NCJ Number
107535
Journal
Policing Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (Summer 1987) Pages: 88-105
Date Published
1987
Length
18 pages
Annotation
One way to increase the numbers of police officers available for foot patrol in England and Wales without increasing the resources devoted to law enforcement would be to increase the proportion of police officers at the rank of constable and reduce the proportion at supervisory levels.
Abstract
For the last 20 years, about 75 percent of officers have been constables, 16 percent sergeants, and 9 percent of more senior rank. The proportions were similar 100 years ago. They do not vary significantly among the 43 police forces in England and Wales, despite many differences in force size and specialization and organizational theory suggesting that these factors should affect the rank structure. Police forces in the Federal Republic of Germany, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada have much smaller proportions of managers than do those in England, Wales, and the United States. The British Home Office should develop guidelines for determining rank structures in different types of forces. It should also conduct more research on the role of the sergeant. The proportion of managers should also gradually be reduced to 5 percent. Flattening the organizational structure in this way would lead to greater recognition of the discretion that constables use and would promote police professionalism and more realistic management styles. Appended tables and 32 references.