NCJ Number
202851
Date Published
2003
Length
315 pages
Annotation
This revised and updated third edition provides step-by-step guidelines and suggestions for performing a variety of police leadership tasks and responsibilities with a changing work force that serves a changing complex community.
Abstract
The theme of the book is the value of "common sense" in good leadership practices. As used in this book "common sense" is composed of life experience, good judgment, prudence, and a well-developed ability for solid reasoning and logical decisionmaking. The first two chapters focus on the nature of supervision and what the leader should know and do to make the transition from frontline officer to first-line supervisor. The third chapter discusses supervisory ethics and professional responsibilities, followed by a chapter that focuses on the key qualities of leadership. A chapter then addresses the police leader's task as educator and trainer and offers suggestions for being an effective instructor. The supervisor's important role as an evaluator of employee performance is discussed in chapter 6, followed in chapter 7 by an examination of the leader's role as a disciplinarian in the correction process. The leader's work as a planner in areas that range from special operations to personnel deployment and personal goal-setting is considered in chapter 8. Two chapters target the communication function and counseling as a means of problem-solving. Other chapters focus on the police leader's roles as a manager, a complaint processor, a facilitator of officer survival, an agency spokesperson, and in customer service. Chapter summaries and a subject index