service agencies value results over statistics, and their members describe themselves as having a guardian as opposed to warrior mentality. Enduring public safety departments are results driven agencies led by results driven individuals. The fully consolidated public safety department model does not lend itself to a statistically driven approach or attitude. PSOs switching job functions numerous times each shift (police/fire/EMS) simply do not have time to chase statistics via traffic stops, citations, arrests or medical transports. The rationale behind this conclusion is the fact that many of the services provided by PSOs are extremely time-consuming events (arrests/ active fires/medical emergencies). THE IMPORTANCE OF POLYMATH LEADERSHIp The unique nature of public safety director position requires any municipality considering adopting the public safety department model to place great emphasis on leadership development and succession management programs. It is undeniably a laborious post that requires an individual with a truly comprehensive skillset. This individual simultaneously oversees the operation of three emergency service entities. Thus, he or she is required to display superior knowledge, skill and abilities in all three vocations via verbal and written presentation. They must continuously stay up-to-date on the modern principles and practices of police/fire/EMS operations, prepare and administer an annual budget, and exhibit knowledge of the principles of effective administration with a focus on police, fire and EMS policies and practice. Additionally, he or she is forced to make three times the decisions of a singular police chief, fire chief or EMS director with regards to staffing, resource allocation and the overall wellbeing of the agency. An individual that has spent his/her entire career working in a municipal police department (like myself) may not be well suited to manage a public safety department with full time fire and EMS capabilities.Thus, it behooves these agencies to focus on succession management and internal leadership development. When adopted under the correct circumstances, the public safety department model can provide municipalities with efficient and cost-effective emergency services. However, it is not appropriate in all locales, and the ability of public administrators to properly future forecast their municipality’s growth potential is of the utmost importance. It will be viewed as a significant policy failure if stakeholders make the decision to consolidate their municipality’s emergency services, only to be forced into deconsolidation a few years later as the model cannot adequately meet their citizenry’s specific emergency service needs. department. The overall goal of the project was to determine the factors that contribute to the continued operation of the public safety department model within municipalities.The three most prominent themes derived via qualitative analysis of collected data all related to size. Those being small service area, low annual call volume and a small population to serve. What makes the public safety department model such an attractive option to smaller municipalities, the efficiency associated with one PSO’s ability to do the job of three, is exactly why the model is not appropriate in an urban setting or a sprawling jurisdiction. The model loses all its efficiency when PSOs are forced to respond distances regardless of the call type (police/fire/EMS). Proponents of the public safety department model tout the dynamism of PSOs and the fact these officers are never simply sitting at the station.Therefore, PSOs respond to all police calls for service in an extremely expeditious manner.And while working in a small service area, PSOs possess the ability to quickly drive to the station in their patrol car, jump into the fire engine or ambulance depending on the respective call for service, and respond accordingly. OUTCOME-BASED EMERGENCY SERVICE Both public administrators choosing to adopt the model as well as those chosen to lead the agency (public safety director/chief/etc.) must adhere to an outcome-based service delivery model. Outcome-based emergency 12 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 11, ISSUE 11
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx