NCJ Number
130652
Journal
Canadian Police College Journal Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: (1991) Pages: 26-71
Date Published
1991
Length
46 pages
Annotation
Data collected from questionnaires and interviews conducted with members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian municipal police officers were used to assess how constables with at least ten years of experience adapted to their employment situation. Specifically, the study focused on the differences between constables in the two forces, the effect of length of service on perceptions and attitudes, and the effect of expectations of promotion on perceptions and attitudes.
Abstract
The results bore out earlier research on plateauing; senior constables were generally very negative in their evaluation of their organization's treatment of them. Those with lowest expectations of promotion had the most negative outlooks. There were many areas related to work attitudes in which constables in the two forces were very similar. However, RCMP constables did not reduce their career goals in the face of declining promotion prospects, but did desire and expect promotion more than their municipal counterparts. RCMP members with poor promotion prospects experienced a greater sense of failure and those with longer lengths of service felt more deprived and less career satisfaction. These findings challenge police managers to strive to improve the self-worth and morale of patrol officers. The current trend toward community policing could have very positive ramifications for the role of senior constables in the police organization. A new rank structure could focus on the nature of the work, reduce differences in functions between levels, and promote developmental opportunities. Short-term initiatives that could help senior constables include formal career counseling and mid-career orientation workshops. 33 references