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.