Description
NVC is based on the idea that all human beings have the capacity for compassion and only resort to violence or behavior that harms others when they don't recognize more effective strategies for meeting needs
Improving Communication with our Constituents
“The 8-Point Conservation Officer Communications Enhancement Plan”
Division of Wildlife South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Governor’s Challenge
• Explore ways to improve communications with South Dakota citizens • Specifically focus on mechanisms to enhance relationships with agricultural producers and rural constituents • Consider opportunities to educate inadvertent violators as a means to build officer and agency support
Additional Support for Communications Enhancement Efforts
• • • • • • GFP Administrators GFP Commission South Dakota Legislature (Resolution) GFP West River Issues Working Group GFP Wildlife Issues Panel Wildlife Conservation NGOs
What about staff support?
• Generally very supportive • Some concerns about plan efforts
– concerns about potential for “second guessing” by supervisors & others re. use of discretion – concerns over changes in job responsibilities – recent survey of hunter/angler attitudes towards conservation officers indicate officers already have high rating from public, why do more?
Specifics of the Plan
1. Develop & Formalize Process to Document Landowner Contacts 2. Review & Revise Conservation Officer Work Responsibilities 3. Develop Communications Planning Process for Conservation Officers 4. Review & Revise Conservation Officer Trainee Hiring Process 5. Review & Revise Agency Field Training Program 6. Assess Communication Training Needs & Develop Program 7. Develop Agency Statement of Philosophy re. Regulation & Conservation Law Enforcement 8. Develop, Review & Revise Protocols & Process re. Citizen Complaints Against Staff
1. Develop & Formalize Process to Document Landowner Contacts
• Conservation Officers submit monthly reports detailing landowner contacts • “Landowner Contact Packets” developed to encourage CO contacts on farm/ranch and to share information on agency private lands habitat, depredation management & other programs
2. Review & Revise Conservation Officer Work Responsibilities
• Conducted review of conservation officer work responsibilities • Prioritized duties where public & landowner contacts would be maximized (law enforcement, private lands habitat & depredation assistance programs, etc.) • Reassigned duties or hired additional staff, if necessary (game surveys, public land management, etc.)
3. Develop Communications Planning Process for Conservation Officers
• CO & supervisor develop specific work plan, identifying events, outreach opportunities & specific communication tools employed • Identifies individuals who are “key” players in communities • Plan must be tailored to specific work districts in order to take into account specific communication challenges & opportunities available
4. Review & Revise Conservation Officer Trainee Hiring Process
• Improve hiring practices to focus on identifying individuals who exhibit strong communication skills and ‘public service orientation’ • Develop additional screening tools to assess candidate strengths & weaknesses (focus questions, mock TV interview, personality profiling, etc.)
5. Review & Revise Agency Field Training Program
• Revise or modify field training program & investigate other training models which emphasize outreach, communication & community relationships • New field training program emphasizes critical thinking & problem-solving skills and focuses on communityoriented policing concepts - modified to fit conservation law work • Enhance training of field training officers (WTO) (e.g. adult learning styles, concepts of emotional intelligence, ethics & integrity, etc.)
6. Assess Communication Training Needs & Develop Program
• Need for ‘retraining’ of current conservation officer force • Identification of specific training needs, topics & consultants (interpersonal communication skills, approach behavior, etc.) • Dovetail with agency Leadership Training Program • Development of “IMPACT Project” cooperative project with a number of other state fish & wildlife agencies to develop & enhance interpersonal skills training & assessment
7. Develop Agency Statement of Philosophy re. Regulation & Conservation Law Enforcement
• Develop guiding principles for use in development of regulations & enforcement actions • Involves staff at all levels & GFP Commission to encourage clarity in regulations • Encourage use of compliance vs. punitive mindset in enforcement and challenge staff to use full-spectrum of “Compliance Continuum” • Provide staff training in critical thinking & problem solving • Develop strategic plan for conservation law enforcement
8. Develop, Review & Revise Protocols & Process re. Citizen Complaints
• Develop & revise citizen complaint & report forms and reporting protocols • Develop ‘flow chart’ of complaint review process • Develop mechanism to document & share information on complaints with staff & public • Implement review process for assessment purposes
doc_234085670.pdf
NVC is based on the idea that all human beings have the capacity for compassion and only resort to violence or behavior that harms others when they don't recognize more effective strategies for meeting needs
Improving Communication with our Constituents
“The 8-Point Conservation Officer Communications Enhancement Plan”
Division of Wildlife South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
Governor’s Challenge
• Explore ways to improve communications with South Dakota citizens • Specifically focus on mechanisms to enhance relationships with agricultural producers and rural constituents • Consider opportunities to educate inadvertent violators as a means to build officer and agency support
Additional Support for Communications Enhancement Efforts
• • • • • • GFP Administrators GFP Commission South Dakota Legislature (Resolution) GFP West River Issues Working Group GFP Wildlife Issues Panel Wildlife Conservation NGOs
What about staff support?
• Generally very supportive • Some concerns about plan efforts
– concerns about potential for “second guessing” by supervisors & others re. use of discretion – concerns over changes in job responsibilities – recent survey of hunter/angler attitudes towards conservation officers indicate officers already have high rating from public, why do more?
Specifics of the Plan
1. Develop & Formalize Process to Document Landowner Contacts 2. Review & Revise Conservation Officer Work Responsibilities 3. Develop Communications Planning Process for Conservation Officers 4. Review & Revise Conservation Officer Trainee Hiring Process 5. Review & Revise Agency Field Training Program 6. Assess Communication Training Needs & Develop Program 7. Develop Agency Statement of Philosophy re. Regulation & Conservation Law Enforcement 8. Develop, Review & Revise Protocols & Process re. Citizen Complaints Against Staff
1. Develop & Formalize Process to Document Landowner Contacts
• Conservation Officers submit monthly reports detailing landowner contacts • “Landowner Contact Packets” developed to encourage CO contacts on farm/ranch and to share information on agency private lands habitat, depredation management & other programs
2. Review & Revise Conservation Officer Work Responsibilities
• Conducted review of conservation officer work responsibilities • Prioritized duties where public & landowner contacts would be maximized (law enforcement, private lands habitat & depredation assistance programs, etc.) • Reassigned duties or hired additional staff, if necessary (game surveys, public land management, etc.)
3. Develop Communications Planning Process for Conservation Officers
• CO & supervisor develop specific work plan, identifying events, outreach opportunities & specific communication tools employed • Identifies individuals who are “key” players in communities • Plan must be tailored to specific work districts in order to take into account specific communication challenges & opportunities available
4. Review & Revise Conservation Officer Trainee Hiring Process
• Improve hiring practices to focus on identifying individuals who exhibit strong communication skills and ‘public service orientation’ • Develop additional screening tools to assess candidate strengths & weaknesses (focus questions, mock TV interview, personality profiling, etc.)
5. Review & Revise Agency Field Training Program
• Revise or modify field training program & investigate other training models which emphasize outreach, communication & community relationships • New field training program emphasizes critical thinking & problem-solving skills and focuses on communityoriented policing concepts - modified to fit conservation law work • Enhance training of field training officers (WTO) (e.g. adult learning styles, concepts of emotional intelligence, ethics & integrity, etc.)
6. Assess Communication Training Needs & Develop Program
• Need for ‘retraining’ of current conservation officer force • Identification of specific training needs, topics & consultants (interpersonal communication skills, approach behavior, etc.) • Dovetail with agency Leadership Training Program • Development of “IMPACT Project” cooperative project with a number of other state fish & wildlife agencies to develop & enhance interpersonal skills training & assessment
7. Develop Agency Statement of Philosophy re. Regulation & Conservation Law Enforcement
• Develop guiding principles for use in development of regulations & enforcement actions • Involves staff at all levels & GFP Commission to encourage clarity in regulations • Encourage use of compliance vs. punitive mindset in enforcement and challenge staff to use full-spectrum of “Compliance Continuum” • Provide staff training in critical thinking & problem solving • Develop strategic plan for conservation law enforcement
8. Develop, Review & Revise Protocols & Process re. Citizen Complaints
• Develop & revise citizen complaint & report forms and reporting protocols • Develop ‘flow chart’ of complaint review process • Develop mechanism to document & share information on complaints with staff & public • Implement review process for assessment purposes
doc_234085670.pdf