NCJ Number
181577
Journal
Journal of Crime & Justice Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: 1999 Pages: 31-54
Editor(s)
J. M. Miller
Date Published
1999
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This study tested whether decentralization and collaborative decision-making techniques, employed as part of a community-oriented policing (COP) implementation, enhanced employee satisfaction.
Abstract
The literature describing theoretical components of COP generally indicates that decentralization of decision making is a necessary attribute of COP. Further, the literature suggests that COP will increase employee satisfaction and that decentralized and collaborative decision making will improve employee satisfaction. Data were obtained using a survey instrument designed to measure attitudes and perceptions of all employees of a police department who had regular contact with the public. Study variables were clustered in questions that probed for intra-agency communications and participation in police department decision making. Attitudinal questions were designed with Likert style response categories. The single theme that emerged from the analysis was that changes in management approach, from a very traditional, orthodox, hierarchical model to a more open COP model, generally produced perceived changes in the organization. In the case of employee satisfaction, changes were generally in the direction theorized by both COP and organizational behavior literature. The evidence clearly showed COP improved employee satisfaction. 54 references, 1 note, and 4 tables