CHANGING NATURE OF POLICE MANAGEMENT - THEORY IN TRANSITION (FROM FUTURE OF POLICING, 1978, BY ALVIN W COHN - SEE NCJ-51338)

• NCJ Number: 51340
• Author(s): K R MCCREEDY
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 30 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICE MANAGEMENT THEORIES AND STYLES IS CONSIDERED. CHANGES IN POLICE ENVIRONMENT ARE EXAMINED IN RELATION TO MANAGEMENT APPROACHES, AND A SYSTEMS APPROACH IS DISCUSSED AS MOST APPROPRIATE.

Abstract

POLICE DEPARTMENTS HAVE TRADITIONALLY ADOPTED A PARAMILITARY STYLE OF ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT, AND POLICE MANAGERS HAVE EMERGED BECAUSE OF OPERATIONAL CRISES RATHER THAN BECAUSE OF THEIR MANAGERIAL COMPETENCE. THERE IS A THEORETICAL DILEMMA INVOLVED IN THE POSITION OF POLICE MANAGER--THEY CAN BE SEEN AS PUBLIC SERVANTS SUBJECT TO POLITICAL PROCESSES OR AS PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATORS. VARIATIONS OF APPROACHES TO PRACTICAL MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS ARISING FROM THIS DILEMMA ARE DISCUSSED. THESE INCLUDE SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT, HUMAN BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT, AND THE MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES APPROACH, WHICH ARE CONCERNED RESPECTIVELY WITH INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS, GROUP DYNAMICS, AND PROCESSES. SYSTEMS THEORY PROVIDES A BROADER PERSPECTIVE THAN ANY OF THESE APPROACHES SINCE IT IS CONCERNED WITH STRUCTURAL RELATIONSHIPS AND INTERDEPENDENCE RATHER THAN WITH THE ATTRIBUTES OF A SYSTEM'S COMPONENTS. HOWEVER, THE MANAGER'S CONCEPTION OF THE TOTAL SYSTEM CAN BE INFLUENCED BY ORGANIZATIONAL ASPECTS LIKE POWER, AUTHORITY, AND RESPONSIBILITY. OPEN AND CLOSED SYSTEMS ARE DISCUSSED, AND IT IS NOTED THAT CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS ARE USUALLY CLOSED AND LACK THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE AFFORDED TO OPEN SYSTEMS. IT IS STATED THAT POLICE ORGANIZATIONS WILL CHANGE USING ONE OF FOUR APPROACHES: REACTIVE CHANGE, PASSIVE-ADAPTIVE CHANGE, PROACTIVE CHANGE, OR ACTIVE-ADAPTIVE CHANGE. INDICATIONS OF CHANGING ENVIRONMENTS FOR POLICE MANAGERS ARE INCREASING EMPLOYEE MILITANCY, INCREASED EMPLOYEE DIVERSION, WORKER DEMANDS TO PARTICIPATE IN DECISIONMAKING, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND INCREASING TECHNOLOGICAL SOPHISTICATION OF CRIME. POLICE MANAGERS SHOULD COMMIT THEMSELVES TO ACTIVE AND PROACTIVE MODES OF CHANGE, INSTITUTE MORE OPEN AND FLEXIBLE ORGANIZATION STRUCTURES, RELY LESS ON POWER AND AUTHORITY AS MODES OF OPERATION, AND LEARN TO REEVALUATE RULES AND POLICIES ON A CONTINUING BASIS. THEY MUST ENCOURAGE COMMUNICATION AND SHARED DECISIONMAKING AMONG ALL LEVELS OF POLICE PERSONNEL AND LEARN TO VIEW THEIR FUNCTION IN RELATION TO A TOTAL SYSTEM AND THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT RATHER THAN TO THEIR OWN ORGANIZATION. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)