                        CIVILIAN SERVICES

                               By

                       Bruce D. Wilkerson
                             Captain
           Bowling Green, Kentucky, Police Department


     Police departments nationwide confront increasing demands
for police service without enough officers to respond adequately.
At the same time, law enforcement administrators face the major
dilemma of trying to put more officers on the street without
sufficient funding to pay for them. One remedy for this dilemma
is greater use of civilian employees. Civilianization enables
more sworn police officers to answer service calls requiring full
police powers, while still providing timely service for other
types of calls.

     Traditionally, law enforcement agencies have restricted
civilian employees to clerical duties. Yet, in many departments,
even this limited role has faced some resistance. However, one
State, Kentucky, adopted new legislation that allows departments
to go one step further and employ civilians with limited
enforcement powers.

     Expanding the role of civilians presents some distinct
advantages to law enforcement agencies, but it can also encounter
strong opposition from within the ranks of sworn police officers.
For departments considering civilianization, some hurdles must be
overcome, but the benefits to the department and the community
can be worthwhile.

THE ROAD TO CIVILIANIZATION

     Departments can start the journey to civilianization by
identifying positions that civilian employees can fill. The
National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and
Goals recommends against selecting positions that require peace
officer status, arrest powers, and expertise normally acquired
only through field experience or that contribute to the
professional development of sworn officers. (1)

     In most departments, the first job classifications to
undergo civilianization are those of records clerk and
dispatcher, but even those are subject to debate. Opponents claim
that the public expects to see an officer when visiting the local
police department, not a civilian employee who must consult with
or call an officer from the street. Questions also arise about
the safety of a civilian employee alone at the station during
late hours. (2)

     Neither issue poses insurmountable problems. Granted,
initial contacts between the public and the police department are
very important. However, proper screening during the hiring phase
can help departments to select individuals well-suited for
dealing with the public. Also, sufficient training can prepare
civilian employees to handle the most common situations. Of
course, if an unusual situation develops, an officer or
supervisor is just a radio call away.

     Educating the community about the benefits of hiring
civilians with limited enforcement powers can build support for
the program. Chamber of commerce and city council members, as
well as the general public, usually embrace initiatives that
provide better police coverage at a lower cost to taxpayers.

     Furnishing dispatchers with a safe facility simply requires
minor renovations. Barriers that do not offend the public but
still furnish needed safety can be copied from various commercial
enterprises. These solutions, however, assume that the biggest
hurdle--getting department members to accept the concept of
civilianization--can be overcome.

OFFICER ACCEPTANCE

     The most critical step in implementing a successful civilian
program is to build acceptance among officers. Changing attitudes
and persuading officers to embrace the concept provide the
greatest challenges for the police administrator.

     A very strong bond exists among officers that civilians,
even department employees, do not share. Also, some old-line
officers claim that most positions, especially dispatchers,
require "on-the-road" experience. (3) Such issues usually divide
sworn personnel across all ranks and ages. (4)

     Many officers, however, do recognize the value and
contribution of civilian employees. One study found that both
sworn and civilian employees agreed on the importance of their
respective positions and shared similar employee values.
Civilians, however, placed less emphasis on loyalty to fellow
employees. (5) Veteran officers feel threatened by those who are
not part of the cadre of sworn officers to whom they entrust
their lives. It is management's task to overcome such resistance
and to integrate civilians and officers into a cohesive team.

MAKING THE TRANSITION

     All levels of management collectively must support
civilianization in order to sell it to the rest of the
department. Preparation and planning can make it easier to place
civilian employees in positions previously held by officers. Some
techniques that may smooth the transition include clearly
defining roles and relationships, implementing a familiarization
program, planning periodic meetings between managers of civilian
and sworn officers, and integrating sworn officers with
civilians. (6)
     In the beginning, the role of civilian employees and the
appropriate relationship to sworn officers should be explained to
everyone. For example, civilian dispatchers must understand that
they do not supervise the officers with whom they work. Officers
must also understand that dispatchers have control or authority
over the information needed to do the job properly. From the
outset, managers need to inform civilians that their positions
support the officers in the field and that they were hired for
their contributions to the overall goals of the agency. (7)

     A familiarization program for both officers and civilians
can help to clarify the different functions. Perhaps a limited
tour of duty in the civilian positions for sworn officers and a
ride-along program with sworn officers for civilian employees
would help each group to understand and appreciate their
coworkers' situations. (8)

     Another technique is for supervisors and other midlevel
managers of civilian and sworn officers to meet periodically. The
meetings provide a forum to exchange work-related information and
goals. They may also help civilians and officers to develop
closer, personal bonds. (9)

     Finally, for those special positions that require some
knowledge of the street, sworn officers and civilians can be
integrated. This not only provides easy and immediate access to
specialized knowledge for civilian employees but it also
increases contact between the two types of employees within the
department. (10)

NEW ROLES FOR CIVILIANS IN KENTUCKY

     Beyond the traditional records and dispatch roles, civilians
also can fill positions with limited police powers. Some agencies
restrict such powers to parking enforcement officers or school
crossing guards. In 1992, however, Kentucky passed legislation
enabling municipalities to create two new positions--citation
officer and public safety officer.

     Citation officers issue citations for violations of motor
vehicle statutes (except moving violations), issue citations for
violations of local ordinances that do not constitute violations
of the Kentucky Penal Code, and authorize the removal of
illegally parked vehicles. Public safety officers go one step
further and issue citations for misdemeanors or criminal offenses
committed in their presence.

     These two new employee classifications make it possible for
fully sworn officers to concentrate on more important tasks.
Choosing whether to use citation or public safety officers
depends on the goals of the agency.

HIRING AND TRAINING CIVILIAN OFFICERS
     Prudent personnel selection and effective training are
integral elements to ensure a successful program of this type.
Agencies must be very careful to select individuals who are
capable of providing the best service but who recognize the
limitations of the positions. Some agencies see the potential for
using these positions as a stepping stone to sworn officer
status. However, a real danger can exist when these positions are
used in that way. Police administrators should be cautious
because civilians who want to become sworn officers may overstep
their bounds in an effort to prove themselves. A high level of
frustration with the current situation may develop, resulting in
low morale among the ranks of civilian officers.

     Hiring retired personnel, sworn or civilian, may be a better
choice to fill the civilian officer positions. Retired police
officers have the advantage of knowing the job and having the
respect of the current staff. Civilian retirees bring the
advantage of an outside perspective. The hiring of either type of
retiree avoids the gung-ho attitude found in many young
employees, which may cause them to go beyond their authority.

     The Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training
provides instruction for Kentucky's law enforcement personnel,
including citation and public safety officers. These officers
attend a 3-week training course that covers such topics as
accident investigation, vehicle operations, legal considerations,
traffic-related offenses, and first-aid/CPR. 

     State law mandates this training prior to an individual's
being appointed as a citation or public safety officer. All newly
hired officers receive an additional week of classroom training
from their respective departments. This instruction includes
basic radio procedure, department forms and procedures, and
community relations. The classroom courses are followed by 2 to 4
weeks of field training. All new municipal police department
employees in Kentucky are placed on probation for 1 year.

LEGAL ISSUES

     The employment of civilian officers raises legal issues
similar to those encountered when employing sworn officers.
Liability is assumed by the department and the city when
questions arise regarding adequate training, proper supervision,
or performance of duties in accordance with the law and
department policy. Any employee can be sued, but the city
government provides an insurance policy and defends all city
employees acting in the performance of their duties.

EXPLORING NEW OPTIONS

     Shortly after the Kentucky Legislature modified the State's  
penal code, the Bowling Green, Kentucky, Police Department       
began to explore the potential benefits of increased
civilianization. A review of the department's annual reports from
1989 to 1992 showed that adopting the new employee
classifications could save thousands of work hours for sworn
police officers and thousands of dollars for the department.

     Data from the annual reports showed that it took the
equivalent of six full-time officers to investigate accidents and
issue nonmoving citations. Assuming that officers additionally
spent about one-third of their time performing administrative and
patrol duties, the number of hours spent on these tasks increased
to the equivalent of eight full-time officers.

     Eight sworn police officers at a beginning salary of $19,730
cost $157,840 per year. In contrast, 8 citation or public safety
officers at a beginning salary of $14,81011 only cost $118,480
per year. These civilian officers are not entitled to police
incentive pay, which provides $2,500 to each sworn officer, or to
the enhanced pension benefits received by sworn officers.
Therefore, the department found that by hiring eight citation or
public safety officers, it could save at least $40,000 annually
(about 25 percent) and increase the number of sworn officers
available to respond to calls requiring full police service.

CONCLUSION

     Municipalities in Kentucky have a unique opportunity to
capitalize on the new legislation that permits the hiring of
civilians with limited police powers. Implementing such a program
requires a progressive educational program within both the
department and the community. While significant monetary savings
can be realized from such a program, the greatest advantage comes
from putting more sworn officers on the street to serve the
community.

ENDNOTES

     (1)  National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice
Standards and Goals, "Assignment of Civilian Police Personnel,"
Police (Washington, DC: GPO, 1973), 258-262.

     (2)  James Korczynski, "Civilians in the Police Function,"
Law and Order, April 1978, 26.

     (3)  Ibid.

     (4)  "Growth of Civilian Staff Heralds Dramatic Change in
the Police Service," Police, March 1990, 28-30.

     (5) S.K. Shernock, "Differential Significance of Sworn
Status and Organizational Position in the Civilianization of the
Police Communications Division," Journal of Police Science and
Administration, 1988, 288-302.

     (6) James J. Hennesy, "The Use of Civilians in Police Work,"
Police Chief, April 1976, 36-39.

     (7)  Ibid.

     (8)  Ibid

     (9)  Ibid.

     (10) Ibid.

     (11) The entry-level salary for citation and public safety
officer positions was selected based on the salary of parking
enforcement positions, which are filled by civilian employees.
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