How Is Inflation Affecting Your Off-Duty Program?

With inflation at the worst rate we have seen since 1981, it's important to examine off-duty detail programs to understand how these economic changes impact law enforcement agencies and their personnel. As costs rise across every industry, everyone is feeling the belt tighten on their personal budgets. Law enforcement agencies and officers nationwide are turning to off-duty and overtime work to keep up.

Analyzing the impact of inflation on your off-duty program starts with asking a few questions:

1. Is our agency overdue to raise our off-duty rates, and should we raise them now?
2. Do our officers have enough opportunities to work off-duty?
3. Do all of our officers have a fair and equal chance to work the available jobs?

With off-duty hourly rates ranging from as low as $25/hr to $120/hr (and more in some regions), it can be challenging to determine the correct rates for your off-duty program. Ask yourself "have we increased our off-duty rates in the last one to three years?" If your officers have received on-duty pay increases during that time, but no increase in your off-duty detail rates, this is a good indicator that it may be time to address the disparity.

The next time you are discussing off-duty work, ask your officers what they think of your current rates and their ability to obtain extra jobs. Understanding the satisfaction of your officers and business community is crucial to maintaining a healthy program. Keeping open lines of communication will allow you to set competitive rates and find that sweet spot for everyone.

As off-duty detail rates increase, so does the desire to work these jobs; thus, finding better ways to provide access to off-duty jobs becomes increasingly important. Many agencies struggle to keep organized when it comes to distributing job opportunities, and it could be costing your personnel the chance to earn supplemental income. Even worse, it creates morale issues if certain personnel have more access than others to work these jobs. Implementing the right off-duty and overtime system provides work opportunities at the click of a button, allows for everyone to get a fair shot at earning money, and efficiently distributes that money in a timely fashion, all while reducing administrative overhead.

Ready to take the next step? We can help review your off-duty program and implement a system using best practices to benefit your officers, business community, and administrative staff. Our team can also help you navigate the nuances involved with increasing your off-duty rates. And by using Detail Kommander, your agency will have a single system to post all overtime and off-duty jobs while providing your offers fast, best-in-class functionality. Detail Kommander eliminates the need for your agency to act as a "bill collector" or having to wait on an employer to mail in a check. No more email lists and whiteboards to notify your personnel about job opportunities. Now, more than ever, it is critical to give your officers the best tools to help increase their ability to earn supplemental income and win the fight against inflation.

Empower your staff with the best off-duty detail management system in law enforcement.