DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Director Jerry Russell
It is a privilege to be included in this issue of the Idaho State Police Magazine published by the ISPA. I hope to become a regular contributor, to keep you all informed of upcoming initiatives and ISP’s accomplishments.
FY2008 brought with it many opportunities for success. When I set the agency goals for FY2008, I fully expected that those activities would keep us all busy for the year. By mid-October, however, we had successfully developed the ISP Business Plan, the Five-Year Strategic Plan, and short-term performance measures on which to report to the Governor’s Office; we implemented the Trooper lateral entry program; achieved some initial restructuring to better use our resources; completed a Personnel Allocation Model to drive our future Patrol staffing requests; completed initial implementation of the CHOICE career enhancement plan; and a number of other internal achievements.
In early November, I set more goals with the intention that they be carried out throughout the calendar year of 2008, encompassing the first half of FY2009. Of 10 “Next Steps” published on the ISP Intranet in November, 2007, 6 have already been accomplished.
Patrol is continuing a strong emphasis on interdiction efforts. All officers, all the time, should be looking closely at persons, vehicles and circumstances when carrying out otherwise “routine” enforcement activities. I am convinced that 95% of people engaged in criminal activities are on our highways and the interstate at some time. It is our mission to identify them and disrupt their criminal activities with every contact.
The age and diversity of software in use at ISP has been evaluated to ensure that these tools are appropriate and are currently being updated to meet agency needs.
Continuing with this emphasis on evaluation, ISP has developed and will implement various audit processes to ensure agency efficiency, effectiveness and accountability.
The CHOICE II Committee has successfully implemented year 2 of the CHOICE plan with flat rates for CHOICE points, a change from the initially-proposed salary percentage approach.
I’ve directed command staff to look deeply and continually at employee performance, so that it can be rewarded in a more timely fashion. When an employee assumes extra duties due to a temporary vacancy in another position, or temporarily assumes supervisory responsibilities, or goes “above and beyond” in completing a project or assignment, I want that employee rewarded at the time of the exemplary service through a short-term merit increase.
Across the state, region Captains have developed and are working, their focused enforcement plans addressing high hazardous violation areas. These focused enforcement plans, when combined with the results of the Personnel Allocation Model, will help us identify critical staffing increases and placement needs.
In a few short months, the 2009 legislative session will begin. I look forward to carrying our message of renewal and accomplishment to our germane committees and the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. I am proud of the Idaho State Police as an exemplary state police organization, and each individual employee for your continuing contributions to the ISP mission.
03/20/2009