NCJ Number
100405
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 13 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1985) Pages: 325-337
Date Published
1985
Length
13 pages
Annotation
A study of the nature of police management practices in Illinois focused both on actual practices and on the education and training received by agency personnel.
Abstract
The survey instrument gathered information in five areas: demographic data about the respondent and the agency, education and management training received by the respondent, the agency's management practices, the agency's organizational system, and the respondent's knowledge of current management and motivational theory. Sixty-four of the State's 80 agencies with at least 40 sworn personnel were represented in the responses. The administrative personnel were well-educated. However, the operational group was better educated than the command-supervisory group. Findings also revealed that (1) the dominant managerial approach and organizational structure reflects traditional paramilitary philosophy, (2) both supervisory and operations personnel perceive communications in their organizations as primarily downward, (3) only about one-fourth of these groups perceive communications to be easy and unhindered, and (4) supervisory and operations personnel do not view themselves as having a meaningful role in organizational decisionmaking. The main communications breakdown appears to be occurring between the administrators and the command-supervisory group. Tables, 10 recommendations, and 15 references.