Officers Prefer 3-Day Week, Survey Finds

Los Angeles police officers participating in a pilot program to test a three-day workweek report that they are enjoying their jobs more, according to a department survey.

Last year, Chief Willie L. Williams approved the experimental workweek--long sought by officers--to improve sagging morale in the Los Angeles Police Department.

It appears to be working. More than 80% of the patrol officers who have been assigned the new schedule at the Van Nuys, Wilshire and Pacific divisions say they are more satisfied working 12 hours three days a week, according to the survey. The officers report that they are able to spend more time with their families.

“There has been a phenomenal response by the officers,” said Dennis Zine, a director of the Los Angeles Police Protective League. “It has made a huge difference as to how officers feel about their jobs.”

Capt. Brad Merritt, who commands patrol officers at Van Nuys Division, agreed.

“I think it’s a great success,” Merritt said. “The officers really enjoy it. Their morale is high, their productivity is up and their personnel complaints are down significantly.”

In Van Nuys, nearly 88% of the officers said they enjoy their work more and 85% reported being more satisfied with their jobs.

One Van Nuys patrol officer wrote in his survey: “This department has never had higher morale. A 25- to 30-year career is more likely with this type of schedule.” Another officer wrote that the shorter workweek “is a great start to bringing back the LAPD.”

The survey, which was conducted in September, tallied responses from 455 patrol officers assigned to the four divisions selected for the pilot program. The shorter workweek has not resulted in a dramatic increase in sick days taken or overtime costs, Zine said.

But not everyone has embraced the shorter schedule.

At the Rampart Division, only 47% of officers said they enjoy their work more under the compressed schedule.

Patrol officers said the new schedule required them to give up more free days to testify in court, as well as dealing with equipment shortages.

In fact, three of the four divisions reported a shortage of patrol cars, particularly when special crime-fighting details were deployed or cars were undergoing maintenance. The problem was at least partially resolved with the arrival of additional patrol cars.

Capt. Richard Meraz, who commands patrol officers at Rampart, feels that most patrol officers’ attitudes toward the shorter week have improved since the survey was taken.

As evidence, Meraz said, highly sought assignments, such as the division’s gang detail, are being bypassed by some officers so they can remain on a three-day workweek.

Merritt, of the Van Nuys Division, has noticed the same change.

“The specialized units that used to be highly sought-after assignments and used to have long waiting lists, we now have to go out and recruit for them,” Merritt said. “Sometimes we even have to assign people to work them.”

Merritt said the program has also resulted in an increase in court overtime at his division, a problem that he believes could be solved by the recommendations made last month by the Mayor’s Task Force on Court Overtime.

The proposals, which are expected to save city taxpayers nearly $11 million a year, include trying to reach plea settlements earlier and waiting until trials are closer to starting to summon officers who are potential witnesses.

In July, Zine said, a police oversight committee assigned to monitor the pilot program will recommend to Chief Williams whether to discontinue or expand the short workweek program.