PREREQUISITES, CONDITIONS, AND MECHANISM OF ACTION OF THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OF THE POLICE, AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MANAGEMENT THEORY

• NCJ Number: 68479
• Journal: POLIZEI Volume: 68 Issue: 10 Dated: (OCTOBER 1977) Pages: 318-323
• Author(s): G BERNDT
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 6 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: German
• Country: West Germany (Former)

Annotation

FORMS AND FUNCTIONS OF POLICE MANAGEMENT IN WEST GERMANY ARE OUTLINED.

Abstract

TO ACCOMPLISH THE COMPLEX TASKS OF POLICE WORK, POLICE REQUIRE AN ORGANIZATIONAL FORM WHICH BALANCES SPECIALIZATION AND COORDINATION, AS WELL AS WELL-TRAINED, HIGHLY MOTIVATED EMPLOYEES. POLICE MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS RELATE TO TRAINING AND COMMAND OF SPECIAL UNITS, AS WELL AS SUPERVISORY ACTIVITIES AT ALL LEVELS. THE POLICE COMMANDER MUST BE ABLE TO HANDLE SIMULTANEOUSLY SUCH FUNCTIONS AS EVALUATING LEGAL AND TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, PLANNING AND DIRECTING SPECIAL POLICE ACTIONS, AND MAKING INSTANT DECISIONS. POLICE LEADERSHIP IS A DYNAMIC PROCESS OF INFLUENCING OTHER INDIVIDUALS; ITS AUTHORITY IS BASED ON RESPONSIBILITY AND EXPERTISE IN THE FIELD AS WELL AS IN HUMAN NATURE. THE MANAGEMENT PROCESS IS INFLUENCED BY SITUATIONAL DETERMINANTS, PERSONNEL ABILITY AND MOTIVATION, ORGANIZATION, RESOURCES, AND THE LEADERS' QUALIFICATIONS, VALUES, AND SOCIAL BACKGROUND. ON THE ORGANIZATIONAL LEVEL, THE COMMANDER SEEKS TO ACHIEVE POLICE OBJECTIVES BY EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES. SOCIALLY, THE POLICE COMMANDER MUST MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES AND STIMULATE GROUP COHESION. LEADERSHIP FUNCTIONS ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL ENCOMPASS ATTENTION TO EMPLOYEES' HUMAN NEEDS AND OCCUPATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. AUTHORITARIAN AND BUREAUCRATIC LEADERSHIP STYLES TEND TO BE IMPERSONAL, NEGLECTING EMPLOYEE NEEDS AND SPECIAL TALENTS AND FAVORING EMPLOYEE-EMPLOYER RELATIONSHIPS FOUNDED ON OBEDIENCE. IN CONTRAST, MODERN COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ENCOURAGE SHARED DECISIONMAKING, PLANNING, AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR TASK ACCOMPLISHMENT. CONSTANT COMMUNICATION SHOULD CLARIFY POLICIES, VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL REPRESENTATION SHOULD INSURE INVOLVEMENT, AND RECOGNITION FOR INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS SHOULD MOTIVATE PERFORMANCE. SUCCESSFUL POLICE MANAGEMENT COMBINES KNOWLEDGE OF A VARIETY OF DISCIPLINES WITH PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE. MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE RELUCTANCE TO CHANGE MUST BE REPLACED BY AWARENESS OF ORGANIZATIONAL DYNAMICS AND OF THE NEED FOR CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT. NOTES ARE SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN.