NCJ Number
167072
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 65 Issue: 11 Dated: (November 1996) Pages: 12-17
Date Published
1996
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the strategies that law enforcement agencies should implement to build an organizational foundation for the future.
Abstract
In order to deal with the rapidly changing environment in the 21st century, law enforcement's paramilitary hierarchy, with rigid controls and strict chains of command, must give way to a structure that emphasizes network-type communication and flexibility. The traditional organizational pyramid, with the chief at the top and line officers at the bottom, must become inverted. Instead, the community must be at the top of the pyramid, followed by line officers, then supervisors, and finally the chief. The most effective leaders in these new organizational structures will be situational leaders. They will be flexible in their approaches, adapting their leadership styles to the situation at hand and the individuals involved. These leaders will be consensus builders and agents of change. Given this recommendation for police organizational structure, this article discusses human resource considerations. The topics addressed include the determination of future staffing levels, attracting and selecting personnel, making a good first impression, placing new employees, training employees, measuring performance, rewarding achievement, and retaining quality employees. Also discussed are the redesigning of job descriptions and the maintenance of ethical standards. 15 notes