Essay on Modern Architecture - 2477 Words

As some critics contended, postmodernism represents a break with the modernist notion that architecture should be technologically rational, austere and functional, discuss the ways in which one postmodern architect has developed strategies which overcome these tendencies. Juxtaposition is seen between the characteristics of early 20th century modern architecture and the artistic endeavours of postmodernism that followed. To represent the ‘Less is More’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) notion the modernist tendencies had adopted, Robert Venturi built a ‘Ghost Structure’ to imply architecture had no longer become an art form and was merely just a ‘spectator’ (Architecturerevived, 2011) in society. This essay will discuss ways in which the†¦show more content†¦Venturi was focused on the reason behind and the visual perception of architecture, he believed that in applying a ‘medley of styles’ (S.V.Moos, 1987, pg32) opposed to an ‘either/or ‘(R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) mind-set would offer a varied combination of architectural styles. Thus enabling to a successful response to the multitude of tastes society desired, as he was well aware that there were an array of underlying problems of everyday life. Problems that modernist architects tended to ignore due to their concern of the solution not corresponding with what they believed to be their perfect design. Venturi disregards modernist tendencies as he favours a more eclectic style rather than the ‘less is more’ (R.Venturi, 1966, pg16) approach modernism supports. Venturi aims to ensure his buildings have ties with historical architecture thus to draw meaning and value. This was to evoke a sense of familiarity whilst still staying in context with a more modern environment. Venturi believed in using his knowledge from what he had learned and new had worked in the past, so sought to apply these techniques to his designs. An example of this is Venturi’s State Mosque of Iraq; (Ref 1) finished in 1982. Here Venturi sought to draw from numerous styles and periods, specifically, Art Nouveau. The purpose of incorporating so many previous instances was toShow MoreRelatedThe World Of Modern Architecture Essay1397 Words   |  6 Pagesbecame an icon of modern living. As an architect he has been one of the most innovative and interesting ones of his time, but, unfortunately, this role has not been so often recognized in him by the historians.   M. Breuer belongs to a generation to which time and fame have not been so generous with. W. Gropius, Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, in fact, when Breuer was in his twenties, had already began to give their contribute to the birth of a new era in architecture: the Modern Movement. OnlyRead MoreModern Architecture Essays4700 Words   |  19 Pagesits structural abilities through his designs. The modern industry, as well as the political disorder which came about following the First World War, motivated his innovative design philosophies which appeared in his creation of the Domino House. The structure of the Domino House was a fundamental design for many of his future constructions. Through practice, Le Corbusier developed his own architectural theories in his Five Points on Architecture. Mies van der Rohe, too, was prompted by World WarRead MoreMaison de Verre and Its Contribution to Modern Architecture1801 Words   |  8 PagesMaison de Verre and Its Contribution to M odern Architecture â€Å"Form follows function.† Every great Modern architect thought, designed by and breathed these very words. Or at least, their design principles evolved from them. Modern architects Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright, Pierre Chareau, and Rudolf Schindler to name a few believed that the function determined the space whether the space was solely for a particular purpose or they overlapped to allow for multiple uses. Form didn’tRead MoreClassical Greek Architecture On Modern Architecture959 Words   |  4 PagesClassical Greek Architecture in Carlisle The influence of Classical Greek Architecture on modern architecture is evident all over Pennsylvania. Carlisle, in particular, is full of old buildings that utilize the styles of the Greek Classical Period. The Old Cumberland County Courthouse is a perfect example of how the architectural styles of the Classical Period have been carried out through time. This building is a historical landmark, located in downtown Carlisle, which was built in 1846 and currentlyRead MoreThe Design And Development Of The Architecture For The Modern Web Architecture1694 Words   |  7 Pagesdevelopment of the architecture for the modern Web (Roy T. Fielding, 2000) When HTTP , Uniform Resource Identifiers (URI), was being developed by the Internet Engineering Taskforce there was a need for a model to be created of how the WWW should actually work. This idealized model of the interactions within a web application, is what was then later referred to as the Representational State Transfer (REST) architectural style and it became the foundation for the modern Web architecture, providing theRead MoreModern Architecture : The Era Of Transformation And Change3482 Words   |  14 PagesModern architecture was produced during a period of transformation broadly categorized as modernity. Modernity should not be equipped with the social, political, economic, and technological transformation which began in the seventeenth century and continued well into the twentieth century. Rather, it must be understood at the attitudes towards whose changes. Modernity has been variously described as: a slow transformation and re-evaluation of our relationship with the past; a complete break fromRead MoreEssay on Modern and Post-Modernism Architecture 1070 Words   |  5 PagesThere is often some confusion when people start talking about the post-mode rnism and modernism in architecture in terms of   their philosophical terminology differences. Modern architecture is known for its minimalism (Linder, 2004); buildings were functional and economical rather than comfortable and beautifully decorated. The post-modernism architecture, however, is called a â€Å"neo-eclectic, significantly assuming the role of a regeneration of period styles for designing houses, and a never-endingRead MoreEssay about Traditional vs. Modern Architecture in China1956 Words   |  8 PagesTraditional culture in architecture is being eroded by modernity of the present architecture in China. Analyze the causes and effects of this problem and possible solutions. In China, urbanization is at dramatic pace but in static patterns. This leads to the Chinese cities losing their own styles, and being built in the static architecture modes which are introduced from developed countries. Moreover, the traditional architecture cultures are being eroded by the static modern architecture patterns. SomeRead MoreGothic Architecture And Its Impact On The Modern World1424 Words   |  6 PagesTechnology, culture, architecture, and all other aspects of Earth are on an ever-evolving cycle, reaching closer and closer to perfection at each tick of the clock. Witnessing these developments is like candy to our eyes, as we dwell in the research and creation of new models. Imagine the base model of all development as a Romanesque style of architecture, and the more improved model as gothic. Because gothic architecture was formed over a span of 5 centuries later than that of the romans, it isRead MoreThe Modern British Architecture Styles During The 18th And 19th C enturies2012 Words   |  9 Pagesone thinks about architecture, they probably think about shapes, and designs, and buildings. Throughout history, architecture and construction is indicative of the prosperity of a state. Consider the differing economic circumstances between The Pyramids of Giza and then Edinburgh’s own National Monument of Scotland. The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries during the British Empire were a time of immense power struggle, driven by political and class division. Classical Architecture in Britain: The

The Pages of My Life free essay sample

Whenever I am down, whenever I am lost, I find myself engrossed in a novel. There I find my Zen, I am content. Reading is a way I have learned to cope with the world. It is my haven. I have become a part of book, each novel affects me. You can notice them between the pages of my life. You can see them in the way that I carry myself, or in the depth of my eyes. I am somewhere off remembering a worthy story. I have become the knight trying to win a maiden’s hand. I have become a philosopher trying to figure out my purpose. I have become a man designating his life to finding how to live. Of all the ways I have found so far, reading is by far the greatest way to live. I become immersed into a book which I cannot set down for more than five minutes, without having to pick it up once more. We will write a custom essay sample on The Pages of My Life or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My universe becomes the story. I end up abusing my arms nightly by holding up books. It is worth it. I am passionate. I get attached. When reading, I become so attentive and involved in a character’s life, that I end up feeling like I have become that character. I walk around for days imagining my character interacting with the story. I don’t relive the plot—I create my own additions to further the story. I make my own story, one where the protagonist and I adventurously set off. The story burrows into my bones and I cannot root it out. I would never want to, because it has become a part of me. When I read, I form connections unconsciously. . I create bonds with protagonists that are so strongly forged—that when they feel pain, If a character and I share one characteristic—then I notice others. I feel their pains—their happiness. When they overcome obstacles, so do I. We create a bond forged from my ability to understand the character, so powerful that it has become undefinable—beyond comprehension. You cannot fathom the complex bonds formed between the characters and I. Our connection is everlasting. When I read, there is an unspoken agreement—that no matter what, I will be there to witness. I will understand. And, I will continue reading. Yet, our bond is unstable—if startled or uprooted, it shies away. I have to approach with care. Like a fire, I have to slowly kindle it. If I start too fast, the bond extinguishes. But, with time and care it becomes magnificent. I wanted to write about literature. How important it is. How I surround myself with stories. Fiction, romance, fantasy. In order to truly live, you have to live the life of thousands of others. I have done that. I have lived thousands of lives. I have lived because of literature.

Vol I (to Page 182) And II I Lost Some Of The Second Volume - Sorry! A

Vol I (to page 182) and II I lost some of the second volume - Sorry! Abenaquis, a Mahican nation, 00; murder Mohawk chiefs, 000; English agree not to assist, 009; Abraham, or Schabash, a Mahican chief, made captain by Mahicans 89; assistant at Gnadenhutten, 89 Abrahamsen, Issac, rescues an Indian boy, 000 Ackhough, sachem of Weckquaesgeeks, 09 Adair, James, theory of, concerning origin of American Indians, 00 Adogbegnewalquo, a Mohawk chief, address of, 000 Aepjin, chief sachem of Mahicans, 08; party to treaty of 0000, 008; totemic signature of, 009; council fire at Schodac, 08; authorized to treat for Esopus Indians, 000 Agassiz, theory of, 00 Analysis of tribes and chieftaincies, 00 Andastes, war with the Iroquois, 00 Andros, Governor, offers lands to fugitive Indians, 000; invites Pennacooks to settle at Schaticook, 00 Andriaensen, Maryn, in command at massacre at Corlear's Hook, 000 Ann Hoock, alias Wampage, a chief of Siwanoys, 80 Ann Hutchinson, murder of, 000; daughter of, ret urned from captivity, 008 Albany, Fort Nassau erected at, 99; Fort Orange erected at, 99; Dutch make treaty with Mahicans and Iroquois at, 00; surrendered to the English, 008; English establish council fire at, 000 Algonquin language, 00 Algonquin nations, 00, 00 Allegewi, tradition concerning, 00 Alliances, how formed, 00 Alliance, nature of, between the Dutch and the Iroquois, 000; of Dutch with Long Island chieftaincies, 000; of English with Iroquois and Mahicans, 008 Appamanskoch, sachem of Raritans, 90 Aquackanonks, location of, 90 Armies, how composed, 00 Ashhurst, Sir John, buys lands of Waoranecks, 90 Assiapam, sachem of Matinecocks, 00 Assinapink creek, 90 Atkarkarton, Kingston so called, 000 Attention in sickness, 00 Beeren, or Mahican island, 80 Biographical Sketch of, Chambers, Captain Thomas, 008; Kryn, war-captain of Caghnawagas, 080 Bloom, Domine, description of Esopus massacre, 000 Bouwensen, Thomas, roasted and eaten by Mohawks, 000 Caghnawaga, Mohawk village of, 00 , 90; attacked by Mahicans, 90; destroyed by French, 90; Dutch embassadors visit, 000; converted by Jesuits, 009 Nation, or Praying Indians, 009 Calmet, theory of, 00 Canada, settlement of, commenced, 00 Canassatiego, an Iroquois viceroy, speech of, 09 Canopus, sachem of Nochpeems, 80 Captains, war chiefs so called,00 Captahem, sachem of Aquackanonks, 90 Carnarsees, location of, 00 Cartwright, Col.George, makes treaty with Iroquois, 008 Castles, mode of constructing, 00 Catholic Priests, labors of, 000, 008; law in relation to, 000 Cayugas, one of the Iroquois nations, 00; village of, 98 Chambers, Thomas, Capt. settles at Esopus, 000; biographical sketch of, 000 Champlain, discovers Lake Champlain, 00; aids the Hurons, 00; encourages conversion of Indians, 000 Chastity of females, 00 Chesekock tract, 80 Chegonoe, sachem of Rockaways, 00 Chekatabut, a Massachusetts Mahican chief, 00 Child birth, 00 Claverack, village of, 00; creek, name of, 00 Clinton, DeWitt, theory of, 00 Coginiqua nt, sachem of Nesaquakes, 00 Colden, Lieut.Gov., 00 Coleman, John, killed by the Indians, 9 Communipau, aboriginal name of, 90 Conarhanded, sachem of Weckquaesgeeks, 09 Conflict with Indians, at Stony Point, 00; at Shorackappock 00, 00 Corchaugs, location of, 00 Corlear's Hook, massacre of Indians at, 000, 008 Couwenhoven, negotiates with Esopus Indians, 000, 000 Cralo, Fort, at Greenbush, 009 Croton, traditionary sachem of Kitchawongs, 09 Croton, river, aboriginal name of, 09 Dans-Kammer, devil worship at, 09, 90; boundry line at the, 90; Couwenhoven at the, 000 Declarations of war, 00 Deeds, explanation of signatures to, 90 DeHart, Balthazar, purchases lands, 90 Denotas, or bags for measuring corn, 00 DeVries, David Pietersen, plantation of, on Staten Island, destroyed, 000; locates among the Tappans, 90; endeavors to prevent massacre of fugitive Indians, 000; plantation of, spared by Indians, 009; negotiates treaty of peace, 009; plantation destroyed, 000 Dobb's Ferry, aboriginal name of, 08 Dongan, Gov., purchases lands on the Hudson, 90, 90; endeavors to defeat the operations of the French, 009; gives medals to the Iroquois, 009; appeals to James II, to maintain alliance with Iroquois, 009; asks for Catholic priests, 009 Dress, of an Indian belle, 00; Hudson's description of, 8; Verazzano's description of, 09 Dwellings and mode of construction, 00 Du Bois, Mrs. Louis, captured by the Esopus Indians, 000; tradition concerning, 000 Dutch, neutrality of, in Indian wars, 00; treaty of, with Mahicans, etc. 00; send ambassadors to the Mohawks, 000;

Worn Path by Eudora Wetly

Worn Path by Eudora Wetly Free Online Research Papers There is a short story called â€Å"A Worn Path† written by Eudora Welty that shows how far the body can be pushed, what the spirit must endure and the limits of our minds. It gives a very descriptive opening that helps paint a detailed mental image of the main character Phoenix Jackson. We find that given situations no matter how impossible they seem people can overcome great odds for people they care about. There are many conflicts in this story for Phoenix from internal to external that she must face. In the second paragraph we are given a very good description so we understand what she is like physically. â€Å" Her eyes were blue with age. Her skin had a pattern all its own numberless branching wrinkles and as though a little tree stood in the middle of her forehead, but a golden color ran underneath,†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (pg 259 para2) You then find out a little about her mental state. She would say â€Å" Out of my way, all you foxes, owls, beetles, jack rabbits, coons and wild animals!†¦Keep out from under these feet, little bob-whites†¦ Keep the big wild hogs out of my path† (pg 259 para4). From these first few paragraphs you get the basic information that Phoenix Jackson is an older woman who likes to talk to nature or that there might be something different about her. Here we see how she has a conflict with nature. You can’t help but feel sorry for Phoenix knowing that she is older and probably is in more danger being out in nature. The things that you might laugh at if it were somebody else, but with her you almost want to help her. For instance when she gets caught up in the bush she starts talking to the bush and then the thorns themselves. Yet again we are shown how she has troubles with reality. After she had crossed the log she had stopped for a rest. â€Å" she did not dare to close her eyes, and when a little boy brought her a little plate with a slice of marble-cake on it she spoke to him.† Pg 260 Para 15. Only to find there was no boy there with cake. This is an internal conflict with her mind. We next see how her age effects her journey when she’s comes upon the ghost. Which turns out to be just a scarecrow, yet another trick her old eyes play on her. Through this all we are able to experience another minor internal conflict. When she comes across the dog that ends up knocking her over and meets the man we find her first human external conflict. The man acts in a very rough manner towards Phoenix even pointing his gun at her. I thought that he might try to help her, but given the times maybe the fact he left her alone to go one her way was good enough. We come to a point where the first part of her journey is almost over once she arrives at the clinic. She faces another internal conflict this time with her memory when she can’t recall why she came to the clinic. Once she regains her composure she is able to complete her mission of getting the medicine for her grandson. To go get a windmill and then begin her long trek back home. Phoenix had the determination to keep going even though she forgot why she was making such a long journey. She knew she had an end goal in mind and held on to the fact that she needed to make it to town. † Madden Frank â€Å"Exploring Literature† pg259 Research Papers on Worn Path by Eudora WetlyWhere Wild and West MeetResearch Process Part OneThe Spring and AutumnGenetic EngineeringRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionQuebec and CanadaStandardized Testing19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This Nice

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 140

Essay Example In order for firms to compete globally, it is important for managers to understand the nature of global markets (244). Competition is worldwide, and therefore it is imperative that companies understand the kind of goods and services that can give them a competitive advantage over other global industries. In addition, the productivity of labor can also affect the economic boundaries of firms. For example, industries with limited labor generally concentrate on producing basic commodities, while those with high expertise focus on producing advanced goods and services. Thus, the availability of labor affects the cost of production, which in turn re-defines trade (Samuelson & Marks, 245). In global markets, the prevailing exchange rate is as well important when computing the cost of production, because it ultimately influences the costs of exports and imports (Samuelson & Marks, 246). Another important factor is the competitive market condition. Indeed, one of the aspects managers consider when making decisions is how they can compete within markets. Depending with market environments, they consider factors that can cause barriers to their entry or even affect how they establish their prices. In a competitive market environment, for example, organizations have to consider the number of firms in the market, how prices are established, and if they can have control over them (Samuelson & Marks, 281). Finally, the application of e-commerce and technology are significantly re-defining trade in many areas, particularly cost economies. These methods facilitate customer increase because they have the potentials to reach a large population, and also offer a variety of online services, which ultimately leads to cost savings for the firms (Samuelson & Marks,

Strategic HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic HRM - Essay Example Entertainment products include the sale of compact discs and videos. Additionally, ASDA is engaged in property investment and development through its Gazeley division. In this paper we will evaluate the companies Strategic Human Resource Management policies. The Human Resource Management or personnel function of ASDA covers a variety of activities. The term Human Resource Management has largely replaced the old-fashioned word personnel, which was used in the past. (Arthur, 2003, 670-687) The effectiveness with which ASDA runs its Human Resources policies can be measured by the level of employee satisfaction, and this is where stability indexes and wastage rates are so important. If employees are content with their work, they are most likely to turn up for work. Levels of stress and stress-related absenteeism increase when there is a poor Human relations atmosphere. (Boxall, 2002, 51-7) ASDA will have a range of employees who have worked for different lengths of time and who have different levels of skills and training. The Human Resource planner will seek to have a balance of new people entering ASDA in order to cover those who are leaving. The Human Resource Planner will also want to make sure that skill levels are raising within ASDA, and that training programmes are devised to make sure people have the skills to meet ASDAs jobs requirements. If all ASDAs skilled employees are just about to retire, ASDA will have to spend a lot of money on training to build up a new pool of expertise. Succession is the way in which one person follows another person into a particular job or role within ASDA. ASDA need to make sure it is grooming people to take on the responsibility required. If ASDA do not do this, it will suddenly find itself with a vacuum where it has not developed the people to move into the appropriate position of responsibility, and ASDA will be missing the right people in key

Virtual Police Department Case Study Essay Example for Free

Virtual Police Department Case Study Essay Introduction This paper will consist of an overview of the Virtual Police Department, the history of that department and where it is today. I will analyse the different issues within the department and set a constructive path for the department so that it may benefit fully from all the resources that it has available. The Virtual Police Department is a medium sized department with 155 sworn officers. The department has a long history of hiring from a â€Å"good ole boy† system. The criteria for being hired at this particular department is minimal and their turnover rate for personnel is often and all at once. The current department leadership has been around for no more than 15 years and most of the staff have been hired within the last 5 years. Because of the turnover rate, experience is lacking. All of the seasoned officers have â€Å"phased out† and promotions were required, however, not necessarily earned or deserved. I have identified several areas that I would recommend immediate attention to. However, I have highlighted four of these for the purpose of this case study. Firstly, I would look at the hiring process within this department and make some much needed changes. Next, I would revisit the budget. Then, I would restructure the four organizations into functioning efficient groups. Lastly, I would establish connections within the community and neighbouring police departments and community agencies to ensure a close knit, positive, supported network. I recommend that this department begin with a change to its hiring process. Many of the employees have no more than a high school diploma. I feel there should be a set standard of education and experience to become the Chief of Police. Not just family relations or friends. The community of VPD are losing faith and confidence in their police department and one way to begin the change is to start from the inside. Once the Chief of Police is in  office with a Bachelor or higher, then they may start enforcing their own officers to at least fulfil an associate’s degree in Criminal Justice. I understand that in the past, looking for personnel who had a Bachelor’s degree rendered many from w ithin the department ineligible, however, maybe this is a beginning to the change. The department needs to start looking outside of their town for personnel to police the area. According to the department demographics chart, the department has never had the full authorized members. From 2009-2012, the average number of actual sworn employees was 140. The authorized number rose in 2011 to 145. The current year, there are 155 sworn officers which is 10 over authorization. The history of the making of this police department has seriously perpetuated the situation the VPD is facing today. From the initial hiring in 1950, the Mayor and City Council hired their friends as the initial department members. In the beginning, this had no effect on the department and it actually solidified a great relationship within the community. However, as times have changed, the department itself has grown, the community has grown as well, this kind of hiring process has taken its toll on the department, authority, and the community. The department has a significant repetitive issue which is the consistent bulk hiring and retiring of its officers. There really isn’t a phase out process in place whereby rookie police officers train and learn from the more experienced ones before they retire. It seems a common theme within this department is a lot of running from fire to fire. It appears the department spends more time playing defence as opposed to offense. Instead of the department spacing its personnel who are looking at retirement out, they all seem to retire at the same time. This is yet another impact of the hiring of friends and family. Although it worked well in the 1950’s, the city and its inhabitants are far different than they were in the 1950s. There also appears to be a significant amount of complaints from both internal and external sources; as well as decreasing percentage of crimes solved and/or successfully prosecuted. Based on these issues, I would phase the retirement and hiring proc ess. It may initially create a few headaches, however, I believe those will be fewer than the continual spiral out of control the department is currently facing. I believe that if some of those that are close to retirement were promoted to other positions within the force, they would stay around a little longer.  Eventually, there will be a good mix of longevity within the police department. Ensuring that junior officers receive proper training from the more seasoned officers is extremely important. According to the crime statistics provided by the scenario, there appears to be a lot of burglary, robbery, and theft in the Part 1 Offences. Personnel should be dedicated to these areas to ensure the crime is attacked BEFORE it occurs. The Broken Windows theory is epic when considering the transformation of a community. Showing the community that the police want to be proactive as opposed to reactive is certainly a good start. In the proactive article titled â€Å"Broken Windows: The Polic e and Neighborhood Safety,† James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling argued that policing should work more on â€Å"little problems† such as maintaining order, providing services to those in need, and adopting strategies to reduce the fear of crime (1982:29). Their assumptions were based on three reasons: Areas with street people, youth gangs, prostitution, and drunks are high-crime areas. Neighborhood disorder creates fear. (1982:30) Another issue with the current hiring process is there is no hiring board or public announcements made. The police department likes to hire from within and have kept to hiring friends and family to, â€Å"keep all the undesirables off the police force.† I would announce any upcoming vacancies state wide and set up a hiring process based on qualifications. The hiring would not be concurrent with the Mayoral elections and the police department will break from the political tie it currently has. As the police department and the mayoral council run so tightly together, it is impossible for the VPD, state police, and county sheriff to communicate with each other. Communication between police departments is crucial for the VPD to survive. The process of socialization seems to be missing from the Virtual Pol ice Department. Although they are close because of the internal hiring, it does not lend credence to learning the ropes by doing as much as by the rule-book. As the experienced officers phase out, there is not a lot left for the younger inexperienced officers to learn the valuable on-the-job lessons with. George, C., Smith, C. (2004). With the changes to the hiring and retiring process, the budget obviously needs to be revisited. The first thing I would do is look at the average starting salary for the police and drop it to $32,000 $35,000 annual. Starting rookie police officers out at $45,000 doesn’t give room for promotion with pay increase, time on  department increases, and doesn’t encourage members within the department to further their education or strive for a better position. Pay should increase as positions and responsibility increase. If 75 of the 155 police officers are within their first 5 years on the force, their pay should be $35,000 annual. The budget would need to be met to cover the cost of each police officer with a buffer of 15% for over time. If the starting salary for the VPD force was $32,000, the total for the rookie officers would be $2,400,000 annual. That would be a savings of $975,000 a year. Police departments should have a program and promotion rate for their officers to strive toward. According to George Cole and Christopher Smith, â€Å"The average starting salary in 2001 was more than $32,000†. (2004:173). Pay increase should come with responsibility and job knowledge and time on the force. I also think the police department needs to compare the pay of their officers and commanders to other neighbouring departments and base the starting pay on those. An extremely important aspect has been overlooked within this department due to budget cuts. Training has obviously suffered greatly. I do not believe that training should ever be jeopardized for the sake of saving a few pennies. Train the trainer programs are a great way to maximize training the cheapest way. Sending one or two individuals to receive training that will certify them to conduct the training within their department is gold. Once the rapport is established with the other departments within the area, then the trainer can also train those departments. Essentially, each department would send someone to receive specialized training and share that training throughout the departments. This way, each department will save money and not have to forego the training. Another area that is concerning is firearm qualification training. This is a major mistake to allow officers to continue to carry their firearms when they are not qualified. If they had to use their weapon and during the course of the investigation, it is determined that they were not qualified, the repercussions would be immense, not just for the department, but for the other departments, the city, and the state. Also of great importance in the training area is ET not keeping up with law updates, changes, and recent court rulings. Training can be conducted on the job and any additional training can be completed during one of the 8 hour shifts if the s chedule can be made to allow a training day. That way, the officer  isn’t on the road, isn’t side-tracked, isn’t in court, or isn’t unavailable. If training day was a â€Å"duty day† then training can be maintained. â€Å"Recruits need formal training in order to gain an understanding of legal rules, weapons use, and other aspects of the job.† (2004:179). A positive approach to establishing a budget within the jurisdiction would be to evaluate the cost of crime. According to Mark Cohen, â€Å"taking a â€Å"bottom-up† approach to crime aids in breaking them down.† (2005: 84). Breaking the crimes down on a per-crime basis will give the planners assistance when looking at the statistics of their community crimes. In doing this, it would be beneficial for the courts to readdress the cost of fines paid, fees and offence times, etc. The courts would essentially be assisting the police department in policing their community. Possibly, stiffer sentences, stiffer fines, and attention to the crimes will be a significant deterrent. Let those who choose to break the law pay the price for it. The best way to reasonably ensure that training is being conducted is to organize the department a bit better. The department does seem to be organized well. It has the typical four separate commands; Patrol, Investigations, Special Operations, and Support Services. Each of these departments has a commander. The departments are organized by talents, friendships, and skills. The department seems to be extremely mismanaged as they currently have 155 sworn officers, however they are only authorized 145 by 2012. Along with the sworn officers, they are also extremely overstaffed with civilian employees as well. According to the table, they are authorized 17, however, they currently employ 70. On top of the overstaffing issue, the department has a history of hiring predominately Caucasian male police officers (70%), and only 11% Caucasian female officers; which has held pretty steady over the last four years. According to Wilson and Kelling, â€Å"For most of the nation’s history, almost all police officers were white men.† (2004:174). The Civilian Personnel demographics are not much different. The department has a high number of Caucasian men and women employees. The African-American male employees estimate at 10% of the police force ov er the last four years. The African-American female police officers sat at 3.7% estimated over the last four years. As the community has grown in size, it appears the police department has maintained a consistent employee demographic base. The last recorded census was from 2000. Based on that census, the population  consisted of the following; 50.9% male, 49.1% female, 60.1% Caucasian, 16.7% black or African American, 11.4% Hispanic, 7.0% Asian, Other 0.2%, some other race 1.7%, two or more races 2.9% and foreign born 16.2%. The median age was 37.9 years of age. Not only has the ethnic population changed, but the median income average has as well. The median has dropped by 13% which should alert the surrounding agencies that their citizens are not as wealthy as they once were and most of the time, this also incites criminal activity. The demographic differences in the community and police department is wide. It may have been the same demographics at one time, however, the police department hasn’t seemed to change much since the 1930s in that aspect. As the department still chooses to hire friends and family, this is not expected to change anytime soon. I would argue that the change needs to happen immediately. I think a new census should be taken or at least have patrols identify areas within the community that have changed drastically with ethnicity. A new census would also assist the budget and the jurisdiction boundary and also allow the bigger picture to be evident to the Mayor. Most cities have a natural cultural divide. It is important for the police department to recognize this and adjust their manning accordingly. If there is an increase of crimes against women, it would be important for the department to look at hiring more women onto the force who can deal with the more sensitive areas. If there are race issues within the community, it wouldn’t be a good decision to send a police officer into that area knowing it could potentially escalate a situation. The department should have more diversity amongst the officers. To start this, I will go back to my earlier statement on hiring outside of the police force family. Try and appeal to the other ethnic backgrounds that the community can relate to and hopefully start to trust. Next, I would re-evaluate the shift work. If the area of responsibility has grown, and the number of citizens within the community has grown, it is imperative that the police are able to respond and react to calls appropriately. Because police work doesn’t end at the scene, officers must have time to go back to the station and complete their required paperwork. Twelve hour shifts make it virtually impossible to complete paperwork and get enough rest before the next shift. I would break the shifts up into 8 hour shifts and apply the greater amount of officers to the busiest time of the day or night. Taking a look at the criminal statistics, I initially notice that due to the unplanned city demographic changes, the department is currently suffering a set back with a larger than projected area of responsibility and more citizens within their jurisdiction. The number of lower income families has risen, and the average age of the community dropped to 34.7 which means more children are attending the local schools. Looking at the Statistics of Crime in VPD area, there has been a significant increase in Part 1 and Part II Offenses. Part II Offences have seen the most increase over the last four years with drugs, disorderly conduct, and burglary topping the list. It is scary to note that although crimes in almost every offense is up, arrests are down significantly from 2009-2011 and 2012. Over the last four years, the city has seen a steady increase in crime and antisocial activity. Also, Use of Force, conduct, and performance complaints have drastically increased against the police, hi ghlighting a possible stressed, stretched thin police department, and frustrated community. It also appears that the adult offences are higher than the youth offenses. This could be as a result of the closure of the neighbouring city’s high rise public and subsidized housing causing its residents to relocate. Due to this, a 10% increase in low income residents are now a part of the VPD community. Larry Bennett, Janet Smith, and Patricia Wright wrote about Paul Fischer of Lake Forest College. In a 2003 study, â€Å"most families relocated from CHA housing are re-segregated into other very low-income, majority African-American neighborhoods where housing conditions are not appreciably better than those they left.† (2006: 219). Along the lines of changing 12 hour shifts into 8 hour shifts, I would also start communicating with the surrounding police departments. I would establish a rapport – even if it is to my departments sacrifice at first. I would be interested in any training opportunities, their demographics for their area, any areas that may â€Å"overlap† with jurisdictions, and I would start an interagency database so the surrounding areas demographics may be included in it. One thing that would have assisted the VPD before the buildings were torn down in the neighbouring areas would have been the communication between departments. Having a good working relationship with them would have potentially avoided all the chaos that was created by the influx of lower income families. I would also have my  Patrol Commander to establish a Community Oriented Policing task force to get out into the community and get some insight to what the citizens would like to see. If the department takes a step in the right direction and shows the community that they know there is a problem and they want the community’s help to fix it then it may generate a lot of interest. I am sure that if the community pulls together to start paying attention to vandalism, prostitution, drugs and disorderly conduct, then hopefully the homicides, rapes, burglaries, motor vehicle thefts and aggravated assaults would decrease. I would also incorporate an operation similar to â€Å"Operation Condor† which was highlighted by Howard Safir and Ellis Whitman. According to Safir and Whitman, Condor was an extension of the Broken Windows effec t. This operation had significant impact on homicide and crime rates and eliminated signs of lawlessness. (2005: 198). Based on the positive outcome of Operation Condor, VPD may benefit significantly with something like this. The police department has a bad reputation responding to calls. In 2012, there were 163,433 calls for police service and units were dispatched to only 131,548. That means that 31,885 calls for assistance were unanswered. This is not acceptable. According to James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling, â€Å"Untended disorderly behavior is a signal that the community does not care. This leads to worse disorder and crime. If police are to deal with disorder to reduce fear and crime, they need the community for assistance.† (1984:29) The new acceptable standard of bending the rules and the code of silence is inexcusable. The VPD has had a longstanding reputation for integrity. However, over the last several years, it has become accepted to bend the rules and violatio ns, and is overlooked by supervisors. The Virtual Police Department is in great need of a complete overhaul. Unfortunately, the department does not have its priorities correct. In my attempt to fix the VPD, I would call in Police Officer Standards and Training Commissions POST Commissions to evaluate and train the department on the critical issues of police officer standards. As this is a state function, the county, Mayor, and others will not be able to influence the training or decision making. According to Sullivan and Simonetti Rosen, â€Å"These state-level commissions provide law enforcement agencies with guidelines, established by administrative regulations or law, and require compliance by all municipal, county, and state law enforcement agencies, to maintain a baseline for  police officer standards and training.† (2006: 350-351). I honestly feel an â€Å"audit† would benefit the department on so many levels. Finally, I would appoint a Human Resource Manager to ensure that the needs of the personnel are met and a Safety Officer to ensure that regulations are being followed appropriately. The hiring process, budget, structure of the department, and community relations are what I see to be the weakest areas within this department. Fortunately, they feed off of each other and adjustments in one area will affect the others. It will be a process, but a greatly needed process none-the-less. References Cohen, M. (2005). The Costs of Crime and Justice. New York: Routledge. George, C., Smith, C. (2004). The American System of Criminal Justice (10 ed.). Belmont: Thompson Learning, Inc. Howard, S., Whitman, E. (2003). Security: Policing your Homeland, your State, Your City (1 ed.). New York: St Martins Press. Larry, B., Smith, J., Wright, P. (2006). Where are poor people to live?. Armonk: M.E. Sharpe, Inc. Larry, S., Simonetti Rosen, M. (2005). Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement (Vol. 1). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc. Virtual Police Department Case Study Paper