Carole Speranza’s work is most successful when officers do not have to think about it.
As operations manager for the Chandler Police Department in Arizona, Speranza oversees the vehicles, equipment, facilities and administrative systems officers rely on each day. Her responsibilities include a fleet of more than 300 police vehicles, six department facilities, staffing and scheduling, payroll, the Field Operations Bureau budget and the Records Division.
Her route into law enforcement began outside the profession. Speranza joined the Chandler Police Department in 2013 after spending 17 years in practice management with a large emergency physician group in Scottsdale. She later served as management assistant to the police chief and police field operations supervisor before moving into her current role in 2021.
Speranza recently joined Police1’s webinar, “Fixing public safety logistics: How agencies are improving readiness,” which examined how public safety agencies are moving beyond spreadsheets and disconnected systems to better track the resources their personnel depend on.
Below, Speranza explains how her team prepares for unexpected fleet shortages, why visibility across a department matters and what women interested in public safety operations should know.
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What does a typical day in your role as manager of operations for the Chandler Police Department look like?
Ironically, there really isn’t a typical day, which is probably why I enjoy it so much. My job is to make sure the organization has what it needs to operate: the people, the equipment, the facilities, the systems, the processes, and the budget.
I might start the day talking about a vehicle issue and end it working through a payroll/staffing question or a facility problem. A big part of what I do is connecting people and departments that may not normally work together.
My goal is to have enough visibility across the organization to identify problems before they become operational problems for our officers and our employees.
What responsibilities fall under your team, and how does its work support officers and the department’s broader mission?
Operations touches a lot of different areas. We oversee fleet and equipment, facilities, Records, staffing and scheduling, budget, systems, personnel and timekeeping processes, and a number of the administrative systems that keep the department moving.
I look at all of it through the lens of readiness.
If an officer needs a vehicle, it needs to be there. If they need equipment, it needs to work. If a facility has a problem, we need to know about it and get it addressed. They shouldn’t have to spend their time worrying about those things.
Our job is to take care of the things behind the scenes so our people can focus on the work they’re here to do.
What are some of the biggest operational or logistical challenges you regularly face, and how do you address them?
One of the biggest challenges is simply visibility. In a large organization, information can live in different places, and different divisions may have pieces of the same problem without realizing it.
That’s where I think operations can really add value. I try to bring the right people together and connect those pieces.
I start with the people. They’re our greatest asset and resource. If you get the right people in the room, they will usually tell you what isn’t working, they’ll have ideas about how to fix it, and they’ll have some skin in the game because they helped create the solution.
We’re also continually looking for ways to replace manual processes and spreadsheets with better systems and better information. The goal isn’t technology for technology’s sake. It’s having the right information available so we can make better decisions and be proactive rather than reactive.
Can you share a memorable project or situation that demonstrates the impact of your work?
Fleet is a good example because it’s something people don’t necessarily think about until there’s a problem.
We have a large fleet, and we need to make sure we have enough vehicles available for the officers who are working, plus some capacity for those unexpected things that happen.
We’ve had mornings where we suddenly had multiple vehicles unavailable because of accidents, flat tires, or warranty issues. That’s when you really appreciate having a plan and having visibility into what’s happening with your fleet. For me, that’s what operations is about. We don’t want the officer to be the person who discovers there’s a problem. We want to know about it before they do.
What skills, tools or qualities are most important for succeeding in an operations and logistics leadership role?
I would put relationship-building and curiosity at the top of the list.
You need to be willing to ask questions, understand how other people do their jobs, and sometimes challenge the way something has always been done. You also need to be comfortable not being the subject-matter expert. My job isn’t to know everything. It’s to know who needs to be in the room and help connect the right people.
Organization, communication, problem-solving and adaptability are obviously important. But I also think you need to be willing to get into the details. Operations is sometimes about the big picture, but sometimes it’s about solving a small problem that is creating a headache for someone else.
And I think you need to genuinely care about the people you’re supporting.
If you understand what people are trying to accomplish and what gets in their way, you can usually find a better way to support them.
What do you find most rewarding about your position?
Knowing that we’re making somebody else’s job a little easier.
A lot of what we do is behind the scenes. We’re not the person answering the call or making the arrest or responding to the emergency. But if we’ve done our job right, that officer has what they need when they need it.
I also really enjoy developing people and seeing personnel take ownership of something and realize they can make a difference. Sometimes I’ll connect people who haven’t worked together before, and they come up with a solution that is better than anything I could have come up with myself.
That’s really rewarding.
Operations and logistics may not be the first career paths people associate with law enforcement. What advice would you give women interested in these roles, and how can agencies encourage more women to pursue them?
My advice would be, don’t limit yourself to the roles you traditionally associate with law enforcement.
There are so many ways to have meaningful impact in public safety, and you don’t necessarily have to be the person wearing a uniform and answering calls to make a difference.
I’d also say don’t be afraid to walk into a room where you aren’t the expert. Ask questions. Learn. Build relationships. Speak up when you have an idea, and don’t underestimate the value of skills like communication, organization, collaboration, and problem-solving.
For agencies, I think it starts with giving women opportunities. Let them lead projects. Let them sit at the table. Give them mentors and people who will advocate for them.
And recognize that leadership doesn’t look one particular way.
Some of the skills that make women successful in these roles — communication, collaboration, organization, relationship-building, and the ability to see the big picture — are incredibly valuable in operations.
There is no single mold for what a public safety leader looks like. The more agencies recognize that, the more talent they can bring into the organization.
