Elements of Planning

Goal: What do you want to attain?

 Example: The goal is to reduce crime in a city.
Course of Action: How would you reach your goal?
 Example: To achieve this goal, there could be regular police operations and intelligence
gathering to combat criminal syndicates.
Implementing Group: Who is tasked to do the actions?
 Example: The police and agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) would
be the primary group responsible for implementing these actions.
Resources Needed: What is needed to accomplish the task?
 Example: Modern technology and vehicles are needed for the operations of law
enforcement agencies. Sufficient funding is also required for operations and training of
police officers.
In this way, the elements of planning are crucial in addressing crime in a community. A clear
goal, action plan, the appropriate implementing group, and adequate resources help law
enforcement agencies maintain order and security in their jurisdiction

Fundamentals of Planning
1. Know your situation:
 What issues do you have?
Law enforcement identifies a rise in drug-related crimes within a particular
neighborhood.
 What resources do you have to improve your circumstances?
They have a dedicated narcotics unit, community policing officers, and access to crime
analysis tools.
 What brought you to this point? Analyze the situation you are in now. Analyzing data
reveals that drug abuse has increased due to economic hardships and unemployment in
the area.
 Know your officials.
This involves understanding the chain of command and roles within the police
department.

2. Know what you want to do:

 What is your aim or purpose?
The aim is to reduce drug-related crimes in the neighborhood.
 Plan out how, where, and when your tasks will be completed before you begin.
 Develop a strategy that includes increased patrolling, community engagement, and
undercover operations.

3. Breakdown your goals into smaller tasks:

 Take the necessary actions to reach your goal.
Tasks include conducting undercover drug buys, organizing community meetings, and
analyzing drug sale patterns.
 Be aware of the initial step to take.
The first step might involve briefing officers and allocating resources for undercover
operations.

4. What are the resources needed:

 Decide what needs to be done.
This involves identifying specific enforcement actions like surveillance and arrests.
 Plan to use your resources as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Ensure officers are trained for undercover work and that surveillance equipment is
operational.
 Engage in "interoperability" with the neighborhood.
Collaborate with local community leaders and organizations to gather information and
build trust.

5. Anticipate problems or changing conditions:

 Practice creating scenarios.
Consider scenarios where drug dealers change their tactics or when community resistance
arises.
 Be prepared to adjust as the environment changes.
Flexibility in tactics and resource allocation is vital.
 Organize believers behind your initiative to spread enthusiasm among others.
Gain support from community leaders who advocate for anti-drug initiatives.

6. Implement your plan:

 Your plan will always be subjected to criticism.
Expect analysis and maintain transparency in your actions.
 Implement your plan after doing your best to make it.
Execute the planned operations, patrols, and community engagement efforts.

7. Monitor the results:

 Evaluate how well your plan is working.
Track drug-related arrests, community feedback, and changes in crime statistics.
  Learn about the challenges and issues that the assigned resources faced.
Identify any obstacles officers encountered during undercover operations.
 Conduct perception studies and get opinions from the business community, the church,
and the media.
Assess how the community perceives law enforcement's efforts.

8. Evaluate the plan:

 The sets of success criteria or indications of success are a component of the plan.
Determine if there's a decrease in drug-related crimes.
 Are you satisfied with the results thus far?
Assess whether the initial goals are being met.
 Do you need to make any changes to your plan's specifics?
Modify tactics if the desired outcomes are not achieved.

9. Document the experience:

 Record everything that occurs.
Keep detailed records of arrests, community meetings, and feedback received.
 Include your write-up in the executive briefs and special reports that you will send to
higher offices.
This documentation helps in reporting progress.

10. Report your experience:

 Inform your peers and supervisors about your experience. Share the results, challenges
faced, and adjustments made. Let them evaluate your strategy or your approach. -Seek
input from superiors to improve future initiatives.

Characteristics of Planning
1) Future-focused thinking refers to a way of considering the potential outcomes of a current
situation or decision in the future. It involves analyzing the impact of the decision or
action taken today on the future and developing strategies that can help achieve desirable
outcomes in the future. This type of thinking requires individuals to visualize and
anticipate the future consequences of their actions and make decisions that are likely to
have a positive impact on the future. It also involves considering potential risks and
uncertainties that may arise in the future and devising strategies to mitigate them.
Because of the unpredictability of the future, future-focused thinking often includes
scenarios planning, where multiple possible futures are considered and strategies for each
are developed. This type of thinking fosters proactive decision-making and helps
 individuals and organizations to be innovative and adaptable in response to future
changes and challenges

2) Contemplating about the future is a mental exercise that involves thinking about possible
outcomes and scenarios that may occur at a later time. This activity often involves a lot of
speculation and analysis. However, it does not necessarily lead to any tangible or material
changes in the present. On the other hand, taking action on the future involves putting
plans and ideas into action. It is about making decisions, setting goals, and working
towards achieving them. This requires taking steps that will impact the present in a way
that will enable the desired outcome to manifest in the future. In summary, contemplating
the future is useful, but it should be accompanied by action. Taking action is necessary to
ensure that the future is shaped in a way that aligns with one's goals and objectives. It's
the difference between merely looking at the road ahead versus taking the wheel and
driving towards the destination.

3) Decision-making is a process where a person or a group of individuals gather information

on a variety of choices, analyze them, and select the best alternative that aligns with their
objectives, constraints, and preferences. The process of decision-making involves four
key steps:

Identification of options - Before making decisions, one needs to identify the potential
options available to them. It requires brainstorming and conducting research regarding
the available alternatives in a particular situation.
Evaluation of options - Once the options are identified, it is crucial to evaluate them
based on various criteria such as feasibility, cost, time, and resources needed, potential
risks, and benefits. During this stage, it is essential to gather information, assess the pros
and cons of each option, and weigh out the trade-offs.
Selection of the best option - After evaluating the alternatives, one needs to pick the
most suitable option that aligns with their goals and preferences. This choice may not
always be ideal or perfect but the one that offers the greatest benefits to potential risks or
drawbacks.
Implementation and evaluation - Finally, one has to implement the chosen option and
monitor its performance over a specified period to ensure it is efficient and effective. If
the option fails to meet expectations, one can reanalyze the options and start the process
again.

In conclusion, decision-making is a systematic process that requires identifying various

options, analyzing them based on various criteria, selecting the best alternative, and
implementing it. It is a complex process that can be improved by adopting appropriate
decision-making frameworks or tool, such as brainstorming.

4) Integrated decision-making refers to the process of making decisions by integrating

various aspects of a particular situation or problem. It considers multiple factors such as
 available resources, stakeholders, risks, benefits, and potential outcomes to arrive at the
best possible decision. Integrated decision-making involves the collaboration of various
stakeholders, including managers, employees, customers, suppliers, and other parties
involved in the decision-making process. It aims to minimize the negative impacts of a
decision while maximizing its positive effects. The process of integrated decision-making
is typically iterative, with ongoing evaluations and feedback to ensure that the outcomes
and results achieved meet the goals and objectives of the decision.

5) Structured process refers to a methodical and organized approach to achieving a desired

outcome. In this context, it involves a specific set of steps that are followed in a
systematic manner to generate a coherent set of choices.

The process for generating these choices typically involves gathering information,
analyzing various options, evaluating potential outcomes, and arriving at a decision. This
decision-making process can involve collaboration between multiple individuals or
groups, and may involve the use of various tools or techniques to aid in the decision-
making process.

The end result of this structured process is a set of choices that are coordinated and
aligned with the overall goals and objectives of the decision-making effort. These choices
are typically communicated and documented in a clear and concise manner to ensure that
they can be effectively implemented and executed.

Overall, a structured process for generating results is a designed to ensure that decision-
making is methodical, rigorous, and effective. By following a clear and structured
process, individuals and organizations can make decisions with greater confidence and
achieve better outcomes in pursuit of their goals and objectives.

Planning Approaches
- these approaches are using of law enforcers in creating and formulating of plans, so we have
here 5 approaches which are the Synoptic Method, Incremental Method, Transactive Method,
Advocacy Method and Radical Method in how we formulate a plans.

A. Synoptic method
-also known as the rational comprehensive approach. This is one of the earliest approach
that they always do. The key word here is problem-oriented approach it means law
enforcers should know what are the problems internally and externally then they will
make a solutions, conclusion and recommendation that our law enforcer may apply to
their duties to prevent any problems.

In order to determine what are the problems is they are going to use the 5 W's and 1 H
 and they will find the best solution and action for it or for that problem. So after they use
or apply it, they already know what the problem is, and they are now going to find if what
of those problems has the best impact and this impacting part could help them determine
and help them to see what are the solutions or factors to solve that problem. After they
analyze the problems and solutions the next thing that they are going to do is to set up
goals and have alternatives. They should always have alternatives in their plans, where in
if there is a failure or closing of doors they still have another plans to do where it can help
them to still achieve their goals.

EXAMPLE: There are complains that are being reported in a police station about a
person who is always drunk and doing unnecessary doings. The police think about the
situation and think of a strategy/approach, they will wait until that person is intoxicated
and that will be the time that they will bring that person to the police station and lock him
up until the next day so that he will not disturb other people.

B. Incremental Method
Incremental concludes that the long range are not only too difficult but inherently bad. So
it means in order for the law enforcers to reach big goals, it takes one step at a time to
attain their goals. Don't look in a long range and live themselves in the present and do
everything that they could within the day. Incremental Method means the problem is seen
too difficult when they are grouped together and easier to solve when they are taken one
at a time and broken down into gradual adjustment overtime.

EXAMPLE: Imagine you're a Police Lieutenant then you are thinking about to make
your rank high. Before you are going to achieve that rank, you need to think about a plan
on how you are going or what are the things needed and what are the steps. One step at a
time will help you achieve that goal.

C. Transactive Method
It is carried out by face to face interaction, where in direct communication with those
who will impacted by the plan. So this is a community-based planning, law enforcers will
conduct surveys ask people about their opinion and experiences and they would tell them
their own perception, so in that they can formulate a plan and that is Transactive Method.
The outcome of this plan is for our benefits, all of the plans created by law enforcement
agencies is for the community it is for our safe and security.

EXAMPLE: Imagine there are problems in the station. The best way to solve the
problem is by conducting a plan on how you will solve that problem. But, we know that it
is better to make and decide about the plan is talking face to face so that we can know
what are the perspective and opinion of the people in the group. There are many
suggestions that will make the outcome of the plan realistic.
 D. Advocacy Method
Beneficial aspects of this approach a greater sensitivity to the unintended and negative
side effect of plans.

EXAMPLE: Imagine there are group of people who plan for advocacy campaign about a
certain problem. The group of people raise their voices so that people in the higher
position will listen to them. There are many voices but they focus on one mission. There
is a beneficiary for all and in their principle.

E. Radical Method

The first mainstream involves collective actions to achieve concrete results in the
immediate future. So it does mean that there is a plan that there is a lot of actions need be
taken.
The second mainstream is critical of large-scale social processes, in this radical method
there are certain actions that could affect the character of social and economic life at all
levels, which, in turn, determine the structure and evolution of social problems.

EXAMPLE: In a station, there are problems that no one can handle easily. So, they come
up with this approach. There are many voices with different mission and perspectives
about the certain problems. They want to create new and big changes but it is hard. Their
action could affect the societies beliefs. Every person has their own belief and this could
lead to another problem. More problems more questions and it is complicated.

Alternative Planning
A. Environment Scanning
It is involves both internal and external. Internal environmental scanning in law
enforcement involves examining the organization's internal operations, such as policies,
procedures, staffing, and budget. This analysis can identify strengths, weaknesses, and
potential areas of improvement. External environmental scanning in law enforcement
involves monitoring the external environment, including changes in laws, technology,
demographics, and social trends. This analysis can help law enforcement anticipate and
respond to emerging challenges and opportunities. Together, internal and external
environmental scanning in law enforcement can help agencies develop effective
strategies, allocate resources strategically, and adapt to changing circumstances. It can
also support ongoing efforts to improve community relations and build public trust.

B. Forecasting
Involves foreseeing results.
 Forecasting in law enforcement is a key tool for enhancing public safety, preventing
crime, and improving efficiency in law enforcement operations. By leveraging the power
of data analysis and predictive techniques, law enforcement agencies can be more
proactive in their approach to crime prevention and resource management, ultimately
leading to safer communities and forecasting enables organizations to make better
decisions by providing insights into the future. It is an essential tool for law enforcement
agencies and individuals looking to manage risks, seize opportunities, and plan for future
success.

C. Benchmarking
It Is the process of looking for replicating (duplicate) best practices.
Benchmarking in law enforcement involves identifying and implementing best practices
and processes used by other agencies with similar demographics. It helps identify areas
for improvement, achieve efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and effectiveness, and improves
community relations and reduces crime rates. The benchmarking process identifies best
practices like data analysis, community outreach programs, and crime-reduction
programs to achieve better results.