PSA 315: Public Safety Community Delivery Systems

Course Description

Public Safety Community Delivery Systems surveys best practice models, strategies and applications of service systems from both the public and private sectors to integrate the body of scholarly knowledge in Public Safety Community Delivery Systems with best practices in the private sector and then leverage the connections and synergies between the two to create new, innovative solutions to better serve the community. (3 credits)

Prerequisites

  • ENG 101: English Composition 1
  • ENG 102: English Composition 2
  • Background in public safety, or obtained permission from the instructor to take this course

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  1. Describe the customer service model developed at Zappos including the 5 foundational principles:
    • Understanding Fit
    • A Strong Sense of Urgency
    • Connecting the Personal
    • Stretching Beyond Legacy and Tradition
    • A Long-Term Practice
  2. Employ key learnings from the private sector and persuasive strategies of "Verbal Judo" to design a business plan to enhance customer service in student's respective field (police, fire, hospital, etc.).
  3. Explain and describe the relevance of human service provider characteristics (individual and organizational) including: formal and informal policies, organizational culture, funding sources, linkages to other organizations, leadership, and service delivery procedures to target populations.
  4. Identify and define the major philosophical and procedural controversies within the field and establish a personal position in regard to those controversies.
  5. Describe the shift from the Industrial Age to the Information Age and the changes in Public Service Community Delivery Systems attributed to that transition.
  6. Describe potential solutions in advocacy, planning, developing, managing, delivering, empowering, and evaluating human services.

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

Final Field Experience Paper

40%

Weekly Discussions

60%

Total

100%

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle

  • Michelli, Joseph A. Ph.D. Zappos Experience: 5 Principles to Inspire, Engage, and WOW. McGraw Hill, 2012. ISBN-13: 978-0-07-174958-9
  • Thompson, George J. Ph.D. Verbal Judo:The Gentle Art of Persuasion. 2nd. ed. William Morrow, 2013. ISBN-13: 978-0-06-210770-1

Course Schedule

Week

SLOs

Readings and Exercises

Assignments

1

5

Industrial Age to Information Age

  • Readings:
    • The Zappos Experience chapter 1, p.1-56
    • Verbal Judo p. 1-42
    • Industrial/Information Age Side-by-Side (PPT)
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Submit Concept Paper

2

1,3

Organizational Culture/Effortless Customer Experience
  • Readings:
    • The Zappos Experience p. 57-113
    • Verbal Judo p. 43-84
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Submit Field Experience Paper Timeline/Roadblocks

3

2,4

Internal Feedback Loops

  • Readings:
    • The Zappos Experience p. 114-170
    • Verbal Judo p. 83-127
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Submit Field Experience Paper Draft

4

6

Meaning in Culture

  • Readings:
    • The Zappos Experience p.170-226
    • Verbal Judo p. 128-169
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in the Discussions

5

1-6

Bringing it All Together
  • Readings:
    • The Zappos Experience p. 226-278
    • Verbal Judo p. 169-207
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Participate in the Discussions
  • Submit Final Field Experience Paper
  • Complete Online Course Evaluation

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.