Why Every Agency Needs Public Safety Scheduling Software

At public safety agencies around the country, increased public scrutiny, mandated operational changes, and other factors are leaving agency leaders scrambling to maintain operational efficiency.

While the situation does appear to be improving, there are still agencies that have yet to rebound from the intense staffing shortages earlier in the decade. According to a 2024 survey conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum, sworn staffing numbers rose slightly in 2023 compared to the previous three years, and small- and medium-sized agencies actually had higher staffing levels in 2023 than in 2019. However, large agencies still had 5% fewer sworn officers in 2023 than in 2019. Of those that responded to the survey, many indicated that staffing issues continued to be an ongoing problem for them.

Among emergency communications centers, staffing shortages continue to be a burden. The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) calls it a “growing issue” in the industry and recently held a 9-1-1 Staffing Crisis Summit to explore ways to, “improve retention, innovate recruiting, streamline the hiring process, implement creative staffing strategies and build a culture of excellence.”

All combined, public safety shift scheduling has become increasingly complex and for an industry that works 24/7, 365 days a year—it’s pushed many departments to the brink.

But in the face of these challenges, there is a tool that can help: Vector Scheduling for public safety. This public safety scheduling software can alleviate the administrative burdens associated with shift scheduling and help your agency meet the needs of your community more efficiently.

Key takeaways:

• Rather than using paper-based processes or spreadsheets, which are inefficient and more prone to human-error, agencies can take advantage of easy-to-use software purpose-built for public safety agencies.
• Supervisors and officers can take advantage of Vector Scheduling’s native mobile app, which makes it simple to review and manage the schedule.
• With Vector’s shift scheduling software, agencies can quickly recall employees and initiate callbacks should a major incident take place, saving precious time necessary to save lives.
• The comprehensive reporting and data tools of Vector Scheduling help agencies spot staffing trends, justify hiring requests, and provide the insights needed for annual reports and other similar activities.

Public safety Scheduling Software Lets You Ditch Paper and Spreadsheets

Paper schedules or spreadsheets simply can’t keep up with the complex scheduling challenges today’s public safety agencies face.

Regardless of whether you’re on your desktop computer, logging in via browser on a laptop, or an officer checking your cellphone between calls while on patrol, this public safety scheduling software and its mobile app allows administrators and employees to access critical scheduling information from anywhere. For employees, it makes it easy for them to check and review upcoming shifts, respond to callbacks, check vacation balances, and submit time-off requests all from their mobile device.

Administrators can also build in limits, buffers, and rest periods to ensure compliance with agency or union policies instead of having to manually review schedules to look for individuals who may have too many hours. The built-in fatigue tracker can also help identify personnel who need time off, especially after a critical incident or other traumatic exposures.

• Ensure Coverage Across Shifts and Skill Sets – With at-a-glance dashboards to quickly identify gaps, and rules-based logic that only schedules those qualified for the shift and skill set, this public safety scheduling software ensures you have the right mix of talent for every shift.

• Streamline Shift Scheduling – Oversee shifts from the mobile application or any web-enabled device. Easily make schedule adjustments using the intuitive dashboard and view changes in real time.

• Manage Backfill & Time Off – Intelligent rules automate callbacks and filter responses based on qualifiers. Agencies can customize how employees are notified of callback opportunities with flexible tools and can base request approvals or denials on automated qualifiers.

• Utilize Reports to Find Trends – Track data and export reports for payroll, overtime hours, callbacks, and more. Get notified when individual officers may be exceeding overtime policies and mitigate fatigue-related incidents. Maintain historical records of current and past employees to meet union and labor regulations and support staffing or budget requests.

• (NEW!) Hourly Minimum Staffing – Set minimum staffing levels that vary by hour within a shift, adapting to changing operational demands seamlessly, while automated coverage adjustments fill open slots only when staffing falls below indicated minimum staffing requirements.

• (NEW!) Real-Time Absence Management – Instantly respond to unplanned absences automatically, filling gaps for those affected hours to maintain optimal staffing levels.

• (COMING SOON!) Shift Bidding – Automate shift bidding processes, customize bidding selections and controls, and automatically update shift assignments in the Crew Scheduler.

Customizable and Intelligent Police Scheduling Software

Instead of spending hours manually entering in shift information via spreadsheet and adjusting it by hand, administrators can utilize Vector Scheduling’s intelligent rules to automatically eliminate scheduling conflicts, providing increased staffing transparency that reduce grievances, and more.

In the event of a critical incident, staff notifications can be quickly distributed via app notification, text, email, and/or phone call, ensuring that personnel receive the communication immediately. Notices can be sent to an individual employee, specific groups of employees, or even the entire department.

With Vector’s scheduling software for public safety agencies, unexpected shortages or critical incidents can be handled quickly and easily, allowing the focus to remain on the situation at hand, instead of managing the schedule.

Gain Insight With Scheduling Software Built for Public Safety

When submitting annual audit reports or next year’s budget requests, accurate scheduling data is critical to secure any additional positions your agency needs to be successful. Beyond annual reports and payroll, shift information can also be utilized to identify staffing trends and localize retention information data.

Vector’s scheduling software allows administrators to export scheduling data in various formats, as needed by payroll systems or as requested by overseeing entities. Data fields can also be customized, allowing you to select only the data you need, streamlining the process.

By utilizing Vector Scheduling, public safety agencies can significantly reduce the amount of time they’re spending to manage shift scheduling administrative tasks. This public safety scheduling software not only eliminates wasted time and the risk of human-error, it also helps agencies schedule officers in the most efficient manner possible. As a result, agencies leadership and supervisors can focus less on managing the schedule and more on what matters most: Supporting and protecting your community.

To learn more about how Vector Scheduling can streamline and simplify scheduling at your agency, please request a demo today.

Vector Solutions’ suite of industry-leading software solutions for public safety also includes online training courses, training management systems, live skill evaluations, academy automation, equipment and inventory management, and an early intervention and conduct management system.