Post a description highlighting how you attended to the contextual factors impacting your program (as you prepare this response, you may find Exercises 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 on pp. 102-105 of the text helpful and the readers this week.

Background: While stationed in the RCMP in Surrey, I was an active participant and officer in charge of the police bike squad in the District of Newton. When I retired from the RCMP and was hired by the City of Kelowna, I thought it would be fun to have a bike squad in Kelowna bylaws, so I created the Bylaw Services Bike Patrol.

Planning table: It was small and consisted of the city manager, bylaw manager, human resource manager, ten bylaw officers, and me. Due to my previous experience, I presented at the planning table information about the planning context, including a program outline, newspaper articles, personal reviews, and the police program results in Surrey.

People Issues: There were no fundamental differences in values or beliefs of the various people involved. All were in favour of the program. I was lucky because of my view as I am volunteering to design this program. I had an all-or-nothing attitude and would put up with minimal negotiation. The planning table accepted it all.

Reflection on new directions: A team of bylaw officers riding bicycles was a new concept to Kelowna but not unique to cities’ law enforcement needs across the country. Bike programs had been proven very effective for many years.

Structural factors: The bike squad complied with the cities mission, goals, and objectives; satisfied the administration hierarchy; had clear written operating policies and procedures; had formal organizational authority consisting of supervisor and teams; information systems including communication with the RCMP dispatcher and regular police officers; financial resources including a moderate budget; and physical facilities to store and maintain the bikes.

Political factors: I had no pushback from management, unions, the general public, or the RCMP.  All stakeholders were very supportive of the project.  Only one meeting was required to start the program. The goal of the program was for the common good of the community and the city.

Economic conditions: The city was doing well financially at the time, and it was a pre-2008 downturn in the economy. Budgeting and financing were not an issue because the initial costs were reasonable due to not requesting top-of-the-line equipment, uniforms, or training.

Power: No one during this program was playing the power game. I was not looking for a promotion or increase in salary, and it did not affect management whether the program went forward or not. My program was submitted to management and accepted – no argument on setting program agendas, debating determining populations to be served, and no discussion on allocating types and amounts of resources.

Stakeholders: City of Kelowna (program sponsor), Cyclepath (supplier of uniform and equipment), Can-Bike (National accredited and approved bicycling safety course coordinated through Cycling Canada), BrainTrust Canada (supplied free bike helmets to less advantaged in the community).

Conclusion: I may have failed to consider all the facets (human, organizational, environmental) for planning context, but I considered most of them. I am an all-or-nothing kind of guy which can work for me or against me, depending on the situation. Oh well, it worked in this example.

The Kelowna bylaw bike program continues today.

References

Caffarella, R. S., & Daffron, S. R. (2013). Planning programs for adult learners: A practical guide for educators, trainers, and staff developers (3rd ed.). Jossey Bass.