Police agencies of today are feeling the pressures from the public, the media and in some cases – their own officers to create audacious solutions aimed at “fixing” the negative aspects of the policing culture. These agencies are also strapped on funding, facing internal engagement and morale challenges and are always under the microscope of critics from all sectors while they try to keep neighbourhoods feel safe.
These challenges have existed for decades and can be seen in police agencies around the world. An interesting concept that may help to move the needle of progress for police services is the implementation of an organizational and community innovation hub.
Banks, telecommunication companies and many for profit organizations have invested in the creation of innovation hubs to inspire productivity and drive intrepreneurship. The innovation hubs in the financial industry have proven viable and have demonstrated efficiencies and the ability to bring value to their organizations. Bold police leaders can bring these same results through police innovation hubs for their communities.
Police officers spend most of their time in communities solving problems and challenges each and every day. Often, these police members have solutions that can solve larger challenges facing police organizations as well as issue in the communities they serve.
Organizational barriers exist that prevent the police employees from coming forward with solutions to implement. In some cases, the officers may not have the skills or the time individually to present an idea, consider and consult with affected stakeholders, determine resources required, determine value of the initiative, articulate the impact of the change and finally record the considerations into a business plan that is effective and clear enough to be presented to key decisions makers, including the chief of police.
Police Innovation Hubs would encourage ideas to be brought forward, regardless of how vague the concept is. They would allow for a member to present an idea to a team that is open and willing to discuss the concept collectively and determine what problems the idea solves and the value it brings to the organization and the community. During this idea development process, the member who presented the idea will learn about the organization, the units affected by the idea and the process of continuous improvement.
Police innovation units are dependent on contributions of the group as a whole. The direction of hub teams are not based on the traditional hierarchy where the bosses and experts make all of the decisions. The environment is that of collaboration, shared understanding and shared vision. Every member will be encouraged to contribute his or her slice of genius to help can co-create the workplace they will inherit in the future.
The majority of change that currently occurs within most police agencies is generally from the top down. Initiatives are usually commenced from the command level and implemented across the organization. This is the traditional method of implementing change. It has worked for decades, and its successes are based on models of years past. Police agencies have traditionally been resistant to change and in many cases rigid in development; however, the rules of the past are changing at an accelerated pace. The innovation hub promotes the concept of grassroots ideas, organizational support and incubation to develop improvement and change from the front lines. It provides opportunity for our all members, regardless of rank or seniority, a space where they can share their insights and innovation, while contributing to organizational advancement.
A large police agency in Canada recently conducted an internal employee engagement survey. The survey received over one thousand responses that indicated the following:
- People want to excel
- Police officers want to know that they make a difference
- They want to be free to take intelligent risks
- They want to feel that:
- They are competent
- They are trusted
- They are heard
- They are appreciated and valued
Police innovation hubs would address these concerns by promoting the freedom to innovate, share and communicate ideas. They would shift the power to improve the organization and how officers deliver services to communities. A hub would provide new methods, which combine the knowledge, expertise, technology and creativity of police employees.
Police agencies pride themselves on the hiring and retention of highly diverse, educated police officers and civilian members. To maintain this retention and attraction to police organizations they will need to consider the needs of a generation known as the “millennials”. This demographic will soon dominate not only the front lines but entire organizations. The “millennial” demographic has been identified as having certain traits due to the generation they grew up in.
These traits include being tech-savvy and connected, requiring flexibility as well as recognition, and the need to be involved in a collaborative process. Policing generally has maintained a rigid culture in a top-down organization. The creation of this hub will provide a forum for not only the “millennials,” but for the entire organization to examine the status quo and make recommendations for improvement or change.
Leaders of today are required to understand the internal and external context of their organizations. This includes the organization’s future context. The needs of future police leaders would be demonstrated in the implementation of a police hub.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield recently highlighted three things on leadership: 1) lead by example; 2) continuously strive for improved competence; and, 3) delegate down to the lowest level giving as much authority as possible to the lowest ranked people on your team.
As an organization that innovates, police agencies may need to alter the conventional ways of bringing ideas to decision makers for approval and implementation. Innovation typically takes a village. This village needs to know they had a hand in the creation of the place they work or live.
Technology is transforming virtually every sector and every entity at an accelerating pace. Traditional barriers to entry are melting away. Heavy structures, red tape and old ways of working threaten public agencies ability to be relevant. Innovation hubs will provide the structure that will help organizations be quicker, more agile and able to communicate effectively within police agencies and with the communities served.
External partners not only want to know what is happening in the police agencies in their communities, but they want to be part of the solutions. Including engaged citizens, academics, social service providers and other government agencies in the problem-solving process will add depth to the response or solution.
Policing typically has been a closed organization. Transparency is what the public, the media and the civilian oversights have been asking for historically and today. The external partners will provide a diversity of perspectives for police agencies when they are considering innovation and improvement to processes and service delivery.
This collaborative group will demonstratively have a “look around the corner”. Both Service members and external partners will have the opportunity to plan for the future, share ideas and be ahead of the curve of change.
Police members have already established relationships with numerous community members through their community consultative networks, other government agencies, advisory boards, steering committees, universities, the Police Services Boards, civilian oversights, business owners, and other critics. Individuals in these groups would bring an array of perspectives in a hub environment and should be included in hub development to provide a new lens on issues.
Diversity is the key to the development of Innovation Hubs. They are intended to be a marketplace of ideas and communication, where the team can amplify the differences and collectively discover solutions. These differences may be biological, physical, functional, political, cultural and socioeconomic. It is the diversity of perspectives that is required for a true collaborative initiative. The variety of perspectives will provide insight, understanding and more creative and inclusive solutions. Police Hubs will allow for all members, internal and external to connect and build trust, while cooperating to achieve shared goals.
External partners may also develop as a result of this process. They will be provided with a front-row seat to the complexity of issues police organizations face and have a hand in the steering of the solutions of the future. The entire group will acquire skills and develop a greater understanding for implementing change.
It is important for Police members and external partners to understand that Hubs will function as true collaborations. Police members cannot not discount the viewpoints of the external members with a disposition of “they don’t understand us”. It is the collaboration that will ensure all of the innovation partners understand the complexity of the issues or ideas being explored. This understanding may take time, especially when external partners first participate with this team. This understanding will grow with time and understanding and it is through this long-term commitment that the strength of the team will develop momentum and value.
Written by: Shari MacKay, Co-Founder, Awesome Eh?
Reviewed by: Jennifer Jordan-Saifi, Co-Founder, Awesome Eh?