Shift Change at the P.D.

At this morning’s accident on Route 47 at McConnell Road, one driver commented on the long response time of the Woodstock Police Department. He said it was probably shift change.

And it probably was. I believe that Woodstock Police change shifts at 8:00AM, 4:00PM and 12:00 Midnight. This causes me to wonder if, in a small town, having shifts change for all officers at the same time is an archaic procedure that needs to be adjusted. If all the officers finishing their shifts were at the police station and if all the day officers were in roll call to find out what had happened on the last shift, then all officers are off the street three times a day. For how long?

We know that police officers are very lucky if they work only 40 hours/week. They don’t get to return to the station 30 minutes before the end of shift, so that they can gas up the car, check the oil and tires, do a thorough vehicle inspection so that they won’t be accused of not reporting damage, finish their paperwork and leave right on time.

What plans exist to dispatch an officer without delay, if he is needed, and have him on his way within a minute? The officer going to his patrol vehicle at the beginning of a shift should expect it to be in running condition, all lights working, siren working, radios working, everything right where it should be. Well, maybe this happens at Utopia P.D. It certainly doesn’t happen at very many police departments, anywhere.

Having all cars off the streets at 8:00AM on weekdays? Definitely a plan in need of adjustment. They need to be out on the streets when school children are on the way to school and commuters are speeding and running those red lights.