Changing Face of Police Leadership

• NCJ Number: 214315
• Journal: Police Chief Volume: 73 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2006 Pages: 26-33
• Author(s): Todd Wuestewald; Brigitte Steinheider Ph.D.
• Date Published: April 2006
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article discusses the features of three types of shared leadership in police organizations, presents findings from a survey of Oklahoma police chiefs regarding their opinions of shared leadership, and examines the police chief's executive role under this leadership model.

Abstract

In assessing support for shared leadership among Oklahoma police chiefs, a survey found that although they agreed on the value of shared leadership for law enforcement organizations, they had varying views on the appropriate level of employee involvement in decisionmaking; 40 percent favored "job involvement," 32 percent favored "suggestion involvement," and 24 percent favored "high involvement." One model of shared leadership is called "suggestion involvement." It features opportunities for police personnel at all levels to offer information and suggestions, but without any involvement in decisionmaking about whether to incorporate the suggestions into departmental policy and practice. This model is most effective when an accessible and inviting structure for offering suggestions exists and when personnel at all levels believe their suggestions will be taken seriously and have a good chance of being implemented. A second type of shared leadership is called "job involvement," which describes systems of shared leadership that give personnel a degree of autonomy over the development of their working conditions. This involves being a participant in decisions that affect how one's job tasks are structured and performed. The third type of shared leadership is called "high involvement," which is the most advanced and perhaps the riskiest form of shared leadership. This involves the widespread involvement of personnel in suggesting ideas and concepts for departmental policy and operations as well as providing employees at all levels decisionmaking power in team deliberations. The police chief is key in coordinating whatever structure of shared leadership is chosen. 22 references