NCJ Number
72141
Date Published
1977
Length
223 pages
Annotation
A model of effective management is developed for urban police agencies, and results are reported from the use of the model in measuring the effectiveness of management processes in three law enforcement agencies.
Abstract
The management model developed combines the philosophies and methodologies of participative management in the business sector with the operational constraints of public service organizations, notably urban police agencies. The techniques of participative management of three law enforcement agencies--the Santa Ana and Norwalk substations of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (Calif.) and the Multnomah County Sheriff's Department (Ore.)--were analyzed in terms of process and content. Management styles were found to be changing from a hierarchical, authoritarian style to a more participative style. This is theorized to be happening generally in police departments because of the community's demand that the police department be responsive to the public as are other public service agencies. The organizations examined did, to varying degrees, use the methods of business management, ranging from implementation of a more efficient resource allocation program to a full-service team policing program that approximated the requirements of the business model. The extent to which participative management efforts can be implemented in a police agency was found to be related to the amount of interdepartment, intradepartment, and interpersonal communication, commitment, continuity, autonomy, and flexibility built into the structure and functions of the organization, as well as the resource and time constraints. Appended are a checklist for objective setting, a checklist for work breakdown validity, and program aspects of team policing. Tabular and graphic data and 53 references are included.