This is the police...

The keyword is process orientation. What was previously considered too complex and cumbersome within the organization is now quickly implemented in a pragmatic and goal-oriented approach. The result is transparent processes, fewer redundancies and a high level of acceptance among employees.

QM system ekes out a shadowy existence

The existing quality management system of the Zurich Cantonal Police was based on a simple manual. The structure was oriented so far on the terms leadership, service provision, personnel and support. In parallel, an electronic process modelling tool was used. However, this was not integrated into the quality management and was perceived as too complicated by the line organization. QM documents, processes and instructions were therefore based on different revision scales and were created and managed separately from each other. Inconsistent documentation in the individual areas was the result. In practice, the quality management system could not establish itself and took a shadowy existence.

The head of command area 2 and representative for the QM system wanted to improve this situation. Internal audits, carried out by the Zurich pom+ as an external specialist agency, identified the deficiencies and named them neutrally and objectively. A step-by-step revision of the system became urgent and was planned in detail.

Redesign with ambitious goals

The Zurich Cantonal Police set itself ambitious goals for the redesign. On the one hand, the weaknesses of the QM manual with regard to consistency and completeness were to be eliminated. On the other hand, process orientation was to be continuously developed and expanded as an instrument for corporate development and control. From the very beginning, the head of command area 2 was committed to ensuring that the management system was an effective tool for the development of the company.

Tool for daily work

will be available for the daily work.

In the first phase, the development of the integrated command system was limited to the two command areas, i.e. planning and control, and their support departments. The core activities, for example prevention and local security, investigation of criminal offences, etc., were not affected by the redesign project in this phase. However, it had to be ensured that these and other areas could be integrated seamlessly at a later stage (Figure 1).

Process model as the core

The central building blocks of the revision are the process model and the process network on which it is based. Based on this structure, the individual processes were elaborated, specified in detail and further developed in subsequent steps. Based on the St. Gallen Management Model, the process model was developed with the managers in a systematic, moderated process. The great advantage here is the logical structure of the model. All further work, such as documentation, definition of responsibilities, etc., was carried out on the basis of a clear frame of reference. In this way, reorganizations of individual areas that had already been initiated could be reflected upon and given concrete form at an early stage.

The description of the processes bears the risk of creating extensive documentation with a high management effort. To avoid this, the core team developed the idea of process profiles. These are kept short and can be developed quickly; the details are consistently recorded in follow-up documents such as instructions, checklists, etc. IT systems are also referenced in the process profiles,

Lean process profiles

in order to present the responsibilities in relation to the IT application in a consistent and transparent manner. The great benefit of this structure is the clear link between roles, activities, documents and systems.

Departments of the two command areas that were not previously part of the quality management system - IT or technology being among them - were integrated during the redesign, while other areas can easily follow successively as required.

Ready for the future

The revised management system provides the Zurich Cantonal Police with a highly scalable organisational development and management tool. The process structure can be used for various issues, in particular also for IT and application development. Due to the integral character of the management system, compliance and audit requirements such as the internal control system (ICS), occupational safety and health promotion or total quality management approaches can be mapped holistically. Resources can be used effectively and efficiently in the future. At the same time, the high level of transparency in the processes minimizes risks.

The implementation phase took just four months and, to top it all off, the ISO certification audit was passed with flying colors shortly after the redesign was completed. However, the most important success was the positive feedback from the employees. They rate the revised system as practical and simple. Adj Heinz Schär, head of the Accident Photographic Service (UFD), for example, believes that the new QM system represents a quantum leap for the UFD compared to the old system: "The structures have become leaner and are limited to the processes in our service area. The audit, which was factual, understandable and comprehensible, was also clearly aimed at the work processes of the UFD. It was not as abstract as before. For me, QM makes sense today and we can fully stand behind it. In particular, it eliminates a lot of unnecessary paperwork and administrative activities in our service."