21”. Some were overriding the cash register when prompted for a date of birth to complete the sale. Most gave the excuse that they didn’t check the ID because it was busy.  One thing was clear; the weak spot was the clerk at the point of sale but since all we were doing was issuing citations, any opportunity to modify their behavior was lost. While it is true the clerks were making the mistake, managers were setting the stage for success or failure through their store policies and training. We did not study these factors but, if we had, we would have discovered that  training, signage and policies were deficient.

In 2010 we conducted a grant funded research project. One of our conclusions was that enforcement alone was an exercise in futility. Successful strategies in other communities involved a comprehensive approach and methods we had not previously tried. It became apparent that we needed to reward positive behavior and discourage negative behavior so; we adopted a new strategy modeled after something I saw at last year’s RR Forum meeting. Under the new strategy, “Red Card-Green Card,” the licensee received a red card if they failed the compliance check and a green card if they refused the sale. Licensees that are awarded with a green card are thanked and their positive behavior is reinforced. If the licensee failed the compliance check, they received a red card they were required to attend a licensing committee meeting to explain what steps they have taken to correct the problem. When we began the project, the manager was not cited as long as they attended the meeting. Initially we did not cite the clerk but interestingly, the store managers asked us to, explaining the clerk needed an incentive to follow their policies so, we did. We received a lot of positive feedback about the new strategy and by the end of 2010 our compliance rates had jumped from about 50% to 75%, still miserable but better. We knew that there was much room for improvement.

Successful Initiatives

As a police officer I am always looking for some “plug and play” strategies we can use back home. Here are just a few that I recommend.

Respect 21

Respect 21 is a program that involves the use of mystery shoppers to test employee’s compliance with store policy. The store manager sets a policy as to what age should trigger an ID check. Retailers welcome it because the mystery shoppers are of age so there is no risk of citation or sanctions against their license. The mystery shoppers give feedback to the store through the use of the red and green cards and also compile a report showing the overall compliance of all participants. Signage, ID books and other resources are made available to participating retailers. It a program with a documented record of success and is soon to be implemented in Green Bay. This program is sponsored by Miller-Coors and is usually administrated by the local distributor. ("Underage Drinking Prevention Programs")

I caught a CUB!

One such strategy employed by Utah’s Alcohol Control is called, “I Caught a CUB”. CUB stands for Covert Undercover Buyer. What makes the CUB strategy unique is that aside from the penalty, there is an incentive for clerks to check ID’s and decline the sale. If the clerk asks for ID and declines the sale the clerk receives a $50 reward. The store manager also receives the award for creating an environment for success. This combined with other initiatives has boosted Utah’s compliance rate to 96%! 

The Brown Jug Model

Another program which began with the support of a chain of liquor stores in Alaska is called the Brown Jug. The Brown Jug Model also creates an incentive for clerks to detect underage purchases and boasts similar success rates.

        “Community Involvement - Brown Jug introduced legislation providing for a civil penalty against minors that illegally enter licensed premises, minors that solicit adults to purchase alcohol for them, and adults who order or receive an alcoholic beverage to provide to a minor. Minors that are liable for the $1,000 civil penalty are given an option to take a 2 day Prime for Life alcohol education class, a DUI victim impact class, and a sexual assault awareness class to waive $700 of the penalty. The reduced civil penalty of $300 is used to pay bonuses to employees for preventing minors from obtaining alcohol.”

The Brown Jug model has produced impressive results. Brown Jug employees have seized over 2,000 ID’s and passed 54 consecutive compliance checks ("Brown Jug Friendly Spirits").

Server Training in Wisconsin Needs Work

This issue easily justifies its own blog. Just a few basic points here. In order to obtain a license to serve alcohol in Wisconsin you need only attend a the 4 hour Wisconsin Responsible Server Class or for $16 you can take the course online. A family member took the course in 90 minutes and described it as “incredibly easy”. The online method is obviously more convenient but unfortunately there is no way to verify who is actually taking the online course. A colleague at the RR Forum related an instance where two individuals obtained their licenses through an online course and it was later learned that neither spoke English, proving that someone else had completed the online quiz for them. If we know that the weak spot in the system is the clerk, why is so little attention paid to training? I would describe this as a worst practice. ("ServingAlcohol.com")

Conclusion

Some of the best ideas in policing are either borrowed or modified from someone else. My goal in writing this blog was to share some of the best and most innovative strategies in dealing with an issue that is universal. The sale of alcohol to underage people is mainly an act of negligence and one that is highly preventable. Because it is a negligent act and not intentional one, the people whose behavior we are trying to modify respond better to incentives than punishment. That, in my opinion, is why the "I caught a CUB" program and the Brown Jug Model are so successful. While discussing these alternative strategies at the RR Forum meeting I heard this comment, “Why would you pay someone to do something they are legally required to do?” Answer: It works. At least it has in other communities so I am willing to give it a try.

I view every violation as a failure of both the seller and the regulator. Combined strategies that incorporate recommended practices outlined by the RR Forum’s research stand a better chance for success than random enforcement alone. Enforcement, an important component of compliance is but one of many tools at our disposal. Our success will be measured by lives saved, a reduction in human suffering and increased compliance rates, not by how many tickets we write.

Works Cited

"About the RR Forum." Responsible Retailing Forum. Responsible Retailing Forum, 2011. Web. 15 Apr 2011. <http://fcpr.fsu.edu/retail/index.html>.

"Eliminating Underage Drinking in Utah." Parents Empowered. Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control , 2011. Web. 15 Apr 2011. <http://parentsempowered.org/>.

Kellen, Dennis. "Executive Director." DEPARTMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL. State of Utah, 2011. Web. 15 Apr 2011. <http://abc.utah.gov/about/index.html>.

"Preventing Underage Access to Alcohol." Underage Drinking Prevention Programs. Miller Coors, 2011. Web. 15 Apr 2011. <http://www.greatbeergreatresponsibility.com/Alcohol-Responsibility/Retailers.aspx>.

"Responsible Retailing." Brown Jug Friendly Spirits. The Brown Jug, 2010. Web. 15 Apr 2011. <http://www.brownjugalaska.net/index.html>.

"Wisconsin Bartending License Course $16." ServingAlcohol.com. Serving Alcohol Inc., 2011. Web. 15 Apr 2011. <http://servingalcohol.com/wisconsin_bartending_license.html>.

Improving Efficiency: Fixing the Leaky Faucet

Budget cuts in Wisconsin have gained national attention. As government leaders attempt to bridge an estimated $3 billion shortfall in the state’s budget, those charged with carrying out the work of the people continue to look for ways to save money.  Government leaders tend to look for significant cuts and those that will make a sudden, noticeable impact on the bottom line. The most difficult challenge for police administrators is the fact that typically, over 90% of a police department’s budget is labor. Therefore, it is difficult to make any cuts that don’t affect staffing. 

If anything good is to come of a budget crisis, it will be the increased efficiency of government. In policing, improving efficiency means having more resources to devote to public safety. While large ticket items may appear on the surface to make the biggest impact on budgets, we should not minimize the importance of fixing the leaky faucet.

One of the most creative examples I found came from the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. An enterprising staffer discovered that changing the font on their printed materials from Arial to Century Gothic reduced ink usage by 30% , resulting in an annual savings of $10,000 (UWGB Changes Font, Saves Cash).

Automation

A few years ago I attended a training conference for Telestaff, a company that produces scheduling software. As the trainer explained the fundamentals of the software he gave this bit of advice; when implementing your scheduling, look to automate small things that you do frequently.  Managers tend to look for one big thing instead of the little thing you do frequently and as a result we miss this low hanging fruit.  

Approving leave requests is a task managers at the Green Bay Police Department perform frequently. Before implementing the electronic scheduling program, this task involved multiple steps.

The old way:

1. The officer completed a leave slip and brought it to the supervisor for review.
2. The leave request was recorded on a paper roster.
3. The signed slip was routed to the records division.
4. One copy was retained at the police department and another was routed to payroll.
5. Payroll staff deducted the leave from the employee’s account.
6. The slip was filed in a vault at city hall.

The new way:

1. The officer logs into his or her calendar and submits the request.
2. The shift supervisor reviews it and the request is recorded in the system.
3. Every 2 weeks an electronic report is generated for payroll and the leave is automatically deducted from the employee’s account.

Aside from the time savings, the department also realized a significant a savings in the cost of printed materials.

Questioning the System:

Prior to my post in Community Policing I took over the position of Traffic Lieutenant in 2004 and was trained by the person I was replacing. One of my many responsibilities was to review traffic citations, mainly those for more serious traffic crimes such as DWI and driving with a revoked license. Since these offenses were classified as traffic crimes, it required a supervisor to review the information to make sure the elements of the crime were met before forwarding the citation to the courts. 

Each citation was accompanied with a paper printout of the subjects driving record, in police lingo, a 10-27. Here’s where it got strange. The paper the 10-27 was printed on was larger than the citation. In order for it to fit on back of citation, the paper was torn with a metal straight edge, folded in an accordion fashion, and stapled to the top copy of the ticket. With the volume of citations we processed, this task took 10-15 minutes per day. The paper tearing seemed a bit tedious but my colleague assured me it was necessary, mainly because the court commissioner reviewing the case needed to have access to this information at the subject’s initial court appearance. 

Once my colleague retired and I took over his duties and attended traffic court. It was then that I discovered the court commissioner did not see the citations. Instead, the commissioner received a written summary (criminal complaint) which was prepared by the district attorney’s office. I learned that the district attorney’s office ran a new record when they receive the complaint. This was because other charges often appeared on the defendant’s record between the time the citation was issued and the time the matter reached the courts. The court commissioner, district attorney and the clerk of courts all ignored our neat little accordion artwork. When I did some checking to see if the practice was really necessary one of the clerks replied, “I always wondered why you guys did that.”  

Ten to 15 minutes a day may not seem like a lot but when you multiply the time spent on this task over a couple of decades the waste is apparent. Frequent tasks like these have a hidden cost. Their cost is not readily visible and therefore things like this do not draw the attention of administrators. Only front line staffers will detect them.

Enlisting Others

Perhaps we are ignoring those who are in the best position to identify waste and improve efficiency. I doubt the decision to switch to Century Gothic came from senior management. It was likely the idea of someone who was involved in printing or purchasing ink cartridges. Your own employees are in the best position to identify these things but they may be reluctant to point them out if managers do not clearly communicate their intentions. No one wants to put them self out of a job. However, most managers prefer to eliminate waste over eliminating jobs. Employees would likely find more job satisfaction from producing meaningful work as opposed to busy work. The best way to preserve jobs is to improve efficiency and reduce waste. Burst pipes get our attention quickly but leaky faucets often go unnoticed.

Key Points

• Front line staff are the best resource you have in identifying efficiencies
• Question the system
• A fresh set of eyes may detect wasteful practices
• Look for “multipliers”, small tasks that you perform frequently
• Automate tasks when possible

By the way, did you notice the font? You guessed it, Century Gothic.

Cited Works

"UWGB Changes Font, Saves Cash." WBAY Channel 2 News. WBAY, 30 Mar 2010. Web. 30 Mar 2010.

Tactical Customer Service and the Simple Genius of WOW!

In the United States, nineteen police officers have been killed in the line of duty from January 1, 2011 to the first week of February.  Last year, 163 U.S. police officers lost their lives.  Many of these deaths were the result of assaults on officers. Is it any wonder that the majority of American police training is focused on the tactical disciplines and surviving deadly encounters? I cannot tell you if additional training would have prevented any of these deaths but, if we could prevent even one of these tragedies through better training it should, of course, be done. But, let’s not forget that policing is simply a dangerous job. These tragic cases serve to reinforce American police culture’s preoccupation with training the tactical disciplines. YouTube videos and reviews of deadly force incidents have many police officers convinced that there is an armed gunman around every corner. We are reminded every day, “there is no such thing as a routine traffic stop.” As a result we train for the worst. Why do we approach the soccer mom in her van with our hand on our gun? Because, we just watched a video of a guy jumping out of the back of a van with an assault rifle.

How do we balance the need for officer safety with customer service? In my conversations with other police officers I have heard comments like this; “You’re going to get someone killed with that warm and fuzzy crap.”  I suspect this attitude is responsible for the lack of emphasis and training focusing on community engagement in the police world. I want to be clear; I am not talking about shaking the hand of drunk who wants to punch you in the face or taking some unnecessary risk to avoid offending someone. I am talking about something I call “tactical customer service”.

Despite the seriousness of dangers we face we still have a job to do, a very public job that by its very nature requires us to be skilled communicators. But we can’t communicate if we don’t engage the public. Police supervisors and trainers do their employees a disservice by denying them the opportunity to experience the intense job satisfaction of providing excellent customer service.  Putting our police officers in a position where they will be exposed to more community engagement is a start. As a former community policing officer I strongly support foot patrol as one means to improve community engagement.

                “If police officials were unimpressed with foot patrol, however, citizen responses were uniformly positive, even in predominately black neighborhoods patrolled by white officers. Overwhelmingly, fear declined and citizen appreciation for police soared. Foot patrol officers, in turn, were more favorably disposed toward citizens in their neighborhoods and experienced higher morale than did their colleagues who patrolled in cars.” (Kelling and Coles 18)

It is therefore, the responsibility of those in leadership positions to clearly communicate department values of community engagement by reinforcing positive behavior and providing training that enhances an officer’s ability to provide a high level of customer service.

Exactly what is customer service in policing? Is it a quick response, courtesy, fair treatment, giving advice, arresting suspects, resolving complaints? Depending on who you ask, it could be any one of these things. Satisfaction is linked to how well you perform any of the services we deliver. It may be hard to quantify but as Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once said, “I know it when I see it.”

We do it to ourselves

Police culture is an interesting thing. Officers become bonded through mutual experiences and life threatening situations. They become protective and fiercely loyal to each other. At times though, I fear we are our own worst enemy. Department commendations were the most common way for us to recognize our employees. It is not uncommon for an employee who is recognized with some sort of award or commendation to be admonished by their peers. The locker room chatter can be harsh and don’t think it doesn’t have an impact, especially on young officers. It is not uncommon to hear comments like, “Anybody coulda done that”, “I do my job every day and I never get an award” or, “Who was handling your calls while you were milking that one?”

The defunct "Call Milker" award

Officers who spend time trying to solve a neighborhood problem or a simple dispute between neighbors risk being accused of “call milking”. Time dealing with citizens is often mistakenly viewed as “out of service”. On the contrary, the time spent on these citizen interactions is when we are at our best, delivering service, not out of it! Unfortunately, this attitude has become ingrained in police culture. In fact, Green Bay PD even had a call milking trophy, something that looked like a bowling trophy except the figure on top was a cow. Twenty years ago such attitudes were not only tolerated by my supervisors, they were a part of it. It was not uncommon for the Lieutenant or Sergeant to plant the cow in front of the offending officer during shift briefings, humiliating the officer who had the audacity to spend a few extra minutes helping a citizen. That pathetic culture, I am happy to say, is extinct. While pressures continue to exist, the call milking trophy has been retired for many years. Over the last few decades Green Bay PD has been making steady progress toward becoming a customer service oriented agency. 

Clearly, organizational and cultural changes were required if we were to rise to the level of a customer service organization. These attitudes and beliefs are not uncommon in the police profession but fortunately, another promising development came recently as the State of Wisconsin included “professional communications” in the core curriculum of the police recruit academy.

The Simple Genius of WOW!

                In September of 2010 the Green Bay Police Department joined a program called the WOW! Awards. WOW is a nonprofit organization based in the UK whose mission is to promote outstanding customer service. If a citizen experiences an act of outstanding customer service, they can easily nominate the employee on web based form. The nominations are reviewed by WOW in the UK and by our staff at Green Bay PD. If the nomination meets our criteria, the nomination is posted on our website and the employee is presented with framed certificate. [1] 

“As a NOT FOR PROFIT team we are committed to helping organisations reap the benefits of increased Employee Engagement and Outstanding Customer Service by making it easy for your customers to tell you when your people are doing great things.... and then giving your people the recognition they deserve ... to inspire them, and their colleagues, to deliver fantastic service all the time.” ("Catching People Doing Things Right")

WOW! has made it much easier for the public to give our employees positive feedback. Before we implemented WOW! it was common for a citizen to call the shift supervisor to extend a “thank you” to the employee. The shift supervisor typically would call the employee or speak to them personally to pass on the compliment. Unfortunately, this method of recognition is fleeting and has a minimal impact. The simple genius of WOW is that the recognition comes directly from the community to the employee. The citizen gets a feeling of satisfaction knowing their “thank you” turned into something meaningful. The traditional methods of employee recognition still exist; WOW is simply another way for employees to get positive feedback. 

                When we first began WOW! several weeks went by without a nomination. It became clear we needed to advertise it to the community. We began by printing posters and business cards and distributed them throughout the community. Press releases and emails came with the WOW tag line. In a few short months we have achieved 27 nominations from the community for acts of outstanding customer service. 

The stories were fascinating and it soon became apparent that our employees were performing extraordinary acts of customer service that most of us were unaware of. A brief but important nomination recognized two officers who saved a woman’s life who had collapsed at a Green Bay Packer football game. Another pair of officers were nominated for calmly resolving a landlord tenant dispute with a woman who was positively obnoxious. Another officer was “caught” shoveling the driveway of an elderly woman. We later found out the officer has done this regularly for a few elderly widows on his beat, something his supervisors never knew.

“On December 10th at roughly 8:15 am, I drove past a neighbor’s house on the 300 block of S. Jackson. I saw she had a police car parked in front of her house and was concerned because I knew she is an elderly woman living alone. When I drove closer to the house I saw that the officer was helping her shovel her driveway out. Wow! That is customer service! I thought how lucky we are to have officers who haven’t forgotten about the people they serve.”       -Cheryl Renier-Wigg ("Recent Nominations")

Probably one of the most moving stories was that of a young man who committed suicide in his grandparents home. Police had been notified that the man was sending messages to a friend, indicating his intention to commit suicide. Exercising proper tactics, the officers surrounded the home and brought the other family members outside. While preparing for a tactical entry, the young man shot himself. Some of our officers were trained in critical incident management and looked after the family as they dealt with this tragedy. A few days later the grandfather of the suicide victim nominated the officers who handled the call. He was so impressed with the service he and his family had received from the Green Bay Police Department he wanted them to receive the award.

“All of the members of the Green Bay police that were involved with the incident were very professional. They were polite and extremely helpful. At the time of the incident we were very confused and did not understand everything that was happening. The officers helped us through a very difficult time.” -James Eland ("Recent Nominations")

We understood what a personal thing this was so we asked if he would like us to keep the nomination off the website and private. The man’s reply was “No, everyone should know what great service we received.”  I delivered some of the nominations to a shift briefing and one of the officers approached me. He thought it was odd that he was receiving an award when they had failed to stop the young man from killing himself. “The guy died and now I’m getting an award? This seems kind of wacked.” I explained to him and the rest of the officers that the award was not from me or the department, it was from the family. They were receiving it not because of what happened but because they treated the family with compassion and provided outstanding customer service.  The officer received a round of applause from his peers. Now, thanks to WOW!, everyone knows what excellent customer service these employees are providing. It has special meaning and credibility because it comes directly from the citizens we serve.

WOW! has also helped us to identify patterns of conduct. In just one month records clerk Lisa Wachowski was caught three times delivering outstanding customer service. The nominations are not limited to police officers and they reveal the value of involving all employees in the process.

“My WOW was in the incredible care Lisa took of me filing my first request for open records in Brown County. She led me through the procedure, never making be feel ignorant, and was very precise in her questioning. She's also a WOW person because her cubicle radiates sunshine on a gray Wisconsin day, like today, January 5, 2011, the day I met Lisa at the window.” -Thomas Gerleman ("Recent Nominations")

Derek Williams, founder of WOW! has stumbled across something that is having a remarkable impact on policing, employee morale and, at the same time, promotes positive community engagement. “When the spotlight shines on your peers and stories are told about their actions, they become role models (Kouses and Posner 313).”  

Tactical Customer Service

I have said that it is possible to provide outstanding customer service and still be safe. The two concepts are not, as some would argue, mutually exclusive. For example, Officer Tracy Liska met with a family who had reported their son a runaway. Tracy works one of the busiest shifts but that did not keep her from following up with the family a few days later to offer additional assistance.

“She took the time to console me and my family while gathering information about my son. As she was driving away to look for him, my son pulled up. Tracy stopped and pulled Mathew (my son) aside to explain to him why he didn’t want this to happen and why he needed to follow a better path. Tracy even acted as a mediator between my son and I before she left. I thought that was it, but Tracy even called a couple of days later to make sure he was following the rules she helped to enforce. I think the fact that she stopped to talk to him was a WOW moment, but then she called to follow up! Tracy showed that she is a truly caring officer.” -Jeanine Hammes ("Recent Nominations")

The day the award came in I happened to see Tracy while she was in the station. I informed her of the nomination and congratulated her. Within an hour Tracy had made a traffic stop on a man intent on suicide by cop. Tracy acted according to her training, quickly and skillfully subdued the man before he could reach the knife he was carrying. Here was an example of an officer who had delivered excellent customer service and used proper tactics to diffuse a deadly situation.

My out of car experience

Many years ago as I walked my beat I had what I have often referred to as one of my “out of car experiences”. I had been on foot patrol in a neighborhood where a stolen car was pulled over the night before and spoke to a resident of the neighborhood. At least four squads were involved and you can imagine the spectacle it created with sirens, red and blue lights, and the sound of shotguns racking. This otherwise peaceful residential neighborhood witnessed what we train for, a felony stop with guns drawn. The incident was conducted in textbook fashion, complete with an officer giving commands over the PA, the suspects taken into custody, and finally the suspects were handcuffed and driven away. One squad remained behind for the tow truck. Once the car was removed, the squad drove quietly away. The officers performed admirably and did everything as they were trained. They safely took the suspects into custody, the car was recovered and the situation was contained. No one was hurt but what had we missed? 

The woman explained to me what she witnessed the night before and asked repeatedly if it was safe to let her kids out to play. I assured it was, she had simply witnessed what we call a high risk stop and the occupants probably had nothing to do with the neighborhood. I saw relief in her eyes. As I walked away it occurred to me how simple it would have been to leave one officer behind for 10 minutes to knock on a few doors and let those people know that everything was OK. It would be an experience that I would remember the rest of my career. 

Now, as a police supervisor, I assign staff to knock on the doors of the neighbors whenever there is a show of force like that. The reaction is always positive and the officers are almost always thanked for their service. We police supervisors should not deprive them of that experience. We should not deprive the public of this information. This is community engagement at its best. 

So, you see I am not talking about shaking hands with a drunk that wants to smack you in the head or making nice with a psychopath while he is sizing you up. Use tactics when you need them, act swiftly and according to your training but, deliver good customer service when you can. Both are skills that are required of us as we serve the public. It’s up to us to know when to use them. This is what I call “tactical customer service”.

Works Cited

"Green Bay Police Department's WOW Awards." Recent Nominations. The WOW! Awards, 11 Jan 2011. Web. 6 Feb 2011. <http://www.us.thewowawardswebs.com/gbpolice/recent_nominations.php>.

Kelling, George, and Catherine Coles. Fixing Broken Windows. 1st Edition. New York, NY: Touchstone, 1996. 18. Print.

Kouzes, James, and Barry Posner. The Leadership Challenge. 4Th edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2007. 313. Print.

"The WOW! Awards." Catching People Doing Things Right. The WOW! Awards, n.d. Web. 6 Feb 2011. <http://www.thewowawards.co.uk>.

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[1]  WOW! began initially with business organizations but the Merseyside Police Department (UK) adopted the program under the leadership of Police Superintendent Andy Fisher. Fisher saw the value of WOW! in policing by the way that it promotes customer service and community engagement. Merseyside went on to win national recognition for customer service and WOW! has now spread to several other police departments in the U.K. and the U.S. (http://www.thewowawards.co.uk)