Officers,

After I sent the last update, I was advised that Troop B and Troop E will be the next two troops added to the pilot on 9/26.

When I announced the required split weekends for Captains on the next phase of the 10-hour pilot, some members expressed concerns, including that would reduce interaction with half their sergeants, make it harder to attend meetings with outside agency partners, lower efficiency in responding to Troop needs, and in some cases be negative from a personal perspective. Other members, including some Captains in both pilot troops, prefer to work split weekends.

I spoke with Col. Mazzone, Insp. Lightcap, and finally, Field Commander Pitkin about these concerns, stressing the importance of giving autonomy to Zone and Troop Commanders to make the best choice for their AOR. They heard me out and the decision was made to leave it in the hands of ZC’s and TC’s for the next phase of the 10-hour pilot. I want to thank each of them, especially Colonel Pitkin, for being so willing to take the time to listen and modify the plan.

If a ZC chooses the weekend off option, the ZC will have the calls on the “gap day” when neither they nor their Lt are working. It is imperative that the ZC does not hesitate to respond to necessary incidents. Failures to respond appropriately are how we could lose the option for weekends off, regardless of whether we are on 10’s or 8’s.

Remember, this is a pilot, and the final MOA may look different than any of the testing phases. I will ensure everyone has an opportunity to weigh in on the final product before it is signed, and I will conduct additional surveys as the pilot progresses and changes are made.

Fraternally,

Dan