NCJ Number
45250
Journal
Police Magazine Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1978) Pages: 43-48
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE BOISE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S EMPHASIS ON MANAGEMENT STYLE IN THE REORGANIZATION OF ITS OPERATIONS ALONG THE LINES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TEAM POLICING MODEL IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
IN 1976, THE CITY WAS DIVIDED INTO FOUR AUTONOMOUS REGIONS, WITH UNIFIED PATROL AND DETECTIVE FUNCTIONS WITHIN EACH AREA. THESE DIVISIONS WERE ENCOURAGED TO EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT STYLES. IT WAS HOPED THAT SOME WOULD MOVE AWAY FROM THE PARAMILITARY COMMAND STRUCTURE OF MOST DEPARTMENTS (THE 'X' STYLE) TOWARD A MORE DEMOCRATIC APPROACH (THE 'Y' STYLE). DIFFERENCES AMONG THE FOUR DIVISIONS REFLECT THEIR EMPHASIS ON DIFFERENT MANAGEMENT STYLES. ONE FACTOR THAT LED TO THE NEW ORIENTATION WAS THE DEPARTMENT'S INCREASING EMPHASIS ON COLLEGE EDUCATION FOR ITS OFFICERS. POLICE OFFICIALS RECOGNIZED THAT COLLEGE-EDUCATED OFFICERS WOULD NOT BE HAPPY WITHIN THE REGIMENTATION OF THE OLD STRUCTURE AND WOULD RESPOND BETTER TO THE EXPANDED ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES CHARACTERISTIC OF Y-STYLE DIVISIONS. THE RESULT OF THE DRAFT SYSTEM USED TO STAFF THE DIVISIONS HAS BEEN THAT DIVISION MANAGERS HAVE CHOSEN THOSE EMPLOYEES MOST LIKELY TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THEIR PARTICULAR MANAGEMENT STYLES. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT MOST PROJECTS LIKE THE REORGANIZATION UNDERTAKEN IN BOISE REQUIRE 6 MONTHS TO A YEAR OF PLANNING AND USUALLY INVOLVE PILOT PROJECTS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. BOISE CONVERTED THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT TO NEIGHBORHOOD TEAM POLICING IN 6 WEEKS WITH NO SPECIAL TRAINING. THE BOISE POLICE CHIEF EXPLAINS WHY HE FEELS THAT THE SUCCESS OF THE TRANSITION IS ATTRIBUTABLE IN PART TO THE ACT THAT IT WAS UNDERTAKEN QUICKLY AT A TIME WHEN THE DEPARTMENT WAS IN CONSIDERABLE TURMOIL.