Rozprawy doktorskie na temat „Police administration”

A Likert Scale Attitudinal Survey was distributed to sworn, non-supervisor, police officers at six police departments in the state of California in a department roll-call setting to measure the counterbalance of power, trust, and influence between police managers and police union leaders. The relationship between a police management and police union leadership is critical component in the internal dynamics of the police organization. The results from this study provide evidence that although on average rank and file police officers tend to trust and attribute more power within police organizations to police unions rather than to police managers, an analysis of the survey responses by inferential statistics showed that these differences were not statistically significant. Furthermore, an analysis of the survey results measuring the relationship between the specific leadership bases of power and trust revealed a statistically significant relationship between the perception of trust by rank and file officers and the use of specific bases of power by police managers and police union leaders. In conclusion, the implications for studies of leadership, power, and policing are discussed.

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to identify and understand the strategies and experiences of female police officers working within the masculine culture of police organizations. Using Acker’s gendered institutions theory, the researcher explored the organizational culture and subculture of the police and how police culture potentially places limitations on the career success of female police officers. The data came from semistructured interviews with seven female police officers working for a municipal police agency within Alberta, Canada. The researcher also analyzed publicly available data which included a 2013 workplace review and audit of a police organization in Alberta, Canada as well as a 2017 workplace harassment review of Canada’s Federal police service. The researcher found the themes that aligned with Acker’s gendered institution theory included: (a) experience the need to prove self, (b) experience sexual and gender harassment, (c) positive experience from fellow officers, (d) negative experience from fellow officers, (e) experience of positive behavior from supervisors, (f) experience of negative behavior from supervisors, (g) experience related to work and family, (h) experience bullying and labelling, (i) experience psychological stress, and (j) experience masculine culture. The study findings assisted in providing valuable information concerning gender issues related to the recruitment, promotion, and retention of female police officers within a Canadian police organization. The research results suggested further examination of experiences of female police officers, as well as male police officers, is needed to fully understand the effect masculine culture has on police organizations.

In the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the role of the local police has undergone a continual expansion process that has become a vital component in safeguarding our national security. Despite numerous technological advancements in intelligence operations, the local police remains the only 24/7 emergency operations entity that is capable of gathering intelligence, investigating, mobilizing operations, and apprehending threats to our nation. With this expanded role in national security, police leadership and management is faced with increased levels of accountability, including the safeguarding of critical infrastructure in their respective jurisdictions, often without financial commitments and resources acquisitions. This qualitative study served to address the local police as a component of national security through five police chiefs’/directors’ perceptions of their roles in safeguarding critical infrastructure, examining their perceptions as they pertain to their current delivery mission model, through interviews and the development of pervasive themes. Themes from the data were well-saturated, as well as overarching, and emerged as follows: (a) critical infrastructure (CI) identification, (b) policy and patrol practice, (c) police officer knowledge, (d) technology impacts on critical infrastructure, and (e) budget. Identification regarding the relationships between local police and civil/national security, leadership/management and policy were made that suggest changes and sweeping support for future frameworks. The paper concludes with a discussion of the research, along with recommendations for policy, practice and future research.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if effective university police officers differ from less effective university officers based on their perceptions/dispositions according to perceptual psychology theory. By establishing that effective university police officers possess specific dispositions, strategies can be developed to identify these dispositions in police officer candidates during the hiring process and to continue supporting their dispositional growth afterwards. This could potentially lead to the hiring of effective university police officers who are more likely to become engaged in the university community and ultimately improve organizational effectiveness. Effective university police officers typically approach their duties with the same philosophy as effective educators, social workers, or coaches would approach their work. Four dimensions associated with officer effectiveness were studied: perceptions of self as identified, perceptions of others as able, perceptions of purpose as larger, and a frame of reference as people-oriented.

During the decades between 1950 and 1970, unionization in the United States was at its peak. Private and public employees gained advances in the improvement of working conditions and other terms and conditions of employment through cohesive action and collective bargaining. Today, unions represent only 11.1% of America’s workforce with the numbers constantly declining with one exception – the public sector. Employers, both public and private, lament the involvement of an outsider, asserting that the collective bargaining relationship impedes management’s ability to manage workforces and to accomplish agency performance objectives effectively. Law enforcement management, plagued by problems of increasing crime and decreasing fiscal and staffing resources, confront the same challenges. However, evidence is lacking regarding whether there are variances in performance between union and non-union departments from a public safety perspective. This research measures police department performance in 76 municipal non-union and union departments using crime rates, arrest rates, clearance rates, and community relationships. Statistical analysis was conducted using multiple regression and MANCOVA. There was a significant, positive relationship between collective bargaining status and department size. As department size increased, the departments were more likely to have collective bargaining. There was no significant relationship between collective bargaining status and crime rates, arrest rates, clearance rates, and total community score in a univariate analysis. However, when considering the inter-correlation of these factors, there was a statistically significant relationship. Therefore, collective bargaining status was not significantly related to police department performance. The null hypothesis for Research Question One was not rejected. The findings of this research indicate no measurable difference in individual performance indicators between unionized and non-unionized police departments. However, significance was indicated when examining the performance indicators together as a whole using MANCOVA. Therefore, the null hypothesis for Research Question Two was rejected.

This researcher examined the recruitment process to identify best practices for law enforcement leaders to populate vacant positions with a competent and skilled workforce. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to identify best practices for law enforcement agencies to recruit and maintain trustworthy officers to protect local communities. The conceptual framework for this study was based on the historical evolution of recruitment practices. The researcher used a review of past and present police-recruitment practices to help identify best practices by which law enforcement administrators can select trustworthy officers. This case study was used to examine and compare recruitment practices, minimum requirements, disqualifiers, advertising campaigns, testing procedures, background investigations, and panel interviews. The researcher conducted face-to-face interviews with law enforcement officers and human resource personnel from four of Virginia’s law enforcement departments, and identified three themes based on the sample population’s responses: strategy, trends, and requirements. The researcher identified a progression of recruitment practices executed by a layered-approach. The recruitment process addressed eligibility requirements and potential disqualifiers established by hiring authorities and the State of Virginia. Through the findings of this study, law enforcement leaders may be armed with new knowledge to improve the recruitment process, with the end result of recruiting a qualified and competent workforce.

Recording police officers can result in distraction, fear, and false perceptions of law enforcement personnel when citizens upload the videos to social media, though little is understood about police perceptions of this phenomenon. Using evaluation apprehension theory, emotional labor theory, and emotional intelligence as the foundation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the feelings and experiences of police officers recorded by citizens with cell phone cameras while working. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 police officers in the State of Indiana who were recorded with cell phone cameras. The data were transcribed, inductively coded, and then subjected to descriptive 7 steps, thematic, and cross-case analysis procedures. Key findings suggest officers experienced feelings of disengagement from duties when recorded by citizens. Results revealed concerns of professional appearance, self-reputation, and self-esteem. However, the study also indicated that the application of emotional intelligence and emotional labor from leadership could be used to assist officers in managing such disengagement. The implications for social change provided by this study include the development of training materials for law enforcement professionals who work through emotional intelligence while fostering opportunities for community engagement. For the public, this study provides an educational opportunity for the community to understand the feelings and significances of police officers who are recorded.