M A S T E R P A G E
Planning Roles
6.1b
Chief of Police
The police chief is responsible for protecting lives and
property in the area he serves. Specific responsibilities
include preserving the peace, preventing criminal acts,
enforcing the law, and arresting violators. The chief is
under oath to uphold the law 24 hours a day. He or she
makes many of the final decisions dealing with budgets
and services provided by the police force.
Fire Chief
This official is responsible for protecting lives and
property from the hazards of fire. Responsibilities include
fighting fires, rescuing trapped individuals, conducting
safety inspections, and conducting fire drills and fire
safety education. The fire chief also assists in other types
of emergencies and disasters in community life. He or she
makes many of the final decisions dealing with budgets
and services provided by the fire department. The fire
chief usually comes through the ranks, starting as a
firefighter.
Director of Public Works
This official is responsible for the maintenance of
systems built at public expense for the common good,
such as highways and dams. In some communities these
responsibilities may be dealt with separately by officials
responsible for highway safety and community
transportation services, water and sewage, and other
areas; in some, they may be combined in one office.
Director of Public Health
This official, usually a physician, is responsible for
controlling the spread of communicable disease in the
community and for mitigating any threats to the public
safety, such as the contamination of public water
supplies. He or she also engages in proactive education
and advocacy to encourage positive behaviors, such as
proper nutrition, and discourage negative ones, such as
smoking and the abuse of alcohol and other drugs.
Coordinator of Community Transportation Services
This official is responsible for the safety of public
transportation and both public and private vehicles. He or
she arranges for registration, licensing, and state
inspections. The coordinator inspects public vehicles and
coordinates operation and maintenance of equipment,
storage facilities, and repair facilities. She or he directs
the recording of expenses and controls, purchasing and
repair spending. This official also helps plan and direct
transportation safety activities.
Public Information Officer
This official supervises a staff of public relations
workers, directs publicity programs designed to inform
the public, and directs information to appropriate groups.
He or she clarifies the local government’s points of view
on important issues to community or public interest
groups and responds to requests for information from
news media, special interest groups, and the general
public. In an emergency, this function assumes added
importance.
Superintendent of Schools
This official is responsible for managing the affairs of an
entire public school district. He or she oversees and
coordinates the activities of all the schools in the district
in accordance with standards set by the board of
education. Responsibilities include selecting and hiring
staff, negotiating contracts with union employees, and
settling labor disputes. He or she creates and implements
plans and policies for educational programs, and, when
necessary, interprets the school system’s programs and
policies. The superintendent is also responsible for the
development and administration of a budget, the
maintenance of school buildings, and the purchase and
distribution of school supplies and equipment, and
oversees the school’s transportation system and health
services.
City Manager or Mayor
This professional in public administration has general
responsibility for the overall operation of the city. All
department heads answer to this official, who serves as
the city’s chief executive officer. A city manager is hired
by the city council and serves at its discretion. A mayor is
elected by the voters, but holds many of the same
responsibilities.
Members of the City Council (as needed)
Each member determines the needs of the ward or district
he or she represents by seeking out interviews,
responding to constituents’ phone calls and letters, and
referring persons to specific agencies for services. The
member speaks before neighborhood groups to establish
communication and rapport between the members of the
community and the service agencies available. The
members of the council also have the responsibility to
help resolve problems facing the community at large, in
such areas as housing, urban renewal, education, welfare,
unemployment, disaster response, and crime prevention.
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