SUCCESSFUL POLICE RISK MANAGEMENT: A Guide for Police Executives, Risk Managers, Local Officials and Defense Attorneys
by G. Patrick Gallagher
Why would you want to read this book? Because I will share a process with you that I developed and refined during my 30 years in leadership and management positions in law enforcement at the local and state levels, and in consulting with agencies in all 50 states about the critical problems of liability.
What is this process? The Six Layered Liability Protection System is truly an uncomplicated process producing a highly effective and efficient management environment which reduces liability and risk while elevating officer, supervisory and management performance.
What is the most important factor? When law enforcement agencies provide service to a community, the quality of that service depends entirely on the level of performance of the officers involved. Poor performance creates liability problems; and high level performance is the key factor in creating and maintaining quality service which if achieved satisfies the citizens and reduces the risk of liability. Putting it another way, policies, training and supervision are necessary inputs into the organization, while high level performance is the only acceptable outcome. Every complaint, claim or lawsuit is in reality a criticism of the quality of performance! That is what plaintiffs’ attorneys thrive on.
How as a police chief do you manage liability? You create an organization that is powered by individuals whose performance is aligned with professional standards and the policies of the department, who know the federal and state laws that govern their duties, who have been properly trained and held accountable through the oversight and quality assurance provided by high performing supervisors. You set up a support structure that is unerringly focused on high level performance.
What prevents police executives from being more successful at decreasing the number and impact of lawsuits? For too long the police profession’s efforts at reducing liability and diminishing the oppressive and resource-depleting burden of litigation have proven less than effective. There are two major reasons our responses have been unsuccessful. The first is that our efforts are not part of a comprehensive process and second our strategies are unresponsive to the points of attack utilized by plaintiffs’ attorneys. Policies have improved pushed by accreditation efforts. Training and supervision still need more extensive improvements. Corrective actions must be the response to performance falling short of training and policies. Have lawsuits been reduced in number? Are we more successful when police officers are sued?
Successful Police Risk Management focuses on the critical factor: the quality of performance, the only acceptable output from a police organization. Policies, training, supervision and corrective action are only critical inputs. THE process which successfully brings together all the necessary factors to improve performance and reduce liability is the Six Layered Liability Protection System, and concentration on the High Risk/Critical Tasks, an understanding of the dynamics of policy, and the role of the insurance/risk management pools. This book provides a focused process which if implemented will guarantee the improvement of performance which results in liability reduction.
Chapters include:
The place of risk management
Understanding liability
The opposition’s game plan
Handling police performance data
Placing the emphasis on the High Risk/Critical Tasks
The meaning of an oath
Professional standards and the dynamics of policies
The Six Layered Liability Protection System
Steps to take before and after litigation
Our allies: the insurance and risk management pools
Moving ahead: suggestions for the road ahead
The author, G. Patrick Gallagher is known nationwide as an innovative proponent for active police risk management. Over the past 30 years he has promoted these ideas in all 50 states, conducted police management studies, audits and risk assessments, and is active as an expert witness.
The book may be ordered from www.lulu.com. Pat Gallagher may be contacted at: gpatrickgallagher11@verizon.net or 610-346-6637.
by G. Patrick Gallagher
Why would you want to read this book? Because I will share a process with you that I developed and refined during my 30 years in leadership and management positions in law enforcement at the local and state levels, and in consulting with agencies in all 50 states about the critical problems of liability.
What is this process? The Six Layered Liability Protection System is truly an uncomplicated process producing a highly effective and efficient management environment which reduces liability and risk while elevating officer, supervisory and management performance.
What is the most important factor? When law enforcement agencies provide service to a community, the quality of that service depends entirely on the level of performance of the officers involved. Poor performance creates liability problems; and high level performance is the key factor in creating and maintaining quality service which if achieved satisfies the citizens and reduces the risk of liability. Putting it another way, policies, training and supervision are necessary inputs into the organization, while high level performance is the only acceptable outcome. Every complaint, claim or lawsuit is in reality a criticism of the quality of performance! That is what plaintiffs’ attorneys thrive on.
How as a police chief do you manage liability? You create an organization that is powered by individuals whose performance is aligned with professional standards and the policies of the department, who know the federal and state laws that govern their duties, who have been properly trained and held accountable through the oversight and quality assurance provided by high performing supervisors. You set up a support structure that is unerringly focused on high level performance.
What prevents police executives from being more successful at decreasing the number and impact of lawsuits? For too long the police profession’s efforts at reducing liability and diminishing the oppressive and resource-depleting burden of litigation have proven less than effective. There are two major reasons our responses have been unsuccessful. The first is that our efforts are not part of a comprehensive process and second our strategies are unresponsive to the points of attack utilized by plaintiffs’ attorneys. Policies have improved pushed by accreditation efforts. Training and supervision still need more extensive improvements. Corrective actions must be the response to performance falling short of training and policies. Have lawsuits been reduced in number? Are we more successful when police officers are sued?
Successful Police Risk Management focuses on the critical factor: the quality of performance, the only acceptable output from a police organization. Policies, training, supervision and corrective action are only critical inputs. THE process which successfully brings together all the necessary factors to improve performance and reduce liability is the Six Layered Liability Protection System, and concentration on the High Risk/Critical Tasks, an understanding of the dynamics of policy, and the role of the insurance/risk management pools. This book provides a focused process which if implemented will guarantee the improvement of performance which results in liability reduction.
Chapters include:
The place of risk management
Understanding liability
The opposition’s game plan
Handling police performance data
Placing the emphasis on the High Risk/Critical Tasks
The meaning of an oath
Professional standards and the dynamics of policies
The Six Layered Liability Protection System
Steps to take before and after litigation
Our allies: the insurance and risk management pools
Moving ahead: suggestions for the road ahead
The author, G. Patrick Gallagher is known nationwide as an innovative proponent for active police risk management. Over the past 30 years he has promoted these ideas in all 50 states, conducted police management studies, audits and risk assessments, and is active as an expert witness.
The book may be ordered from www.lulu.com. Pat Gallagher may be contacted at: gpatrickgallagher11@verizon.net or 610-346-6637.
