IMPROVING POLICE DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT THROUGH PROBLEM-SOLVING TASK FORCES - A CASE STUDY IN ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT

• NCJ Number: 16414
• Author(s): M R WEISBORD; H LAMB; A DREXLER
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 79 pages
• Sale Source: Addison-Wesley Publishing
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

REPORT ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF MIDDLE MANAGEMENT EFFECTIVENESS IN A MODERN URBAN POLICE DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE USE OF INTER-LEVEL TASK FORCES WHICH TOGETHER FORMED A 'COLLATERAL' ORGANIZATION FOR PROBLEM SOLVING.

Abstract

THE TASK FORCE APPROACH ASSUMES THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE OF VARYING BACKGROUNDS CAN TOGETHER SOLVE JOINT PROBLEMS MORE CREATIVELY THAN BY WORKING ALONE, AND THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE COMMITTED TO CARRYING OUT DECISIONS THEY HAVE HAD A PART IN MAKING. IN THIS CASE THE APPROACH WAS APPLIED TO THE LIEUTENANT/SERGEANT LEVEL OF A DEPARTMENT IN A CITY OF 80,000. TASK FORCES WERE FORMED WHICH CUT ACROSS THE LINES OF RANK AND DIVISION AND SEPARATELY ATTACKED SUCH PROBLEMS AS VEHICLE MAINTENANCE, THE REPORTING AND PROMOTION SYSTEMS, AND DISCIPLINE. THE TASK FORCES MADE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO PROBLEM. SOLVING, AND IN SO DOING CREATED ADDITIONAL TASK FORCES TO MEET OTHER PROBLEMS. PARTICIPANTS REPORTED IMPROVEMENT OF THEIR COMMUNICATION AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS AS A RESULT OF THE EXERCISE. THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE APPLICATION, OUTCOME, AND FEEDBACK OF THE TASK FORCE/ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT APPROACH AS EMPLOYED BY THE PUBLIC OFFICIALS, POLICE PERSONNEL AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANTS INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)