NCJ Number
51315
Date Published
1975
Length
196 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECT OF POLICE MIDDLE MANAGEMENT TRAINING AS AUTHORIZED BY THE CALIFORNIA COMMISSION ON PEACE OFFICER STANDARDS AND TRAINING ON THE PARENT ORGANIZATIONS OF PARTICIPANTS IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
THE STUDY HYPOTHESIS STATES THAT THE 100-HOUR COURSE ON MANAGEMENT INSTRUCTION WOULD CAUSE ONLY MINIMAL, IF ANY, ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE, THAT THE SEMIMILITARY NATURE OF THE POLICE ORGANIZATION WOULD BE RESISTANT TO CHANGE, AND THAT THE LARGER THE POLICE ORGANIZATION, THE LESS POSSIBILITY FOR ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE. A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF POLICE LEADERSHIP AND POLICE ORGANIZATION IS PRESENTED ALONG WITH A DISCUSSION OF THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF POLICE TRAINING IN CALIFORNIA. PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION ARE DEFINED ALONG WITH THE VARIANT MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION STYLES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM SEGMENTS. POLICE MIDDLE MANAGEMENT, STYLES SELECTION AND PROMOTION OF MIDDLE MANAGERS, AND THE TREND TOWARD MIDDLE MANAGEMENT TRAINING AND EDUCATION ARE DISCUSSED. THIS STUDY WAS LIMITED TO 41 COURSES CONDUCTED IN THREE CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITIES FROM 1969-1974. A TOTAL OF 830 POLICE MANAGERS REPRESENTING OVER 140 AGENCIES WERE CONTACTED BY QUESTIONNAIRE, WITH 436 MANAGERS RESPONDING FROM 125 AGENCIES. THE QUESTIONNAIRE ELICITED PERSONAL PERCEPTIONS OF PROGRAM VALUE AND THE RESPONDENT'S ATTITUDES TOWARD THEIR PARENT ORGANIZATIONS. RESULTS WERE STATISTICALLY ANALYZED. FINDINGS INDICATED THAT POLICE MIDDLE MANAGEMENT COURSES HAVE LITTLE IMPACT UPON THE POLICE ORGANIZATIONS. MANAGERS WHO POSSESSED HIGHER LEVELS OF FORMAL EDUCATION AND WHO WERE SATISFIED WITH THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS REPORTED THE GREATEST SATISFACTION WITH COURSE CONTENT. MANAGERS FROM LARGER DEPARTMENTS FELT THE TRAINING TO BE LESS VALUE THAN DID THOSE FROM SMALLER DEPARTMENTS; THEY FELT LESS ABLE TO EXERCISE INFLUENCE WITHIN THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE TRAINING COURSE BE RESTRUCTURED AND RETITLED AND THAT PARTICIPATION BE REQUIRED AT ALL LEVELS OF POLICE MANAGEMENT. OLDER MANAGERS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND VARIOUS COURSE PROGRAMS, AND REACTION TO AND IMPLEMENTATION OF TRAINING PROGRAM CONCEPTS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE COURSE CONTENT AND EVALUATION. APPENDIXES CONTAIN THE SURVEY INSTRUMENT AND A LISTING OF PARTICIPATING AND NONPARTICIPATING AGENCIES. A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED.