In 2006 the City Council adopted five ambitious goals that will enhance accountability and service delivery to the citizens and visitors to Wichita.  The goal of providing for a safe and secure community significantly impacts the Wichita Police Department.  In addition to the safe and secure community goal, the City Council adopted three indicators which are:  maintain and /or improve response times and the crime rate, improve environmental health and community safety, and maintain and /or improve citizen perception of public safety.  In an effort to accomplish the City Council’s ambitious goal and indicators, the Police Department has established the following long term goals and strategies.  For a printable summary click Here.

1.  Safe and Secure Community

A.  Enhance the Wichita Police Department’s commitment to our community policing philosophy.

Strategies:

1. Provide ongoing basic and/or advanced community policing training for all department members which emphasize the concepts of:
   ·   Proactive approach to community safety
   ·   Prevention of crime and fear of crime
   ·   Partnerships with community members
   ·   Problem Solving with an emphasis on quality of life issues
2. Empower citizens through education and participation
3. Promote the use of current awards/recognition for problem solving projects
4. Encourage a community policing emphasis throughout the organization:
   ·   Maintain involvement in school based programs (i.e.; School Liaison, Youth CPA, PACK)
   ·   Correspond with citizens through fliers, newsletters, website, and e-mail
   ·   Translate additional documents to improve cross-cultural communication

Assigned to:  All Divisions
Due Date:  Ongoing - Reported Annually

B.  Continue to identify and respond to the effects of city growth regarding the delivery of public safety services, in order to; maintain and/or improve response times and the crime rate, improve environmental health and community safety efforts, and maintain and improve citizen’s perception of Public Safety.

Strategies:

1. Conduct an analysis of demographics, call load, weighted call load, annexations and proposed annexation to determine:
   ·   The need for a 5th Patrol Bureau in the downtown area
   ·   The appropriate distribution of personnel and resources
2. Re-evaluate business processes related to city growth
   ·   Involve other City Departments, local agencies, and community groups as appropriate

Assigned to:  All Divisions
Due Date:  Ongoing - Reported Annually

C.  Maintain index crime clearance rates at or above the national average for comparable cities, and routinely evaluate other clearance rates and enforcement activity, as necessary, to proactively respond to community needs.

Strategies:

1. Routinely analyze crime trends
2. Share information on successful strategies internally and externally
3. Continue to develop partnerships to address crime trends and ensure timely closure of POP complaints
4. Work with local media to disseminate information to the community
5. Work with legal and political organizations to provide WPD input on legislative issues 
6. Partner with community organizations, other law enforcement agencies and Non-Government Organizations (NGO) to reduce victimization and the fear of crime
7. Train officers and citizens to recognize and respond to crime trends
8. Utilize technology for the identification and prevention of crime.

Assigned to:  All Divisions
Due Date:  Ongoing - Reported Monthly/Annually

D.  Conduct an analysis of specific Departmental operations and functions.

Strategies: 

1. Routinely review:
   ·   Task force participation
   ·   Community programs (i.e.; Youth Citizen Police Academy, Christmas Crusade, Crime Stoppers)
   ·   Specialty unit staffing, mission, and operational effectiveness (i.e.; SWAT, EOD Unit, Air Section, Mounted Unit, K-9 Unit, etc.)

Assigned to:  All Divisions
Due Date:  Ongoing - Reported as review is completed (SWAT 2007, K-9 Unit 2007, etc.)

E.  Continue to develop Homeland Security strategies.

Strategies:

1. Continue Homeland Security efforts with an emphasis on equipment, training, and interagency and community partnerships
2. Review/update the existing Emergency Mobilization Plan
3. Comply with State and Federal Mandates (i.e.; NIMS)
4. Enhance the safety and security emphasis for publicly owned infrastructure
5. Continue participation in the South Central Regional Homeland Security Council
6. Co-sponsor quarterly industrial security and area Police Chief’s meetings with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office

Assigned to:  Support Services Division, Chief’s Office
Due Date:  Ongoing - Reported Annually

2.  Economic Vitality and Affordable Living

A.  While the Wichita Police Department’s Strategic Agenda does not specifically address this Council Goal and Indicator, the overall agenda influences economic vitality and affordable living issues.  

3.  Efficient Infrastructure

A.  Evaluate the Department’s infrastructure to ensure members have a professional physical work environment that maximizes performance and customer service. 

Strategies:

1. Conduct a space utilization study
   ·   Evaluate the suitability of all police facilities
   ·   Remodel, relocate, or build substations to focus on efficiency and customer service
   ·   Ensure ADA compliance in all police facilities 
   ·   Include recommendations in the Capital Improvement Plan
2. Evaluate police facilities to address Homeland Security concerns
3. Partner with SCSO, Emergency Communications, and the U.S. Military on planning and construction of the Heartland Preparedness Center (HPC)
4. Strengthen the disaster preparedness status of police facilities

Assigned to:  Support Services, Field Services
Due Date:  Ongoing - Reported Annually

4.  Quality of Life

A.  Develop and implement new or improved quality of life strategies that enhance our partnerships in the community, with a continued emphasis on youth and the elderly.

Strategies: 

1. Allow Department members to utilize flextime to mentor youth and work with citizens on projects, neighborhood concerns, and specific crimes
2. Encourage Department personnel and citizens to be joint problem solvers
3. Foster new partnerships with community members, businesses and organizations
4. Continue to present opportunities for the media to cover police and community projects/events 
5. Encourage continued police and citizen involvement in existing programs (i.e.; Neighborhood Associations, Neighborhood Watches, Citizen’s Police Academy, Communities in Schools)
6. Continue collaboration with the Racial Profiling Advisory Board
7. Active involvement in the City’s Stop Blight Program

Assigned to:  All Divisions
Due Date:  Ongoing - Reported Annually

5.  Core Area and Neighborhoods

A.  While the Wichita Police Department’s Strategic Agenda does not specifically address this Council Goal and Indicator, the overall agenda influences the core area and neighborhoods. 

6.  Internal Perspectives

A.  Communicate and demonstrate the Wichita Police Department's Mission and Values to members of the Department and community by: 

Strategies:

1. Including them in presentations to community groups
2. Publishing a monthly Department Newsletter to provide information and recognize employees who successfully integrate community and traditional policing approaches to problem solving
3. Utilizing the Intranet and the Internet
4. Recognizing individual expression in performance appraisals
5. Including them in the promotional process
6. Encouraging their use in documents and presentations utilized to communicate with those who speak languages other than English
7. Our participation with community organizations

Assigned to:  All Divisions
Due Date:  Ongoing - Reported Monthly/Annually

B.  Continue a comprehensive recruiting plan that reflects our commitment to a diverse workforce, mirroring the community. 

Strategies: 

1. Continue to partner with community members, private and public organizations, with an emphasis on participation in cultural and gender specific events
2. Make use of City resources to disseminate recruiting information
3. Utilize traditional and non-traditional resources (i.e.; media, Internet, radio, public speaking engagements)
4. Analyze exit interview data
5. Employ school based resources
6. Update recruiting material

Assigned to:  Support Services
Due Date:  Ongoing - Reported Annually

C.  Continued evaluation of the Department’s pay structure to ensure that compensation is commensurate with the responsibilities of the position.

Strategies: 

1. Evaluate ongoing salary compression within the Department
2. Identify the impact of salary compression on the promotional process
3. Explore a “pay for performance” system

Assigned to:  All Divisions 
Due Date:  Ongoing – Reported Annually  

D.  Continue to enhance the Department’s information and technology capabilities. 

Strategies:

1. Continued analysis of advanced technologies (i.e.; Internet, voicemail, handhelds, DL scanning, digital photography)
2. Search for grant money available to fund IT enhancements
3. Provide technology training to personnel
4. Continue routine meetings with IT/IS
5. Acquire additional IT services for all Department employees (i.e.; Outlook, GeoCrime, Internet)
6. Explore the expanded use of data entry by field personnel
7. Collaborate with IT/IS to develop a long-range, comprehensive technology plan

Assigned to:  All Divisions
Due Date:  Ongoing - Reported Annually

If there are questions regarding the Police Department’s 2007 - 2011 Strategic Agenda, please call me at 268-4158.

Norman D. Williams

Chief of Police