Back To Permanent Shifts For GPD
Interim Police Chief Tim Bellamy has announced a return to permanent shifts for patrol officers in the Greensboro Police Department. Officers have been on a rotating shift schedule for the past three years. GPD moved to permanent shifts in the 1990’s, but former Chief David Wray implemented rotating shifts in January 2004 — a change that was met with opposition at the time and has continued to be a problem for the department.
Interim Chief Bellamy charged a committee with studying patrol schedules and making recommendations to increase manpower, morale and self-initiated activity. The committee recommended a 4/4 schedule (four days on, four days off), with a 5/4 compromise. Bellamy chose the 5/4 option.
The committee’s report reveals that self-initiated activity has decreased significantly since the implementation of rotating shifts, apparently associated with a “constant state of fatigue” brought on by shift rotation. Research appears to supports that view.
Most rotating shift workers develop “sleep debt.” Over time, this can result in impaired job performance, as well as diminished motivation and attitude, absenteeism, tardiness and carelessness. The decrease in self-initiated activity noted by GPD’s officers is another example of impaired job performance resulting from sleep debt.
The committee’s report also cites health and safety concerns — again, supported by research. Rotating shifts negatively affect employee health, quality of life and job satisfaction (one link, of many). Rotating shifts cause disruptions in personal and family life and can contribute to marginalization and isolation from the community (one link, of many).
A 1986 study of police officers in New York compared an “experimental group” of officers on fixed shifts with a comparison group of officers working rotating shifts. At the end of a year, patrol officers “reported lower levels of job frustration, fewer physical symptoms of stress, and more positive benefits in their personal lives from their steady tour duty charts. Similar changes were not evident among the comparison group officers [rotating shifts], and it is reasonable to attribute the reduced stress levels among the officers in the [experimental group] to the program operating there.” Researchers suggested that the NYPD consider extending fixed shifts to officers in all precincts, based on their research. Other studies have produced similar findings.
The GPD committee report also notes that “large progressive agencies appear to be realizing the benefits of permanent shifts and implementing change. Police departments are moving away from rotating shifts. In cities with more than 100,000 populations, permanent shift assignments are widely used to facilitate the assignment of officers to shifts according to workload.” Indeed, a 2005 survey found that 70% of larger police agencies employ fixed shifts. [“Larger” was defined as 201+ sworn officers. GPD has 547 sworn officers.]
The available information suggests that the decision to reinstate permanent shifts was the best decision for the department and for Greensboro. I have seen nothing to indicate that rotating patrol shifts contribute positively to the work or the morale of the Greensboro Police Department. I applaud the committee’s hard work and Interim Chief Bellamy’s decision.
Other discussions about this topic:
>> “Why end rotating shifts now?”, on Greensboro City Council member Sandy Carmany’s blog
>> “Rotation notation”, on Ed Cone’s blog
>> “Stable shifts”, on Joe Guarino’s blog
>> “More rotation”, on Ed Cone’s blog
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In L.A., Homeless Counters Count Homeless
In Los Angeles, homeless capital of America, (yes, a dubious honor, indeed), they pay homeless people to count other homeless people during the yearly Point in Time Count. Author (How To Increase Homelessness
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A New Age of Christian Service
“The days are numbered for all rescue missions, the paradigm of christian service has changed a lot over the past 50 years, it’s the dawning of a new age, a better age, where christians actually get involved in the lives of others, instead of just writing a check to someone else to do their ministry for them.”
“Perhaps not in my life time, but soon, churches and individuals will take on a much more involved role in the rehabiliation and care of the wayward. And there will be no more need of such evil places.”
“It’s like we are peeling off another layer from the myth of indulgences.”
– Kevin Barbieux, “The Homeless Guy”
Amen, Kevin. And I’m longing for that day!
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The Face of HIV/AIDS in the Triad
Twenty years ago, 100% of Triad Health Project’s clients were white, male homosexuals. Times have changed.
Today’s THP clients:
- 62% male; 38% female
- 78% black; 18% white; 4% other
- 56% hetero; 28% men having sex with men; 13% IV drug users; 3% other
- 88% live at or below the poverty level
- 40% currently homeless or have experienced homelessness
Learn more; get tested; donate or volunteer to help others: TriadHealthProject.com.
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Apparently, Not Everyone Counts
A baby’s activity center sits in the middle of a homeless camp we visited near downtown Greensboro during the homeless count.
“If you receive federal funding and state funding, you’ve got to count… They not only look at how many we count, but how we count and where we count… It used to be if someone was sleeping on someone’s sofa, you counted (that person) [but] they’re not counted anymore.”
– Gail Haworth, director of the Servant Center, chair of the Greensboro subcommittee of the Homeless Prevention Coalition of Guilford County, and co-chair of HPCGC’s 2007 Point In Time Count of the Homeless, quoted in the News & Record
The “official” 2007 Point in Time Count of the homeless in Guilford County took place between 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 23rd and 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 24th, and totals will hopefully be available within the next week or so. The rules about who “counts” as homeless (and who doesn’t) are frustrating, and the data collection changes in some way with every count. But bottom line: However we define “homeless,” and whatever information we collect in whatever way we collect it, there are still way too many people without a place to call home.
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All The Words
My son and I just noticed that they’re playing Jesus music on Scrubs. Wow…
All The Words by KUTLESS
How do I speak of the indescribable to You?
I will try to explain these feelings that are trure
So looking to the sky I will sing and from my heart to You I bringAll of the words in all of my life
That could never explain and never descrbie
All of my love, which is noting to hide
So I lift up my hands and I worship, I worship YouIn Your presence I forever choose to live
I will praise You for it’s all I have to give
So looking to the sky I will sing and from my heart to You I bringBy your grace you let me come talk to You
It’s not that I’m worthy, I thank you Jesus
For the love that You’ve shownWith all of the words in all of my life
That could never explain and never describe
All of my love, which is nothing to hide
So I lift up my hands and I worship, I worship You
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to those who live (& write & speak) in fear… may you be free
fear
makes you relieved when you return
to your own home
on your own side of town
away from them
who cause your fearfear
means you see everything about them
that’s different from you
and nothing that is the samefear
means you see the worst in them
no matter what they say or how they try
their lies do not fool you
and neither do their tearsfear
means they are your enemy
and you know that they know
although you may not say it out loud
in so many words
sometimes fear keeps you silent
but sometimes it’s strategyyou think that when they see you
they see your fear
but you don’t know
that when they see you
they just see your hate
you would not have known that
but it does make sense
after all
“perfect love casts out all fear”
and your fear is here
because love it not.cara michele, 24 january 2007
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