The Edward Norris case is very essential for business people given the various crucial lessons it has. To begin with, the case puts forward various strategies that have been used to combat crime in Baltimore. From the case study, it has been proofed that not all the strategies that are implemented by somebody can work.
While the commissioner of Baltimore Police Department (BPD) had been trying to come up with the best ways of addressing the rising criminal activities in the area, crime was on the rise. There had to be a change not only of policies, but also of the people involved in implementation of these policies in order to mitigate criminal activities.
On the same note, the case study explicitly outlines the security situation in Baltimore. It should be noted that security is key for every business person.
People want their property to be safe. Moreover, nobody can feel safe and confident to work in a place where it is highly likely to be killed by criminals. The case study outlines clearly the security situation of Baltimore and how the police department is tackling the issues. Arguably, investors and even customers tend to shy away from a place that has high crime rates.
Notably, the case study provides a very candid picture regarding the state of affairs in Baltimore. The economic ability of the residents is depicted as being poor. This is supported by the facts like high unemployment rates, high poverty rates and the housing problem.
This information is quite crucial for business people who depend on it in making decisions on whether to invest in the area or not. The purchasing power of the residents of an area is a crucial determinant when one makes investment decisions.
The case study also brings forward the dilemma that Norris faces when he is making a decision on whether to accept the invitation to join Baltimore police department or not. As a matter of fact, Norris not only considers his experience but also other factors including the culture of people at Baltimore as well as his family needs.
This is crucial to business people since it informs them that every issue must be considered when making any decision. To many people, the culture of BPD might not have been crucial when making a decision regarding the invitation. However, Norris considers every detail so as to make an informed decision.
Regarding whether Norris should take up the job or not, there is more to consider. Firstly, Norris has been used to an organized police department where everybody is committed to succeeding in his or her duties. However, at Baltimore police are demoralized and disdainful of their work. People just work because they have no other thing to do having joined the department.
Secondly, while at New York where Norris works the police work in collaboration with one another for the success of the department, this is not the case at BPD. At BDP the police work individually and they show open hatred to one another. This is shown when Norris sees a police officer kicking down a reserved parking sign belonging to another police officer.
It is also important to note that Norris has been used to working in an environment where they are well paid and where equipment is not a problem. As a result, there are very low crime rates in New York.
On the contrary, BDP is severely ill-equipped. They have no surveillance equipment. The vehicles they use are also dilapidated. The crux of the matter is, however, the fact that the police of Baltimore are poorly paid.
Nevertheless, Norris has stayed at his current place of work for a very long period of time. During this period, he has helped in reducing crime rates sharply in New York. Therefore, he has a lot of experience that can be very crucial in enhancing security at Baltimore.
Moreover, after doing a round trip of Baltimore, Norris is able to outline all the problems facing the BPD which are hindering their success in curbing crime rates. This shows that he has gained a lot of experience in the security department during his 20 year career as a police officer. He is also a person who does not hesitate to share his mind. This is the person that BPD requires for the post.
He has also been keen on working with highly educated police officers at New York. Fortunately, BPD has highly trained and educated officers who just need good management to work at their optimum.
Norris can easily achieve this. Additionally, Norris has discovered that he can easily advance himself economically in Baltimore than in New York. Due to this reasons, Norris should accept the invitation. He needs a change of environment.
If I was the one offered the position, there are many things that I would have changed at BPD. To begin with, police officers are demoralized. It is important to note that demoralized staff cannot in anyway be productive at work. This is the most likely reason why police department is unable to curb the rising rates of crime.
Therefore, I will organize for a session to get feedback from all officers on what they do not like about their work. This will enable me to know how to increase their morale of work. Nevertheless, it has been pointed out that the police officers at Baltimore are not ready to embrace change.
They are particularly annoyed by the fact that the deputy chief will be coming from outside Baltimore. I will therefore find ways of managing the change process by involving them in the change so as to avoid rubbing shoulders with them.
Arguably, one cannot work well without the required equipment even when they are ready to work. People in any organization will be discouraged when they realize that their work is made difficult due to lack of necessary equipment.
As a result, I will strive to get the necessary equipment to enhance service delivery. This can be achieved by cooperating with the new Mayor who has already shown his willingness to help.
There needs to be a culture of self responsibility among the BPD staff. It has been noted that the police officers at Baltimore will take ages before responding to a distress call by the residents. This not only sends a bad picture to the residents who will in turn refuse cooperating with the police, but also encourages criminals who will know that they can safely commit crimes.
By encouraging police officers to take personal responsibility of their duty, I will be able to make them more active in the event of distress calls. This will increase the speed of response to crime scenes and thus help in curbing crime. On the same note, it will send positive messages to residents. Police and residents need to work together since security can be enhanced through combined efforts.