BLUE FUTURE - POLICE VALUES AND POLICE POWER DURING THE NEXT THREE DECADES (FROM THE NEXT 25 YEARS - CRISIS AND OPPORTUNITY, 1975 BY ANDREW A SPEKKE)

• NCJ Number: 34346
• Author(s): T L COOPER
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: World Future Soc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

BY PREDICTING FUTURE POLICE VALUE TRENDS, THE AUTHOR HOPES TO BE ABLE TO SUGGEST RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING POLICIES WHICH WILL ENHANCE THE LONGRUENCE BETWEEN POLICE VALUES AND THOSE OF SOCIETY.

Abstract

THE DELPHI PROCESS - INVOLVING POLLING EXPERTS SEVERAL TIMES, AND EACH TIME REPORTING TO THEM THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS POLLED - WAS USED WITH TWO PANELS OF EXPERTS. THESE INCLUDED POLICE OFFICERS IN ONE PANEL, AND A GROUP OF LAW ENFORCEMENT EDUCATORS, POLICE ADMINISTRATORS ATTORNEYS, AND SOCIAL ETHICISTS IN THE OTHER. PROFESSIONALIZATION AND UNIONIZATION ARE SAID TO EMERGE FROM THE DATA AS DOMINANT AND SIGNIGICANT TRENDS WHICH ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO THE END OF THIS CENTURY. THE FORMER IS SAID TO BE A RESPONSE TO PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS FOR A BETTER-EDUCATED POLICE FORCE; THE LATTER A RESPONSE TO EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY DEMANDS AND TO PERCEIVED DEFICIENCIES IN PUBLIC SUPPORT AND RECOGNITION. THE AUTHOR WARNS THAT IF THE LATTER TREND PERSISTS OR INTENSIFIES, IT WILL LIKELY CONTRIBUTE TO PROLIFERATION OF THE POLICE SUB-CULTURE AND A FURTHER BREACH IN THE MATRIX OF VALUES SHARED WITH THE LARGER SOCIETY. THE AUTHOR SUGGESTS THAT THE COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS APPROPRIATE TO A PROFESSIONAL POLICE FORCE MUST INCLUDE A WIDE RANGE OF SOCIAL COSTS AND BENEFITS WHICH RECOGNIZE THESE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF OVEREMPHASIS OF FISCAL AUSTERITY. HARMONY OF VALUES IS SEEN AS THE MOST EFFECTIVE GUARANTEE THAT THE POLICE WILL EXERCIZE THEIR POWERS IN WAY CONSONANT WITH THE EXPECTATIONS OF SOCIETY.