How to choose the right Extra-duty Scheduling System for Your Agency
For the past 14 years, PowerDetails has helped hundreds of agencies move from legacy processes and systems to a robust and unified platform.
Our platform has grown to accommodate the changing needs of agencies, and we have learned and implemented the best practices for managing extra-duty details.
If your agency is evaluating options to improve your extra-duty process, our team has some advice based on years of helping law enforcement agencies operate more efficiently.
Solving a Small Problem (Creating a System)
Managing extra duty usually starts with a handful of jobs. The process is easy enough to manage with just email, paper, whiteboards, or spreadsheets.
These processes typically involve:
Posting the job via email
Awaiting responses from personnel
A coordinator picks the winner
The officer submits a timesheet
The finance department or the officer sends an invoice
However, as communities grow and special events come to town, the number of off-duty jobs can increase quickly, and the management becomes challenging and prone to errors.
Do we have a good system?
Here is a quick test to help agencies determine if it is time to upgrade to a management system like PowerDetails.
Can you answer the following questions in 5 minutes?
Have we staffed all supervisor positions for the “large event” next month?
Have all the details for last month been paid?
Are we sure nobody worked more hours than the policy allows year-to-date?
Is everyone able to apply for the jobs coming up next month?
Are we recovering the costs for equipment usage (vehicles, uniforms, etc.)?
What should be required in an extra-duty management platform?
Fair Distribution – open the jobs to everyone based on the criteria established in the extra duty policy (Seniority, rotation, lowest extra duty income, etc.)
Fatigue Prevention – Establish limits to allow officers to earn additional income, but prevent them from working so much that they experience fatigue and put themselves and others in jeopardy.
Fiscal Responsibility – account for every hour and every cent, send invoices, and easily collect payment from third parties in need of security services.
Account for unplanned scheduling – Allow users to cancel out of shifts and automatically allow others to apply.
Accountability & Analytics – Every event in the system should be reportable to: identify patterns, take corrective action, improve collections, provide data to auditors, and increase transparency.
The PowerDetails platform is comprised of multiple modules to facilitate the enforcement of the extra-duty policy in a way that is both accountable and fair.
As you set out to find the best solution for your agency, we suggest reaching out to a PowerDetails Team member for a no-commitment needs assessment.
This assessment is a 30-minute meeting where we will share the platform with you and ask questions about your current process to provide the best recommendation to your team.
Whether or not you decide to use this platform, the needs assessment will equip you with the information necessary to offer the best recommendation possible to your command staff.
If you would like to meet with a PowerDetails Team member for a free needs assessment , please schedule a brief web-demonstration with us here
Are you ready to streamline your Extra-Duty Details?
