NCJ Number
72038
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 67 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1980) Pages: 53-58
Date Published
1980
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Good interpersonal, organizational, and public communication are necessary to police success and require committed management and training for all levels of police.
Abstract
Good interpersonal communication is needed for interviewing witnesses; talking with, counseling, or disciplining personnel; and talking with citizens. It requires an understanding of verbal and nonverbal messages, a wide range of communications behavior, and experience in matching behavior to the situation. Command personnel in organizations must know how to manage large communications systems, understand the communications links within their bureaucracy, and guarantee the existence of and adherence to good communications policy. Good public communications requires that all police personnel, especially those dealing with the public daily, understand police department communication policy and be able to give information clearly. This is as important as establishing one highly skilled position. Achieving good communications in these areas requires commitment from management and training for all levels of personnel. Sources of communications training and instructors include those policemen with prior communication experience, universities, and private communications firms. Finally, any communications course should aim at sharpening thinking, developing skills in problem solving and social relations, and increasing understanding of the world and people. Footnotes are included.