Goals: Congruity and Conflict Among Police Officers and Police Chiefs

• NCJ Number: 205915
• Journal: Journal of Crime & Justice Volume: 27 Issue: 1 Dated: 2004 Pages: 87-118
• Author(s): DeVere D. Woods Jr.; Amy Craddock
• Date Published: 2004
• Length: 32 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study compared community police officers to traditional police officers in terms of various measures of role congruity.

Abstract

Community policing programs have been widely implemented around the country; according to some proponents, these programs are transforming officer behavior and police organizations in general. The prospect of change in terms of police practices brings up questions regarding whether new management strategies must be implemented when policing practices shift or whether traditional police management techniques will suffice. Another related question that arises is whether community policing officers differ from traditional police officers in terms of motivations, goals, and receptiveness to direction from management. The current study addressed both of these questions through an analysis of the survey responses of 305 police officers in 2 police departments; 1 in Cincinnati, OH, and the other in Colorado Springs, CO. The purpose of the study was to inform management strategies by identifying factors regarding the goal congruity between police officers and their chiefs. Variables included measures for goal congruity, such as importance of being courteous to the public, accountability to the public, and creations of a positive public image of the department. Results of statistical analyses indicated no difference between community police officers and chiefs in terms of goal congruity. Although the effect was limited, one major observation was the differences in officers’ perceptions of goal congruity with their chief, indicating that goal congruity is not a unidimensional concept. Officers appear to invest in the police organization as a whole, rather than in their chief. Another finding revealed that officers working in stressful environments perceived significantly less goal congruity with their chief. Thus, the findings failed to show the transformational effects of community policing espoused by advocates. This could be due to the way in which community policing is currently being implemented. Future studies should include large sample sizes and multiple police departments. Tables, notes, references, appendix