NCJ Number
231786
Journal
THE POLICE CHIEF Volume: 77 Issue: 6 Dated: June 2010 Pages: 66,68,70,72
Date Published
June 2010
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article examines the challenges and successes of mentoring within police departments.
Abstract
The first step toward institutionalizing mentoring in an agency is mentoring of new employees. In order to mentor new employees, there must be committed mentors who find the opportunity of mentoring rewarding and contributory. Proteges of a mentoring relationship having experienced a great mentor leader repay the organization by becoming mentors themselves. This cycle of mentoring becomes the department's culture. However, this cycle is not without its challenges. Mentoring programs can have their shortcomings, as good chemistry in the mentoring relationship cannot be guaranteed. Understanding an organization's structural design is critical when implementing a mentoring program, which includes an understanding of the organization's artifacts, beliefs, and assumptions. Leadership and mentoring is a symbiotic relationship that must be shared and nurtured. This article discusses the institutionalizing of a mentoring program within police agencies and the successes, challenges and rewards that follow. 4 figures and 13 notes