NCJ Number
101168
Date Published
1985
Length
142 pages
Annotation
Using a literature review and two surveys of police chiefs, this study presents findings and recommendations on the politics-administration dichotomy, executive behavior, education and professionalism, and executive development training.
Abstract
Two distinct survey instruments were mailed to police chiefs of departments with over 75 sworn officers approximately 18 months apart (May 1982 and November 1983). Questionnaires were mailed to the chief executives of 1,064 agencies in 1982 and 1,068 agencies in 1983. A total of 493 chief executives participated in the study. The study found that police chiefs are largely underqualified for their responsibilities. Fifty percent of the respondents did not have college degrees, and few had managerial experience in other police agencies or outside the law enforcement field. Many of the respondents have not been involved with political officials in public policymaking, having chosen to focus on agency administrative tasks. There is a serious need for executive development training, and the training needs of all respondents are similar, suggesting the possibility of standardizing police executive training. Minimum standards should be established and enforced for police executive positions throughout the Nation. The report contains a proposed model curriculum for law enforcement executive development training and a framework for structuring executive development programs. Tabular data and chapter references.