NCJ Number
26138
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 42 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1975) Pages: 59-64
Date Published
1975
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POLICE BUREAUCRACY AND THE EFFECTS OF THIS BUREAUCRACY ON THE POLICE OFFICER'S ROLE AND ATTITUDES ARE REVIEWED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY AND OPERATIONS ARE GIVEN.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR STATES THAT BUREAUCRACY IS CHARACTERIZED BY A HIERARCHICAL ARRANGEMENT OF OFFICES, RULES FOR UNIFORMITY, AND IMPERSONALITY OF RELATIONSHIPS. IN THE POLICE ORGANIZATION, BUREAUCRACY TAKES THE FORM OF MILITARY CONCEPTS OF LINES OF AUTHORITY, UNITY OF COMMAND, DIVISION OF WORK, AND SPECIALIZATION OF FUNCTION. AMONG THE EFFECTS OF POLICE BUREAUCRACY NOTED BY THE AUTHOR ARE OVERWHELMING AMOUNTS OF PAPERWORK, A DECREASE IN EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT-LINE OFFICER COMMUNICATION, INDECISION AS TO THE PROPER ROLE AND ACTIONS OF POLICE, NONENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN LAWS DUE TO INDECISION OF THE OFFICER, THE RISE OF CORRUPTION, ESTABLISHMENT OF INFORMAL CENTERS OF POWER WHICH CAN BE USED TO OVERCOME BUREAUCRATIC ENTANGLEMENTS, AND ISOLATION OF THE POLICE AS A GROUP FROM THE REST OF SOCIETY. THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES HOW EACH OF THESE CONDITIONS HAS BEEN CAUSED BY THE POLICE BUREAUCRATIC STRUCTURE. SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF POLICE OPERATIONS ARE THEN MADE: THESE INCLUDE INCREASED POLICE EDUCATION, INCREASED INSERVICE TRAINING, USE OF POLICE LEGAL ADVISORS, USE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TEAM CONCEPT IN POLICING, AND INCREASED COMMUNITY INPUT INTO POLICE OPERATIONS.