WS - E - Analysis of Police Department Staffing

Table 4: Staffing Deviation Sample Time Needed Schedule Deviation Needed Current Deviation 12 AM 17 15 -2 17 12 -5 1 AM 16 15 -1 16 12 -4 2 AM 17 15 -2 17 12 -5 3 AM 13 15 2 13 12 -1 4 AM 11 15 4 11 12 1 5 AM 11 15 4 11 12 1 6 AM 9 18 9 9 12 3 7 AM 17 18 1 17 12 -5 8 AM 15 18 3 15 12 -3 9 AM 15 18 3 15 12 -3 10 AM 16 18 2 16 12 -4 11 AM 18 18 0 18 12 -6 12 PM 19 18 -1 19 12 -7 1 PM 19 18 -1 19 12 -7 2 PM 19 18 -1 19 12 -7 3 PM 20 18 -2 20 12 -8 4 PM 18 18 0 18 12 -6 5 PM 14 18 4 14 12 -2 6 PM 13 15 2 13 12 -1 7 PM 17 15 -2 17 12 -5 8 PM 16 15 -1 16 12 -4 9 PM 15 15 0 15 12 -3 10 PM 15 15 0 15 12 -3 11 PM 15 15 0 15 12 -3 Total Deviation 21 -87 Variance 7.1 7.7 In a perfect system, the deviations would all be zeros, and demand would be met perfectly by appropriate staffing. Since this is impossible to achieve, best fit is the desired state. Adding up the deviations over the 24-hour day results in the surplus/deficit of staff on patrol. The term “variance” is simply a calculation that portrays the amount of variability in the deviation between demand and supply, or workload and staffing. The best fit seeks to minimize the variability to the greatest extent possible. Large differences between workload and available staff would indicate a poor fit and this would be captured by the level of variance. Taking all these factors together permits a comparison of the current staffing with the proposed staffing of 33 officers assigned to two 12-hour shifts. The total number of deviations 22