COURT HOUSE – Middle Township Police Chief Christopher Leusner is continuously looking for ways to make his department more efficient. This time the focus was on managing the increasing number of requests for off-duty police officers at sites where construction or utility work impedes the flow of traffic.
Leusner went before Middle Township Committee Aug. 6 to gauge support for his plan to contract out the administrative burdens associated with scheduling off-duty officers for a growing number of job sites.
The off-duty officers and the department’s cruisers help maintain traffic safety through approved work zones.
Leusner took care to emphasize that the department would still perform all tasks related to review and approval of a safety plan for the work site.
“All we are privatizing here is the narrow administrative function,” he said.
Currently, a lieutenant in the department handles requests from contractors, maintains sign-up sheets for officers, and keeps records that allow the Finance Office to ensure proper payment.
That, Leusner said, is not a good use of a command officer’s time.
Private companies can provide those services and are already being used in the state. The companies including Job 4 Blue use technology to simplify the management tasks, respond to contractors 24/7 as needed and absorb any credit risk associated with the process.
Leusner hopes to make use of a private service while maintaining the current rate charged to contractors, $87.50 an hour.
Responding to questions, Leusner explained that an officer at a work site with his cruiser is not there to direct traffic. The officer’s job is to make sure that the safety plan already approved by the department is being implemented properly. The cruiser with lights on is an added warning to drivers to exercise proper caution through the zone.
Successful in gaining committee support at the meeting, Leusner will turn his attention to the preparation of a request for proposal and the start of a procurement process.
The late-night phone calls from a contractor with a change of plans, the last minute need for an officer for unexpected work, and the paper sign-up sheet in the department are all aspects of a system that soon may be replaced.
To contact Vince Conti, email vconti@cmcherald.com.
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