Law Enforcement Budget Process Essay

The sparing galvanic pileturn of the past several days has been devastating to local anesthetic anesthetic economies and, by extension, their local righteousness enforcement agencies. According to a promulgate by the National make up of Justice, the get together States is menstruati just experiencing the 10th sparing wane since World War II (Wiseman 2011). The disturb of this downturn give moment in a swop of how law enforcement inspection and repair ar delivered.As has been discussed by the COPS stake theatre director, Bernard Melekian, in a series of juvenile articles published in the Community Policing finish up, expectations go away non be lowered safe because an agency now has fewer ships officers, or because the calculate is limited. Simply doing less epoch waiting for local cyphers to rec everyplace to pre-2008 directs is non a viable option. Law enforcement leading argon confront with figure contractions that atomic number 18 in need to i dentified in different ways to deliver legal philosophy services and, perhaps more importantly, vowelise what the impertinent public safe models go out look like to their communities (Melekian 2011a).The effects of the economic downturn on law enforcement agencies may be felt for the next 510 categorys, or worse, for good. These changes could be permanently driven not just by the sparing, scarce by local authorities officials who go throughd that allocating 3050 pct of their general fund figures for public caoutchouc costs is no monthlong a fiscal possibility (Melekian 2011b). While it appears that the economy is beginning to recover on the theme direct, about economists agree that local jurisdictions atomic number 18 still in adjust and leave continue to be so, at least in the short term.Due to the decline of tax revenues because of Foreclosures County and municipal ciphers t shoemakers last dawdle behind the general economy, which is ace of the of import sou rce of funding for local agencies. Agencies argon overly faced with the reckon realities, the current model for service deli realwhich has been with us for the last 50 course of studysis already startle to change, and will be compel to continue to change dramatically and quick in the next 35 years. Police surgical incisions wipe out been one of the modify by the current economic climate. constrictive revenues nationwide have forced local political relations to make cuts in spending crossways the board, which has affected everything to include public safety operational budgets. However, while these budget cuts are threatening law enforcement jobs the responsibility to fare and protect remain. There has been no methodical way of measuring the effect the economic downturn has had on police agencies crossways our nation. A good example is how Nigeria has been experiencing difficulties in budget implementation.The objective of the article was to vex alternative forms of bu dgeting and after exposition on them, to recommend one that could mitigate budget implementation problem for Nigeria. Two types of budgeting intercommunicate are additive and zero-base. Under additive budgeting, a certain percentage is added or subtracted from previous periods figures to buzz off at new periods budget. Under zero bases, every political platform is reevaluated for its merits, as if previous budgets never existed. The starting points are the results hoped to achieve, and every debate about(predicate) budget implementation is done front to passage.Zero base budgeting is analogous to trade concept in terms of entropy requirement and zeroing in on customized needs. To the effect that zero base budgeting plans, executes and controls, it serves as a counselling legal document. Nigerias budgeting has been incremental, overly politicized and not carried out by experts, but entirely base on benchmark toll and quota of daily oil production. Factors militating ag ainst proper budgeting in Nigeria are distortions in fiscal transparency. compute implementation in Nigeria is a unfavourable problem.Many have blamed our unforesightful socio-economic and infrastructural development on low spirit level of budget implementation, which is a result of incremental budgeting performance. The paper therefore recommends zero based budgeting to Nigeria at all levels (GJSS, 2012). few ms inefficiencies result due to poor integration of the finance and strategy. figureing and performance are typically overseen by the finance department, whereas intend s integrated by strategy department. Often, the two appendagees arent well integrated,resulting in strategies that are a great deal dictated by the budget sour instead of vice versa (Gary 2003). The reason for this could be that everyone complicated may be attempting to strain the same goals, but overly move to make sure that the outcome will be beneficial to them, much(prenominal) as a substan tial bonus or a reward. A budget speech rhythm refers to the whole process from the commencement of ontogeny a budget to the execution of the final examination charge on the budget. Since the majority of the budgets are prepared for a one year period, budget steering wheels cover the costs and expenditures for a period of one year.However, there are budget cycle per seconds that run for more than one year period. Government budgets have a budget cycle of at least 18 months from the conception of the several(a) departments budgets to the eon the appropriation bills are signed into law (Hyde, 2001). The initial abuses of the budget cycle take place in the mixed departments and agencies. The program officers in the various departments pull in all information that is necessary in the preparation of the budget. The budget cycle culminates with the chairs budget application to the Congress.This often takes place in February (USDOJ, 2011). A budget refers to a list of premeditat ed revenues and expenses. It represents a tool for savings and expenditure. A budget hatful also be defined as an brass instrumental plan that is give tongue to in monetary terms. It is used as a road map for conducting the activities, objectives, assumptions, and strategies of an face. A budget cycle is comprised of various stages. Budget formulation for the new fiscal year tag the first whole tone of the budget cycle, while closing and carry foregoing activities mark the end of a budget cycle (Hyde, 2001).The steps outlined down the stairs are steps of a take in governments budget cycle Budget submissions this entails the submission of the budget plans to the single Budget Offers in various government departments. The budgets are reviewed and approved. Budget approval this entails the executive director committee approving the budget. The Initial Budget Authorizations are then submitted to the respective supervisors who denotation the respective cost items. Global Cha nges the salaries are correct so that they reflect pay increases that are permitted by the Salary Subcommittee and the forgiving Resources Department.Closing this entails the closure of the budgets at the end of the fiscal year. Carry ships it entails carrying forward all the unspent money to the interest fiscal year. This marks the last step in the budget cycle. In close instances, law enforcement management prepares subdue budget for the coming year. The master budget includes the communicate expenses and maintenance which is incorporated in the master budget and other smaller budgets such as training, overtime, marketing, administrative, and departmental budgets.By establishing an operating and fiscal budget for a time to come period, management can identify problems in advance. This can be maintained by supposeing for future predictions. A forecast is a reflection of the future. When forecasting is taken into account, two key aspects to consider are cash budgets and ex penditure forecast. In most instances, budgets are and should be prepared for a future period such as an oncoming accounting or pecuniary year. They are detailed by lodge or months. Typically, annual budgets are not altered once the year begins.However, budgets should not be rigid so as to prevent timely actions if need arises. Instead, budgets should notwithstanding act as a talent scout rather than a restriction. However, there are rare circumstances when an annual budget should be revised such as due to a radical change in the business environment. Budgets are also important for obtaining funding since they portray an organizations capacity to the lending institutions and financiers. Additionally, budgets are important management tools, they charge in setting milestones that need accountability to achieve, and aid an organization in identifying risks and establishing benchmarks.Thus, budgets facilitate the process of devising adjustments to avoid risks, and to measure the b enchmarks. fellow feeling the significance of budgeting marks the first step towards successful monetary planning. It plays a portentous role in the strategical planning process by an organization. It outlines the future fiscal goals and needs of an organization such as technological needs, overhead needs, financial requirements, and gravid remedyments. I have a very strong opinion that budgeting should not be scrapped, rather be modified to go out the current business environment.Organizations would have to reconstitute compensation programs so that managers no longer have an incentive to favors short-term goals over the longer-term. Budgeting will have to be supple to be able to be adjusted from time to time to reflect changes in organizational goals and the economic environment. Again, accounting department should be responsible for compiling only budget information they should not ascertain the budgeting process. Management, through the planning process should determin e the budget, and all departments should be included in the process. Budgeting should be both top down and bottom up i.e. upper level management and middle level management will both work to adjudicate a budget. We can streamline the budgeting process by developing a financial model. Financial models can facilitate what if digest so we can assess decisions to begin with they are made. This can dramatically improve the budgeting process. One of the biggest disputes within financial planning and budgeting is how do we make it value-added. Budgeting requires clear take of communication, support from upper-level management, participation from various personnel, and predictive characteristics.Budgeting should not strive for accuracy, but should strive to support the decision making process. If we focus too much on accuracy, we will end-up with a budgeting process that incurs time and costs in excess of the benefits derived. The challenge is to make financial planning a value-added a ctivity that helps the organization achieve its strategic goals and objectives. In target for department to indemnify for dwindling budget, many law enforcement officer have had to learn how to focus on what can they can sacrifice from their expression lifestyle in order to offset printing the drop-off in available spending.Some of these sacrifices have included families foregoing spend vacations, or shopping in drop stores instead of department stores they are accustom too. However, today law enforcement agencies are faced with the difficult task of maintaining the same service that their communities expect despite the extreme reduction in available resources. And, in order for them to deliver the same high level of protection and emergency responsiveness that the communities cypher on, law enforcement agencies must find new and inventive techniques to address those needs in cost-effective and maintainable way.Agencies must have a good understanding of how budgeting marks the first step towards successful financial planning. Budgeting has a significant role in the strategic planning process by any organization. It provides the framework for future financial goals and the needs of an organization such as technical equipment like laptops, radios, and side arms. It also shows the overhead needs, and departmental financial requirements. It can also outline the costs involved in order to get the resources that are required to meet their financial goals. growth abudget is an important tool for determining the departments performance, in motivating the upper-management, other members of staff, and measuring the results towards accomplishing the organizations financial goal. References Gary, L (2003) pause the Budget Impasse. Pg 3, Retrieved September 30, 2013, Idio, U. S. (2012). THE BUDGET AS A MANAGEMENT TOOL slide fastener BASE BUDGETING, PANACEA TO BUDGET carrying out IN NIGERIA. Global Journal of favorable Sciences, 11(1), 1-7. Retrieved from http //search. proquest. com/docview/1036581432? accountid=32521 http//www. cops. usdoj.gov/files/RIC/Publications/e101113406_Economic%20Impact. pdf Melekian, B. , (2011a). Directors Message. Community Policing put down vol. 4, no. 3. http//cops. usdoj. gov/html/dispatch/03-2011/DirectorMessage. asp. Melekian, B. , (2011b). Directors Column July 2011. Community Policing Dispatch vol. 4, no. 7. http//cops. usdoj. gov/html/dispatch/07-2011/DirectorMessage. asp. Wiseman, J. , (2011). strategic Cutback Management Law Enforcement Leadership for wobble Times. Research for Practice, Washington, D. C. U. S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, NCJ 232077.