Buck Passing

I live right next to the police station in Aarhus. The police station’s parking lot is separated by a street called Ridderstræde.

Over the past few weeks, more and more cars have suddenly started parking right on the street—or perhaps “path” is a better word, though it is officially a street.

This morning, as I was running to the office, I decided to stop by the police station and ask about the issue, hoping they could resolve it or at least explain what was going on.

When I arrived, there were two officers sitting at the reception desk, and I was the only person there. I explained the situation: right in their own backyard, the street is blocked by illegally parked cars. The policeman told me he was aware of the issue and that it was probably caused by workers at a nearby building site. I hinted that perhaps they could try to do something about it, but he explained that it wasn’t the police’s responsibility.

A bit comical, considering it’s literally happening in their backyard, but the police man convinced me it was an issue for the City Assistants. I told him it was just an FYI and that I wouldn’t pursue it further. I wished him a good day and ran along to the office, hoping I would bump into one of these City Assistants, but I didn’t.

The situation continued to bug me, so I looked up the City Assistants phone number and gave them a call. I went through a phone menu, selecting 1, then 2, and so on, only to be greeted by an automatic message informing me that I had called outside their opening hours. They’re open from 10-12 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and from 12-14 on Thursdays.

The Buck Stops Here

Ownership matters. Whether it’s fixing an illegal parking issue or resolving a customer complaint, the person who hears the issue first has a unique opportunity to take action—or at least guide the resolution process effectively. Buck passing might feel easier in the moment, but it rarely leads to better outcomes.

Sometimes, we think it’s a good idea to build big, complex systems with Police officers and City Assistants —“Wouldn’t it be smart if…”—but those systems can become so rigid and segmented that no one feels responsible for addressing the simplest of issues. The result? Frustrated users and a problem that never gets solved.

No amount of redirection beats someone simply stepping up and saying, “I’ll take care of that.”