Edward Poulson: Serving the Public with Success

Edward Poulson reached the rank of Police Captain not by resting on his laurels, but by putting in an extraordinary amount of time, hard work and determination to meet and overcome his professional objectives. An accomplished member of the Oakland Police Department for more than 20 years. Edward Poulson kept himself focused and prepared for any challenge that came his way, and successfully worked his way up to department leadership positions by demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the department’s success.

As Edward Poulson is aware, there is much that comes with wearing the uniform, and working in law enforcement requires a significant amount of responsibility and focus that isn’t generally required in other positions.  Serving the public, particularly as a police officer is serious business that requires a certain level of skill in diplomacy, decision-making, communication, team-building, cooperation and more. As a former law enforcement official, Edward Poulson took his position with the utmost in sincerity and dedication, committing himself to the successful execution of his responsibilities in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

EdwardPoulson showed leadership potential very early on in his law enforcement career, setting himself apart and continually earning promotions within different divisions of the department. Throughout his 20 years with the Oakland Police Department, Edward Poulson showed promise in the areas of team management and solutions development, and consistently designed and implemented better ways to optimize efficiency, cut back on waste and more effective serve the public interest. A proponent for innovation, Poulson consistently advocated for better and sounder ways of getting the job done.

Edward Poulson: Meeting Professional Challenges and Exceeding Expectations

Edward Poulson is no stranger to a pressurized environment, one that requires the ability to constantly think on one’s feet while making quick and effective decisions concerning the safety and security of others. A long-time member of the Oakland Police Department, Edward Poulson took on the challenges of an intense and demanding law enforcement environment, meeting challenges head on and consistently exceeding both his superiors and his own expectations.

Edward Poulson, who holds degrees in Criminal Justice Administration and Public Administration, understands what it takes to meet the demands of a position in the law enforcement community. He not only overcame many obstacles and significant challenges as a law enforcement official, but also consistently demonstrated a skill in rapid decision making and solutions-building, becoming an indispensable asset to multiple divisions and colleagues during his tenure. Edward Poulson was able to combine a strong work ethic along with a positive attitude and knack for innovation to create a better and more efficient work environment, and processes, for his fellow officers.

Edward Poulson understands both the risks and the rewards of public service, particularly as a dedicated law enforcement official. He was dedicated to not only maintaining a high level of public safety, but also to equipping his fellow officers with the policies, procedures and management needed to effectively cope with difficult situations and to carry through complex operations that required the utmost in attention and focus. Edward Poulson is proud of the service he provided the public as a member of the OPD, as well as a career filled with significant and impactful accomplishment.

Edward Poulson: A Diverse Law Enforcement Skillset

During his 20 year career with the Oakland Police force, Edward Poulson had the opportunity to not only demonstrate his skill in and passion and passion for public service, but to also develop and hone his ability to lead a team, eliminate inefficiencies and create and implement effective solutions to complex departmental issues and problems. 

Edward Poulson enjoyed years of experience not only as a patrol officer, but also later on as a Sergeant and a Lieutenant, providing exemplary leadership and demonstrating unmatched skill in each rank he held. His experiences in each position allowed him to become a more effective member of the department, as well as multiple opportunities to continue moving through the ranks and rack up an impressive resume of accomplishment.

As a law enforcement professional, Edward Poulson developed skills in critical incident management, including the successful planning, management and execution of operations designed to allow officers to more effectively respond to the possibility of civil unrest. He also provided exemplary leadership in the field during literally hundreds of similar incidents, including officer-related shootings, riots, hate crimes and bomb threats, providing his fellow officers the on-the-ground leadership and guidance needed to effectively deal with critical situations of any nature.

Currently under a Federal Consent Decree, as Edward Poulson knows, the Oakland Police Department is required to maintain, manage and employ a technologically-advanced system that monitors officer activity and helps to reduce the potential for behavioral problems. Edward Poulson helped to make this system more efficient and effective, saving the department precious millions in administrative costs.

Much of Edward Poulson’s professional career has been devoted to the law enforcement community. He has a passion for serving the needs of the public, and has consistently demonstrated his commitment to public service over a 20 year career with the Oakland Police Department.

One skill that Edward Poulson developed over his extensive career was the ability to be prepared for critical situations, such as the need to ready oneself for the possibility of a riot. An innovator with a knack for both spotting and correcting department inefficiencies, Edward Poulson developed helpful policies and procedures for the Oakland Police Department that are an integral part of police response to this day.

During the trial of a former BART police officer, for instance, Edward Poulson was assigned the responsibilities of logistics chief. As logistics chief for the department’s response to the oncoming verdict, Edward Poulson was charged with the duties of preparing an adequate response to the possibility of civil unrest. He was assigned the task of assembling a team of professionals would be a part of both the planning and operational phases of the response.

As the logistics staff, Edward Poulson was responsible for providing direction to the team, and to ensuring that materials, services, facilities, communications and more were available and ready for the possibility of an incident. All in all, the logistics function involvement 14 primary areas that were to work in concert with one another in order to ensure the operation’s success. The operation, says Poulson, ended up being a success, and public safety and order were maintained throughout the event.

Edward Poulson: Innovation Within the Oakland Police Department

For more than 20 years, Edward Poulson experienced considerable and notable success as a career law enforcement professional within the Oakland Police Department. From very early on in his career, Edward Poulson demonstrated a knack for innovation and efficiency, two qualities that helped to continually lead him towards positions of increased influence and impact within the department.

Edward Poulson, who served the OPD in multiple positions and ranks throughout his career, became known for his ability to both design and implement programs that improved department efficiency and established him as an effective staff manager. In 2008, Edward Poulson served the department as a Police Lieutenant, a position that charged him with the responsibility of managing a crew of up to 55 people at any given time. His performance as a Police Lieutenant eventually earned him a promotion to Captain of Police.

As Police Lieutenant, Edward Poulson was charged with the responsibility of developing a new and efficient schedule for the rank and file officers under his management. At the request of the OPD Chief of Police, Edward Poulson developed a schedule that called for officers to work twelve hour shifts during every two week period; an effort to deploy officers in a more efficient manner than earlier shift models. This innovative idea was presented for and received approval from both the Mayor of Oakland and the Chief of Police.

Edward Poulson successfully defended the new schedule plan during arbitration between the department and the Oakland Police Officers Union. The innovative schedule was later implemented by the OPD.

Edward Poulson: The Twelve-Hour Shift

Edward Poulson has served the Oakland, California Police Department for more than twenty years, in a career that has many highlights. He has worked as a Patrol Officer, a Watch Commander, a Sergeant in Criminal Investigations, and a Captain in the Internal Affairs Division, among many other responsibilities.

As a Police Lieutenant in 2008, Edward Poulson completed a series of short-term assignments, during which time he managed a crew of up to fifty-five staff members. At the end of this period he was promoted to Captain.

One of Edward Poulson's duties at this time, which he did at the request of the Chief of Police, involved the creation of a new shift schedule for rank and file police officers. The new shift schedule, which called for police officers to work twelve-hour shifts every two weeks, was meant to deploy the staff more efficiently than did previous shift models. After the new model was created, it was presented to senior executives and approved by the Chief of Police and the Mayor of Oakland.

"I met and conferred with the Oakland Police Officers Union," Edward Poulson recalls. "They did not like the plan, and forced the issue to binding arbitration." He defended the plan during the arbitration process.

The arbitration was finally settled in favor of the Department, and the twelve-hour shifts were implemented. In a 34-page ruling, the Arbitrator said that the longer shifts best served the welfare of Oakland's residents. "I received a significant amount of praise internally for design, defense and ultimately deployment of the shift schedule," Edward Poulson says.

Edward Poulson: Analyzing The Situation

Edward Poulson is a senior manager with more than twenty years of experience in law enforcement with the Oakland, California Police Department. He joined the force as a Patrol Officer, and during his career has also been a Background Investigator, a Field Training Officer, a Sergeant in Criminal Investigations and in Internal Affairs, and as a Lieutenant, a Patrol Watch Commander. By 2008, Edward Poulson was a Captain of Police.

Edward Poulson also holds several degrees, not all of them relating to police work. He earned an Associate of Arts degree in Horticulture in 1983, several years before he joined the force. He later earned a Master of Public Administration degree, and a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration. In 1999, he attended the FBI National Academy.

As a Captain of Police, Edward Poulson was in the department's Internal Affairs division, and he reported directly to the Chief of Police. His division took in, processed, and investigated up to three hundred complaints a year, alleging officer or staff misconduct. Many of the cases were highly sensitive, and high profile, priority projects. It was not uncommon for multiple projects to be underway at the same time.

In the Internal Affairs division, Edward Poulson managed the Department's an Internal Personnel Assessment System, which he describes as a highly effective and successful risk management system meant to reduce problematic behavior in police officers and staff. This was done under a Federal decree, under which the Oakland Police Department operates. When Edward Poulson examined technology then in use, he determined it was ineffective. "I took initiative to analyze the situation, identify the correct technology system and redesign the process." The new processes Edward Poulson helped put in place saved the department more than seven million dollars a year.