NCJ Number
205940
Journal
International Journal of Police Science and Management Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 2004 Pages: 1-15
Editor(s)
Ian K. McKenzie
Date Published
2004
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This paper presents a case study of police leadership at the detachment level in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and attempts to demonstrate the leadership phenomenon.
Abstract
To shed light on police leadership, this paper presents a case study of leadership at a particular Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment, based on interviews with 28 police officers and participant observations. The case study demonstrates the organization’s core values in action, serving as a guide to leadership development. The paper begins with a discussion on transformational leadership theory; a framework which is meaningful in describing police leadership within a convenient heuristic comprised of four I’s: (1) individualized consideration; (2) idealized influence; (3) inspirational motivation; and (4) intellectual stimulation. Transformational leadership theory advances the conceptual understanding of the leadership phenomenon. In an attempt to identify the experience of leadership as perceived by a range of key informants, the case study employed semi-structured interviews with probing follow-up questions with 28 police personnel. Data analysis consisted of identifying patterns, themes, and narrative threads in the interviews. Respondents explained what they valued and observed as evident by the behavior of their formal and informal leaders. Leadership is seen as essentially a projection of hopes, fears, expectations, criticisms, and beliefs. What was shown was that leader skills can be learned and they can have a positive impact on organizations, followers can be motivated to achieve beyond expectations when relationships are fostered by the leader, leader behavior must be authentic with genuine concern for people’s needs and aspirations, and there are constraints on leadership that are often systemic and therefore difficult for either leaders or followers. In conclusion, leader behavior that is grounded in community values, expresses ethics consistent with the organization, and genuinely exhibits a caring attitude towards followers, maximizes the opportunities for leadership to emerge.