Strategic Goals of Police Activity: Challenges and Solutions

Abstract

The article based on the method of “Three Step Public Sector Strategy Model” and Lithuanian and foreign scientific literature analyzes peculiarities of Lithuanian police institution strategic planning and the realization of the strategy. In the first part of the article the principles of strategic planning – planning, fulfilling and evaluation – applicable for public administering have been revealed. The second part of the article analyses Police Department strategic activity plans and reports evaluating them according to the methods of three step model and presents recommendations for the improvement of activity planning. In the article the author draws the conclusion that the Police Department Strategic Plan aims, tasks, measures and evaluation criteria are often worded in the wrong way, i.e. more orientated towards the administrative activity of the department – the number of carried out programs, prepared legal acts, and not towards the defence of the public interest. Judging by police activity reports it is difficult to evaluate the stage of program’s realization, as there is information either on strategic planning or on the results, but not on the realization. During the analysis no connection between the program’s reports, their evaluation and planning of the next year budget has been found. The activity reports remain a formal document, practically having no influence on the future assignations.