NCJ Number
123800
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1988) Pages: 288-302
Date Published
1988
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Surveys of communications personnel and patrol officers in 11 municipal police departments in small and medium-sized cities in 3 New England States and New York gathered information on attitudes toward work roles and the informal organization among civilian and sworn personnel in police agencies.
Abstract
Usable responses came from 177 patrol officers and 78 communications personnel. The communications personnel included 36 sworn officers and 42 civilians. Findings showed that the civilian communications personnel had much greater enjoyment in their work and satisfaction in their jobs, as well as a much greater sense of job security, than did sworn communications personnel. However, civilians and sworn communications personnel agreed on the importance of their work. Civilians were also similar to patrol officers in their employee values, but they placed a higher value on efficiency and effectiveness in their jobs and a lower value on loyalty to fellow employees. Finally, results suggested that the underlying problem related to patrol officers' limited trust in civilians may result from the threat of civilians to what has been described as an "indestructible bond" between police officers. Tables, notes, and 41 references.