Case Study #1

Chapter 4: Police Organization and Operation

NO MORE “BUSINESS AS USUAL” CHANGING POLICE CULTURE

2015 President’s Task Force on Policing: §  “ recent events that have exposed rifts in the

relationships between local police and the communities they protect and serve.”

§  “Trust between law enforcement agencies and the people they protect and serve is essential in a democracy.”

A CHANGE IN MIND-SET

What are the hindrances to cultural and organizational change in policing?

§  Administrators not wanting to engage in the extensive planning required for change.

§  Not being knowledgeable on how to implement change.

§  Past failures of change. §  Police culture of not wanting to change.

ADOPTING PROCEDURAL JUSTICE

Procedural justice revolves around 4 principles: §  Treating people with dignity and respect §  Giving individuals “voice” during encounters §  Being neutral and transparent in decision making §  Conveying trustworthy motives

A NEW PROFESSIONALISM

Four principles that compose this effort: §  A commitment to accountability. §  A commitment to legitimacy. §  A commitment to innovation. §  National coherence.

“GUARDIANS” OR “SOLDIERS”

•  Although police wear uniforms and carry weapons, that is were the similarity to soldiers should end.

•  Police should embrace a guardian mindset to build public trust. §  Which has been lost with many of the recent

police violence and shootings.

CONSTITUTIONAL POLICING AND LEGITIMACY

•  Constitutional policing operates within the parameters of the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions. §  Forms the foundation of community policing.

•  Police legitimacy is the extent to which the community believes that police actions are appropriate, proper, and just.

CHANGING “OPTICS” AND RESPONDING TO MASS DEMONSTRATIONS

•  Police should avoid bringing heavy equipment to demonstrations or wearing riot gear, asking kindly to move along may be more effective. §  Soft approach

POLICE AGENCIES AS ORGANIZATIONS THE GROUPING OF ACTIVITIES

•  Organizations coordinate people and resources to achieve a mission or goal. §  Specialized units-patrol, traffic, investigation, and

records for example. •  As formal organizations become larger there an

increase in the need to work together to achieve the goal. §  Formal organization charts help.

DIVISION OF LABOR (1 OF 2)

•  Specialization produces different groups of functional responsibilities and are performed by those qualified to perform the job. §  Crucial for the effectiveness of an organization. §  Does make the organization more complex.

DIVISION OF LABOR (2 OF 2)

Advantages of specialization: §  Placement of responsibility §  Development of expertise §  Group esprit de corps §  Increased efficiency and effectiveness

ELEMENTS OF POLICE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE (1 OF 2)

•  According to Maguire et al. 7 elements of LE organizational structure:

•  Functional differentiation: the degree to which tasks are broken down into functionally distinct units.

•  Occupational differentiation: measures distinctions within the staff (job titles) and the extent to which an organization relies on specially trained workers from distinct occupational groups.

•  Spatial differentiation: the extent to which an organization is spread geographically.

•  Vertical differentiation: the hierarchical nature of the command structure

ELEMENTS OF POLICE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE (2 OF 2)

•  According to Maguire et al. 7 elements of LE organizational structure: §  Centralization is the extent to which the decision-

making capacity within an organization is concentrated in a single individual or small group.

§  Formalization is the extent to which employees are governed by specific rules and policies.

§  Administrative intensity refers to the proportion of organizational resources committed to administration.

THE BASIC ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE (1 OF 2)

•  The police traditionally organize along military lines, with a rank structure that normally includes the patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, and chief.

•  Police department organizational structures are designed to fulfill five functions.

1.  Apportioning the workload among members and units insuring that lines of authority and responsibility are as definite and direct as possible

2.  Specifying unity of command throughout, so that there is no question as to whose orders should be followed

4.  Placing responsibility and authority 5.  Coordinating the efforts of members so that all will work

harmoniously to accomplish the mission

THE BASIC ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE (2 OF 2)

•  Operational or line elements: §  Patrol function is the major law enforcement

responsibility. §  Investigative and youth activities are secondary

line elements. •  Time and area restrictions •  Requires specialized training

•  Nonopertional functions: §  Staff (administrative) services §  Auxiliary (technical) services

FIGURE 4-1 BASIC POLICE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

POLICIES, PROCEDURES, RULES, AND REGULATIONS

•  Policies §  Written guidelines that are general in nature and serve

to further the organization's philosophy and mission and help in interpreting their elements to the officers.

•  Procedures §  Specific guidelines that serve to direct employee

actions, such as how to prepare investigations and conduct patrol, bookings, radio communications, and prepare reports.

•  Rules and regulations §  Specific managerial guidelines for officers, such not

smoking in public, types of weapons to be carried on duty, etc.

COMMUNITY POLICING AND PROBLEM SOLVING

•  COPPS §  Community-oriented policing and problem solving -

the dominant philosophy and strategy of policing •  S.A.R.A. (scanning, analysis, response, assessment)

§  Scanning: a preliminary inquiry to determine whether a problem really exists and further analysis is needed.

§  Analysis: determining the extent of the problem; it is the most difficult and important step in the S.A.R.A. process.

§  Response: formulating tailor-made strategies §  Assessment: evaluating overall effectiveness of

responses

CONTRIBUTORY STRATEGIES (1 OF 2)

CompStat §  Revolutionized law enforcement §  Comparative computer statistics that generates

crime activity reports and officers can proactively deal with crime and crime prevention

Smart policing §  A policing approach that emphasizes the use of

data and analytics as well as improved crime analysis, performance measurement, and evaluation research

CONTRIBUTORY STRATEGIES (2 OF 2)

Intelligence-led Policing §  A style of policing that combines crime analysis

(where the "who, what, when, and where" of crime is analyzed) with intelligence analysis (which looks at the "who" of crime—the crime networks and individuals)

Predictive policing §  A policing strategy that integrates crime analysis,

technology, intelligence-led policing, and other tactics to inform forward thinking crime prevention strategies

MOVING FROM A GOOD TO A GREAT POLICE ORGANIZATION

•  Per Collins, there are five levels of leadership. •  The Level 5 leader, at the highest level, is ambitious, but

that ambition is directed first and foremost to the organization and its success, not to personal renown. §  Level 5 leaders are "fanatically driven, infected with an

incurable need to produce results." §  They do not exhibit enormous egos.

•  People are not an organization's most important asset; rather, the right people are.

•  Personnel problems have to be confronted in an organization that aspires to greatness.

MOVING FROM GOOD TO GREAT…

•  Performance evaluations are critical. •  Unfortunately, many police departments still have

not created evaluation tools that adequately reflect the work police do.

•  Perhaps the most difficult part of achieving greatness is sustaining that greatness.

AGENCY ACCREDITATION (1 OF 2)

Accreditation §  A voluntary effort by a criminal justice agency

where it seeks to meet national standards in its field and thus be officially designated as accredited.

•  CALEA is a nonprofit organization that has developed and administers 459 voluntary standards for law enforcement agencies to meet.

•  Accreditation is quite expensive, both in dollars and in human resources.

•  Today, there are nearly 600 agencies accredited or recognized in one of the Commission's various programs

AGENCY ACCREDITATION (2 OF 2)

Accredited police agencies: 1.  Provide more training for their officers and

required higher minimum educational requirements for new officers

2.  Are nearly twice as likely to require drug testing for sworn applicants

3.  Are more likely to operate special units for the enforcement of drug laws and laws against child abuse