NCJ Number
12019
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1973) Pages: 182-200
Date Published
1973
Length
19 pages
Annotation
PUBLIC EXPECTATIONS CONCERNING POLICE DEPARTMENTS EVOLVED FROM 1938 DEMANDS FOR COMPETENCE AND CIVILITY, TO 1971 CONCERNS WITH REPRESENTATION AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION.
Abstract
IN THE LATE 1930'S PARRATT DEVISED A RATING SCALE DESIGNED TO EVALUATE POLICE DEPARTMENTS TO TERMS OF THEIR RESPONSIVENESS TO CITIZEN OPINION. HE WAS CRITICAL OF ATTEMPTS TO RATE DEPARTMENTS SOLELY ON INTERNAL CRITERIA. PARRATT'S RESEARCH INDICATED THAT THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE TRADITIONAL PROFESSIONAL IDEOLOGY OF POLICE ORGANIZATION - DETACHMENT FROM POLITICS, BETTER POLICE TRAINING, AND INCREASED TECHNOLOGY, WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE EXPECTATIONS OF A CERTAIN SECTOR OF PUBLIC OPINION IN THE 1930S. CITIZENS WISHED THE POLICE TO CONFORM MORE CLOSELY TO MIDDLE-CLASS STANDARDS OF EDUCATION AND APPEARANCE. THE 1971 SURVEY INDICATED A DIFFERENT SPECTRUM OF CONCERNS. ALTHOUGH CITIZENS CONTINUED TO EXPECT A CERTAIN STANDARD OF TECHNOLOGICAL COMPETENCE AND QUALITY OF PERSONNEL, THEY EXPRESSED AN OVERALL DESIRE FOR THE POLICE TO BE MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE VARIOUS COMMUNITIES THEY SERVED. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN POLICY MAKING WAS VIEWED AS A POSITIVE GOAL, AND THE DATA INDICATED A SYMPATHY WITH THE WORKER RIGHTS OF POLICEMEN. LITTLE EVIDENCE EMERGED FROM THE LATER SURVEY TO SUPPORT THE CLAIM OF PROFESSIONAL POLICEMEN THAT POLICE OPERATIONS SHOULD BE DETERMINED AND EVALUATED ON A LARGELY INTERNAL BASIS. IN ORDER TO LESSEN THE THREAT OF THE SHIFT TO INSULARITY, POLICE LEADERS MUST RECOGNIZE THE DEGREE TO WHICH CITIZENS WOULD SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS FOR A MORE FLEXIBLE APPROACH TO POLICE POLICY MAKING. INCLUDED ARE THE SCALES AND DATA FROM BOTH STUDIES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)