NCJ Number
191395
Journal
American Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 25 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2001 Pages: 147-159
Editor(s)
William G. Doerner
Date Published
2001
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study assessed the issue of why some police officers refuse to participate in the promotional process.
Abstract
To conduct this study of police officer participation in the promotional process, a survey and focus group discussions were used. The population being studied in this study was officers from a large metropolitan area. This survey discovered no clear gender distinctions, but racial ones did emerge. For instance, white candidates were more likely to view promotion as a personal goal, while Blacks, would view it as a leadership concern. Many officers do not participate for a variety of reasons, personal, professional, and structural. For example, when officers become eligible for promotion, they tend to be at the mid-stage of their career and are reluctant to virtually start over in a new track. Those who do not seek promotion may be also motivated by internal goals rather than driven by monetary rewards. According to the authors, managers need to create more attractive inducements beyond traditional economic incentives in order to entice participation within the promotional process. Tables, references