G.O. 2.03 Unity Of Command Span Of Control

Accreditation Standards & Document Metadata

• Applies to POSTC accreditation standards $1.5.3$ and $3.3.7$
• General Order (G.O.) number: 2.03
• Original issue date: 11/19/2018; Reissue/Effective date: unspecified in excerpt
• Section: 2 – Organization and Management
• Rescinds previous directives; signed by Chief of Police Patrick J. Daley
• Distribution: ALL PERSONNEL
• Legal disclaimer:
  • For departmental use only; does not create higher legal standard for third-party claims.
  • Violations → internal administrative sanctions; criminal/civil sanctions handled in court.

Purpose (Section I)

• Establishes written directive guaranteeing Unity of Command: every employee accountable to only one supervisor at any given time.
• Establishes limits on the Span of Control: number of employees directly supervised.

Policy (Section II)

• Each employee accountable to one supervisor at any time.
• No supervisor should have an excessive number of direct subordinates.
• Applies to all organizational levels except during emergencies.
• Limits may be general but must allow day-to-day operations to be properly directed/controlled.

Procedures (Section III)

A. Employee Unity of Command

• Ensures clarity of expectations, efficiency, and responsibility.
• Each supervisor is responsible and accountable for the performance of employees within their chain-of-command.
• Supervisors may issue orders to employees outside their direct control when circumstances demand; such flexibility is explicitly permitted.
• Formal organizational lines are detailed in G.O. $2.01$ and the Department’s Organizational Chart.

B. Organizational Component Unity of Command

1. Introduction

• All officers report to one supervisor per G.O. $2.01$.
• When multiple officers of equal rank share the same responsibility area, command is determined by Time-in-Grade (TIG) unless the Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates otherwise.
  • TIG = length of time in current rank (appointment date).
  • If promoted on same date, ranking decided by promotional-exam final score.
• TIG order is recorded in the Personnel Roster and updated by the Personnel Unit.

2. Command Delegation Protocol

• a. Executive Command Staff
  • In Chief’s absence/incapacitation, follow succession outlined in G.O. $2.01$.
  • For extended absences, an “Acting Chief” designated in writing.
• b. Shift Supervisor
  • Supervisor commanding their own squad.
• c. Special Detail/Assignment Command
  • Command authority follows the Plan or Special Order governing the event/detail.
• d. Overlap Assignment Supervision
  • Shift command covers all personnel scheduled for that shift (or part thereof) assigned to general patrol.

3. Lines of Authority Between Components

• Supervisors sometimes direct personnel outside their normal chain.
• Personnel must obey any lawful commands so given.
• Issuing supervisor must inform the employee’s normal supervisor as soon as practical.

4. Command Protocol – Routine Situations

• Control of Incident/Crime Scene:
  • First arriving officer (or designee) controls scene until a supervisor arrives.
  • For minor crime scenes, that officer directs protection/processing unless relieved.

5. Command Protocol – Major Incidents

• Examples: hostage or barricaded subjects, crowd control, large-scale emergencies.
• Steps:
  1. First arriving officer (or designee) controls incident until supervisor arrival.
  2. Designated patrol supervisor then maintains control of non-tactical aspects (outer perimeter, traffic).
  3. Highest-ranking supervisor on scene becomes Incident Commander (IC) until relieved by Chief or designee.
  4. Tactical Team Commander assumes command of tactical operations upon arrival.
• Exception: Police shooting/injury scenes follow separate Officer-Involved Shooting policy.

6. Unified Command – Incident Command System (ICS)

• Norwich PD employs ICS; key principle = unified command for multi-agency incidents.
• Most day-to-day events won’t require unified command.
• When implemented:
  • Department’s representative/IC = Chief or designee.
  • IC duties:
  • Collaborate at command post with other agencies.
  • Identify principal law-enforcement hazards.
  • Prioritize those hazards.
  • Ensure legal responsibilities are met.
  • Develop overall LE objectives.
  • Supervisors craft & execute tactical plans aligning with IC objectives.
  • Ultimate operational/tactical control remains with IC unless delegated.
  • For non-Patrol-initiated ops, ranking on-duty supervisor of specialized unit controls until Chief/designee decides otherwise.

7. Span of Control

• Supervisors have continuous command over their assignment areas.
• They should not have an excessive number of subordinates; final determination by the Chief of Police.
• Factors affecting span:
  • Complexity of duties.
  • Competency & reliability of supervisor.
  • Experience level of subordinates.
• Temporary deviations (e.g.a0disasters, special events) allowed; once resolved, staffing returns to normal ratios.
• Recommended maximums:
  1. First-line supervisor → $10$ employees.
  2. Division or Unit Commander → $10$ employees.
  3. Administrative or non-enforcement settings → based on task complexity and oversight capacity rather than fixed number.
• If upcoming event is expected to exceed limits, supervisor must notify chain-of-command; immediate supervisor will assess and authorize staffing increase if appropriate.
• Day-to-day spans illustrated on the Organizational Chart – employees should consult it for clarification.