NCJ Number
66564
Date Published
1979
Length
17 pages
Annotation
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT LOWER-RANKING BRITISH POLICE REDEFINE THE POLICY DIRECTIVES OF MANAGERIAL STAFF THROUGH THEIR USE OF DISCRETIONARY POWER.
Abstract
SINCE POLICING DEFIES CLOSE SUPERVISION, LITTLE SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE EXISTS ON HOW OFFICERS USE THEIR DISCRETIONARY POWERS. IT IS KNOWN THAT HINDRANCES TO POLICE ACTIVITY IN LIBERAL DEMOCRACIES ARE OFTEN REMOVED BY EXTRA-LEGAL POLICE PRACTICES. THE LOWER RANKS OF BRITISH POLICE OFTEN DEVELOP THEIR OWN DEFINITION OF POLICE WORK WHICH MAY OPPOSE WHAT POLICYMAKERS DIRECT. MOREOVER, POLICE ADMIRE TRAITS SUCH AS TOUGHNESS, RETENTION OF AUTHORITY, AND AGGRESSION WHICH CAN LEAD TO ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. ALTHOUGH POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION MAY RESTRICT ILLEGAL ACTIVITY, ITS RESULTS ARE UNCERTAIN. THE OPPOSITION OF POLICY AND RANK-AND-FILE POLICE PRACTICES WERE STUDIED IN A SPECIAL CRIME SQUAD OPERATING IN A MAJOR BRITISH URBAN AREA. THE SQUAD WAS ESTABLISHED TO CONTROL AN INCREASE IN ROBBERY. LOWER-RANKING POLICE DISAGREED WITH POLICYMAKERS THAT EXTRA-LEGAL POLICE METHODS ARE UNNECESSARY OR THAT POLICE MUST SHARE THEIR FUNCTION OF SOCIAL CONTROL WITH OTHER SOCIAL AGENCIES. MOREOVER, ALTHOUGH THE SQUAD WAS DIRECTED MERELY TO OBSERVE AND GATHER INFORMATION, POLICE PREFERRED ACTION, RESPONDING TO CALLS UNRELATED TO THEIR OBSERVATION DUTIES, AND MAKING ARRESTS. THUS, THE POLICYMAKERS' DIRECTIVES WERE REPLACED AND THE SQUAD BECAME HIGHLY INDEPENDENT. FAR FROM LEADING TO LESS EXTRA-LEGAL WORK, POLICE PROFESSIONALIZATION AND SPECIALIZATION LEAD ONLY TO MORE RANK-AND-FILE AUTONOMY, AS POLICE POLICYMAKERS DO NOT DISCIPLINE RANK-AND-FILE DISOBEDIENCE TO POLICY. OVERALL, PROFESSIONALIZATION EXISTS TO FURTHER POLICE IMAGE AND POWER. (PAP)