THIS ARTICLE PROJECTS ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES WHICH COULD RESULT FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF LARGE NUMBERS OF COLLEGE-EDUCATED OFFICERS INTO POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
POLICE OFFICERS' DUTIES ENCOMPASS A WIDE SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES RANGING FROM CRIME FIGHTING TO SOCIAL SERVICES, AND POLICING IS CARRIED ON WITHIN A DANGEROUS OR AT LEAST APPREHENSIVE ENVIRONMENT PLACING GREAT EMOTIONAL STRESS ON OFFICERS--TWO FACTORS WHICH ARE NOT LIKELY TO CHANGE WITH THE INCEPTION OF COLLEGE-EDUCATED OFFICERS. POLICE ORGANIZATION TRADITIONALLY HAS BEEN MADE MODELED AFTER THE MILITARY, OR AUTHORITARIAN, CONCEPT OF ORGANIZATION. STUDIES DONE BY SEVERAL AGENCIES INDICATE THAT FUTURE ORGANIZATIONS WILL EXPERIENCE MORE PARTICIPATORY MANAGEMENT, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WILL REACT TO RAPID SOCIAL CHANGE BY INCREASING EMPHASIS ON INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, AND AUTHORITARIAN ATTITUDES TEND TO VARY INVERSELY WITH THE EXTENT OF A PERSON'S EDUCATION. IT IS POSSIBLE, IN VIEW OF THIS INFORMATION, TO PREDICT THAT FUTURE POLICE DEPARTMENTS WITH A LARGE PROPORTION OF COLLEGE-EDUCATED PERSONNEL WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE OFFICERS WITH SIGNIFICANT RECOGNITION IN DECISIONMAKING (RESULTING IN A BELL-SHAPED ORGANIZATION WITH MOST MEMBERS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE RATHER THAN AT THE BOTTOM) AND WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE A MORE DIVERSIFIED CAREER TRACK. POLICE CHIEFS WILL HAVE TO JUSTIFY THEIR POLICIES BY MEANS OF PERFORMANCE EVALUATION AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION ASSESSMENT. THE EDUCATED POLICE ORGANIZATION WILL EMPLOY FRATERNAL DISCIPLINE, THE TEAM SYSTEM, AND PARTICIPATORY MANAGEMENT. AS POLICE WORK BECOMES AT LEAST QUASI-PROFESSIONAL, POLICE EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS WILL LOOK BEYOND JOB BENEFITS AND PROPOSE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS AND STANDARD SETTING. NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)