Computer Aided Resource Management - Case Studies
RCMP Surrey BC Detachment
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The Challenge
Surrey detachment was using an outdated version of CARM software with limited capability. The software was not able to provide the detachment with the required information. A review was conducted to determine the best possible solution. The review determined that the updated version of CARM was capable of providing the information required and allowed for other capabilities to be explored. “We checked more than a dozen other programs being used in North America and found CARM to be more user friendly, more cost effective and much more financially accountable for our needs.” Explained Staff Sergeant Frank Martino.
The Solution
"After seeing the system (CARM, Computer Aided Resource Management) demonstrated we could really see where it would help us do our jobs better." said Staff Sergeant Rick Deets at the RCMP Surrey detachment. "Not only did it meet all of our needs in many cases it looked like it would help in ways we had not thought of."
The new CARM software was installed and the personnel trained. Once the personnel were trained it readily became part of the daily routine. The system allowed for overtime claims to be processed electronically, eliminating the paper forms required of members to make a claim and making the claims timely. Additionally the system is used to auto calculate shift differential and as such saves members from making a quarterly submission for shift differential due them. From the management side several benefits have accrued, such as more timely information being available as well as the streamlining of overtime submission that have saved countless hours of work.
"The learning curve for this easy to use solution was very quick. We were about to go live in no time at all. Its self serve web based interface meant our members could very easily keep their schedules and therefore our management information up to date. we were using it to our advantage with in a week or two of our go live date." Continued Staff Sergeant Deets.
The Benefits
The project seemed like a daunting task at first but is very easy once you get the training. It only takes about 15 minutes a day and you can get a tremendous amount of information and time savings and effort in the long run. No need to manually print or fax to other members that need up to minute knowledge of each others schedules. Just go online and look, that is so very environmentally friendly there is no more printing of minor changes etc just look at them in real time when you need to. Know with confidence that you have the most current information with no second guessing. Once witness schedules are input that information is also be available.
Before CARM we were using 17 different databases to track and manage everything from shift planning to our schedules. Mostly printed and the minute we printed a copy it was out of date. Now all of that is integrated and we can be sure that all is up to date and very useable with CARM. We have a complete picture of all resources where they are and what they are doing at any given minute. This includes any civilian staff so that complete integration is now possible, and for planning and billing purposes we have all the information we need at our finger tips.
We have been able to network with other divisions and detachments to get a best practice of resource management implemented with a minimal degree of effort.
This has been the most cost effective tool we have used in a long while. It is a whole lot more than just scheduling. It is the ability to actually manage with confidence resources and have them deployed on the best fit for the demand we are experiencing at any given time frame. Our members are now able to self serve the simple things like shift timing and overtime claims without the use of any paper. CARM helps with much more timely approvals of overtime claims as it brings up what needs to be approved when a supervisor signs in. Same with annual leave approval if you are next to submit a request it lets you know when you sign in that task is due for you.
As an individual you can get a complete view of your working life. Daily schedule, overtime, training days, time off, holidays, court time, shift differentials, standby time anything and everything they need is at their finger tips. As management, you have all that for your entire team. Budgets are much easier to manage with accuracy. It is all there so you know where your costs and saving are.
Future
After using CARM for two years we have found that our finance people really like what it does for them, Timely billing to communities we serve has saved lengthy explanations when reporting doesn't follow service as quickly as it should. We are constantly networking with our colleagues to find new and better solutions to all our management issues. We have found that CARM helps us look like leading edge management when we meet our counter parts in other regions. We love to share our successes.
Grampian Police (Scotland)
The Challenge
Grampian Police in Scotland has the responsibility for policing the Grampian Region and the Local Authority areas of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray Districts. With some 1, 230 police officers and 400 police support staff the Force is faced with the same challenges as most other modern police forces - increasing demand and expectations from the public in an environment of reducing budgets. This brings with it particular management problems especially in effective resource management.
Historically, resource management involved taking a known resource and dividing it to provide an 'average' level of cover throughout a 24-hour period. In most cases this was an adequate solution, where it did fail was when the demand for resource was greater than the means provided. Grampian Police, recognizing this and the lessons gained through their policing of the Piper Alpha disaster and a number of other major events, were keen to set in place a system which allowed resource deployment plans to be changed rapidly, effectively and efficiently at a moment's notice.
The Solution
"Having examined the marketplace and evaluated the options available it became increasingly apparent that the CARM system (Computer Aided Resource Management) best met our needs," said Chief Inspector Gallagher, the Head of Information Technology and Communications at Grampian Police.
"There were a number of reasons why we selected CARM," added Chief Inspector Gallagher. "Its ability to provide a cost effective solution, its ease of use, which required less training than anticipated, and its high levels of reliability and resilience, were all major factors in our decision."
Before it could be fully installed it was necessary to prove the system to staff and senior managers at Grampian Police Force. This was achieved through a year long evaluation within the busy City Sub-Divisions, the Headquarters CID and Traffic Departments.
With the experience gained in managing change and the reengineering of a number of their processes, Grampian Police were sufficiently impressed by CARM to develop the system to include the remaining three Sub-Divisions and all Support Departments within the Force. The system is now operating on a single NT server and enables Grampian Police to achieve the rapid, effective and efficient system of resource management which it set out to implement.
The Benefits
In using the CARM system one of the most significant gains achieved was an effective method of allocating police witnesses to trials, which was arrived at as a by-product of the initial resource management tool.
The Integrated Scottish Criminal Justice Information System (ISCJIS) members saw an opportunity to make savings by ensuring effective witness allocation and asked Grampian Police to pilot the project on the back of the CARM system throughout the Force.
It has always been known that the paper system of witness allocation failed to capture resource information and invariably led to witnesses being cited to appear on dates which were unsuitable, resulting in as many as 9 out of 10 court appearances being rescheduled. Despite such alarming figures there had never been an alternative system with which to replace it.
Rescheduling procedures mean that a trial can take months to come to court with all the detrimental effects this can have on justice, and, perhaps more importantly, the welfare and health of the victims, their families, witnesses and the accused person. This takes no account of the substantial financial loss to all individuals and organizations involved.
CARM has been installed at Aberdeen District Court for an initial six-month trial. Through relational database technology the new system provides Aberdeen District Court access to duty rostering information for each of the 1,230 police officers within Grampian Police Force, meaning activity can be accounted for more accurately and comprehensively.
The main financial savings made are due to reduced overtime costs, as additional police officers are no longer needed at short notice. The reason for this is that the new system can accurately match the appropriate police witness to the court date taking into account a variety of data including holidays, sickness and other leave.
In addition, statistics for individual staff can be accounted for more comprehensively and specialist individual shift patterns can also be requested, displayed and printed through CARM.
The new computerized system has cut the amount of paperwork by over 50% resulting in a much more efficient resource management system. Utilizing Windows it also provides a user-friendly environment, and as a result, all staff has readily accepted the new system with training costs kept to a minimum.
Chief Inspector Gallagher said: "The results of the trial show that we have the potential to make significant financial savings, as we no longer need to draft in extra officers to cover police witnesses. We are also a lot more efficient within our administration department, saving valuable time and resources."
He added: "Court cases that require rescheduling is a thing of the past, as every court case has been able to take place on the allocated date since the installation of CARM. This is something that has not been experienced before in our history. "
Future
Grampian Police has experienced the benefits of keeping up with technological change and since implementing CARM they have seen a dramatic improvement in their duty rostering procedures.
Grampian Police and Aberdeen District Court are already looking at extending the pilot scheme and installing the system as a long-term solution.
Both parties are keen to integrate additional services into the system including a 'virtual private network' to provide a direct link between Grampian Police Force and Aberdeen District Court. In addition, they are also interested in developing an electronic mail system and web-browsing facility utilising the Internet.
Chief Inspector Gallagher concluded: "The sharing of information has proved to be a highly successful project, and due to the combined success of this pilot scheme other police forces across the country are also interested in the CARM system."
