NCJ Number
68525
Journal
SCHRIFTENFEIHE DER POLIZEI-FUEHRUNGSAKADEMIE Issue: 1 Dated: (1980) Pages: 39-52
Date Published
1980
Length
14 pages
Annotation
CHANGES IN CONDITIONS FOR POLICE LEADERSHIP, PRESENT-DAY DEMANDS ON POLICE COMMANDERS, AND POSSIBILITIES AND LIMITATIONS IN USE OF MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES TO TRAIN POLICE LEADERS ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
IN RECENT YEARS THE BELIEF THAT LEADERSHIP CAN BE LEARNED HAS REPLACED THEORIES THAT LEADERS ARE BORN, NOT MADE. CHANGES IN LEADERSHIP FUNCTIONS HAVE RESULTED FROM INCREASING SPECIALIZATION, FROM REDUCED EDUCATIONAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN COMMANDERS AND EMPLOYEES, AND FROM THE COMPLEXITY OF PROBLEMS WHICH ARISE. MANAGEMENT TRAINING WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE WEST GERMAN POLICE CURRICULUM IN 1974 TO ASSIST LEADERS IN FULFILLING THEIR PROFESSIONAL OBLIGATIONS, I.E., STRENGTHENING THE ORGANIZATION AND ACHIEVING POLICE GOALS. POLICE LEADERS SHOULD BE CAPABLE OF MODEL BEHAVIOR AND CONSISTENT COMMAND AND SHOULD EXHIBIT SELF-CONTROL, CONFIDENCE, INDEPENDENCE, AND PRESENCE OF MIND. LEADERS MUST GUIDE EMPLOYEES IN THEIR TASKS AND STIMULATE EMPLOYEE INITIATIVE. EMPLOYEES SHOULD BE MOTIVATED THROUGH PARTICIPATION AND INFORMATION. UNIT COMMANDERS ARE IN SOLE CHARGE OF THEIR UNITS; FREE-FLOWING INFORMATION MAKES COORDINATION OF UNITS POSSIBLE. CERTAIN PECULARITIES OF POLICE WORK MUST BE RECOGNIZED BY POLICE LEADERSHIP: THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF ASSESSING EFFECTIVENESS OF MOST POLICE MEASURES OR SPECIAL ACTIONS, THE PRESENCE OF CONFLICTS RELATING TO HUMAN RIGHTS, THE UNAVOIDABILITY OF LIFE-DEATH DECISIONMAKING UNDER CONSTANT PRESSURE, AND THE EXPOSURE TO GREAT PERSONAL RISK. TO BE EFFECTIVE, MANAGEMENT THEORY MUST EXPLORE PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF SCIENTIFIC METHODS USING INFORMATION FROM OTHER FIELDS. LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES AND TASKS, PLANNING PROCESSES AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS MUST BE CONSIDERED. MANAGEMENT THEORIES ARE LIMITED BY THE FREQUENT FAILURE OF HUMANS TO ACT ACCORDING TO THEIR INSIGHTS AND BY THE EVERYDAY ORGANIZATIONAL PRESSURES OF POLICE SERVICE. ACCORDING TO THE MANAGEMENT TRAINING CONCEPT, POLICE COMMANDERS AT ALL LEVELS MUST UNDERSTAND MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES AND HUMAN RELATIONS MECHANISMS, THUS PROMOTING UNIFORM MANAGEMENT. BASIC MANAGEMENT TRAINING SHOULD COVER ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES, PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNICATION, PLANNING AND DECISIONMAKING, COMMAND AND CONTROL PROCEDURES, STAFF WORK, EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION, AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION. AN INTRODUCTION TO THEORETICAL APPROACHES FOLLOWED BY GROUP SOLUTION OF PRACTICAL PROBLEMS IS RECOMMENDED AS A PEDAGOGICAL TECHNIQUE. A BRIEF BIBLIOGRAPHY IS SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN